I love a good tequila cocktail and this rosemary Paloma hits all the right notes! It is fresh and citrusy from the grapefruit and lime and has a lovely herby undertone from the rosemary simple syrup. It is sweet, sour, a little bitter, and salty and oh so refreshingly delicious. This will soon become your favorite cocktail!
Paloma is a classic tequila based cocktail made with grapefruit or grapefruit soda. I love the citrusy freshness and subtle bitterness that grapefruit adds to this delicious cocktail. It is so easy to make a paloma at home and you only need a handful of ingredients apart from fresh grapefruit. Fresh lime juice helps add acidity that pairs beautifully with the grapefruit and a pinch of salt in the glass rounds out all of the flavors. I like making my own simple syrup infused with rosemary. It adds the most subtle earthiness and brings out the citrusy flavors really well. I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious cocktail recipe!
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Rosemary paloma ingredients
- Tequila – Use any good-quality blanco tequila in this recipe. Traditionally, tequila blanco is used, but you can also make this with a reposado (lightly aged) tequila too.
- Grapefruit juice – I like using a mix of grapefruit juice and unsweetened grapefruit soda in this cocktail. For the best flavor, use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice!
- Lime juice – lime juice adds a touch of sourness which pairs so well with grapefruit and tequila.
- Rosemary simple syrup – I like using my homemade rosemary simple syrup in this paloma. It adds the perfect amount of sweetness and that lovely earthy rosemary flavor in the background!
- Grapefruit Sparkling water/club soda - I like using unsweetened grapefruit soda so we can adjust the sweetness without our homemade rosemary simple syrup.
- Chili lime seasoning – For the rim of your glass! I like using either Trader Joe's chili lime seasoning or Tajin, both work great.
- Ice – to make the cocktail super refreshing!
How to make rosemary paloma
First you'll have to make rosemary simple syrup. Find the recipe here or click on the image below. Rosemary simple syrup adds a subtle herby flavor to the cocktail and makes it extra special!
To make the paloma
1. Rub a wedge of grapefruit/lime around the rim of each glass.
2. Spread the chili lime seasoning on a plate and invert each glass onto the plate so the rim gets coated with the chili lime seasoning.
3. Pour the tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, rosemary simple syrup and salt into the glass. Mix it well to combine.
4. Fill the remainder of the glass with ice.
5. Top the glass with the grapefruit soda.
6. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and/or a sprig of rosemary.
Tips and tricks
- Taste and adjust. I highly recommend you taste and adjust the cocktail to find the perfect balance of sweet and sour. If you prefer a sweeter Paloma, add an extra splash of rosemary simple syrup. If the cocktail turns out sweeter than you like, squeeze in some extra lime juice and add in more ice. Customizing it is the way to go!
- Make the syrup ahead of time. Make a large batch of rosemary simple syrup ahead of time so you can have it on hand in the refrigerator. It stays well for up to 2 weeks and you can add it in any cocktail which calls for sugar or agave syrup, to give it a lovely rosemary flavor.
- Mezcal. I love cocktails with both tequila and mezcal. If you love smoky flavors, definitely try out this Paloma with mezcal instead of tequila.
- Make it spicy! I love spicy cocktails and this one is fantastic with a little spice! To make it spicy, either mix in a large pinch of chili lime seasoning or muddle a few jalapeño slices in the glass before you make your drink.
- Dilute with sparkling water. If your Paloma tastes too strong when you first try it, let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature. As the ice melts, it will dilute the drink. If it’s still stiffer than you’d like it to be, top your glass with more sparkling water.
- Serve a crowd. It is so easy to make a large batch of this Paloma to serve a crowd. Use the scaling feature on the recipe card below and throw all the ingredients into a large pitcher instead of a glass. Then pour into glasses when you are ready to serve and add some fun garnishes!
Frequently asked questions
What is paloma in Spanish?
Paloma means 'dove' in Spanish!
What is the difference between a paloma and a margarita?
A Margarita just like a paloma contains tequila and lime juice but it gets its sweetness from either orange juice or orange liqueur. A Paloma on the other hand is flavored with and gets its sweetness from grapefruit/grapefruit soda.
What kind of tequila is best for palomas?
Traditionally, tequila blanco is used, but you can also make this with a reposado (lightly aged) tequila too.
What can I use instead of rosemary simple syrup?
Replace it with agave nectar or plain simple syrup if you don't want rosemary flavored paloma.
More cocktails to try!
Recipe
Rosemary paloma
Ingredients
- 2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
- 2 oz tequila
- 0.5 oz lime juice
- 2 teaspoons rosemary simple syrup
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 oz sparkling water (preferably grapefruit flavored)
- 1 teaspoon chili lime seasoning for the rim
Instructions
- Start by making the rosemary simple syrup, if you haven't already. You could also replace it with agave nectar or plain simple syrup if you don't want rosemary flavor in your paloma.
- Rub a wedge of grapefruit/lime around the rim of each glass. Spread the chili lime seasoning on a plate and invert each glass onto the plate so the rim gets coated with the chili lime seasoning.
- Pour the tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, rosemary simple syrup and salt into the glass. Mix it well to combine.
- Fill the remainder of the glass with ice and top with the grapefruit soda. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and/or a sprig of rosemary.
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