Food and Recipes Drinks Cocktails Tequila Sunrise Be the first to rate & review! Sit back, relax, and enjoy this classic cocktail. By Julia Levy Julia Levy Julia is an experienced cook with a demonstrated history of working in the publishing industry. She is skilled in catering, food & beverage, event planning, and menu development. She tests and develops recipes in the DotDash Meredith Test Kitchen for Southern Living. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on May 6, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Active Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 1 A tequila sunrise cocktail looks impressive and visually appealing, with a colorful and layered appearance, but it’s actually quite easy to make with just a few ingredients. This drink is a perennial fan favorite and the perfect refresher to drink beside the pool or beach, or at brunch in place of a mimosa. Tequila Sunrise Ingredients To make a tequila sunrise, you will need orange juice, blanco (or silver) tequila, and grenadine, plus ice. For the garnish, you’ll need an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. All of these ingredients are standard and easy to find at grocery stores and liquor stores. Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely The 10 Most Classic Southern Cocktails Everyone Should Try In Their Lifetime How To Make a Tequila Sunrise You can make a tequila sunrise easily in just five minutes—even if you’re a mixology amateur. First, pour the orange juice and tequila into a chilled highball glass filled with ice. Pour the grenadine down the side of the glass for the visually appealing look of layering. Garnish the drink with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry, and serve right away. 54 Spirited Cocktail Recipes To Start The Party Tips for Making a Tequila Sunrise The perfect tequila sunrise cocktail depends on its layered look in beautiful bright pink and orange tones. To get this look, the key is pouring the grenadine alongside the glass to serve. Then to drink, stir the grenadine into the orange juice and tequila for a balanced flavor; without this step, the drink just tastes like high-octane orange juice. Too sweet? You can balance the flavor by adding lemon or lime juice to taste. You can also achieve this drink as a batch cocktail. Just prepare it in a pitcher instead of a glass. Then, pour the grenadine down the side of the pitcher before serving, or save this step and pour the grenadine into individual glasses for serving instead. Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely What's the Difference Between a Tequila Sunrise and a Tequila Sunset? The drinks tequila sunrise and tequila sunset don’t just go by similar names, but they are made up of similar ingredients. too. And if you like one, you’ll probably like the other. The difference between a tequila sunrise and a tequila sunset comes down to a swap of one of the key ingredients: Whereas grenadine provides the splashy red coloration in a tequila sunrise, blackcurrant liqueur (crème de cassis) adds the color in the tequila sunset. Sometimes, recipes for these drinks swap the orange juice for pineapple or grapefruit. More Easy Cocktail Recipes Watermelon Sangria Pitcher Mojitos Moscow Mule Mint Julep Vodka Cherry Limeade Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin. Ingredients 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 oranges) 1/4 cup (2 oz.) blanco silver tequila Ice 1 Tbsp. (1/2 oz.) grenadine Orange slice Red maraschino cherry Directions Mix cocktail: Pour orange juice into a chilled high-ball glass filled with ice. Add tequila. Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Pour grenadine down side of glass to create a layering effect. Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Garnish with orange slice and cherry. Serve immediately. Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Frequently Asked Questions Is tequila sunrise a strong drink? Compared with, say, a martini, the tequila sunrise isn’t a particularly strong drink. This recipe calls for a half cup of juice that dilutes the two ounces of tequila. But you can tweak the proportions as you prefer to create a drink that is stronger (more alcohol) or weaker (more juice). Which tequila is best for a tequila sunrise? Blanco tequila, also called silver tequila, is the best kind to use in a tequila sunrise recipe. Rate it Print Additional reporting by Alesandra Dubin