20 Cocktails for Cinco de Mayo—and a Few Mocktails, Too
Get your guests in the fiesta spirit with drink recipes they'll find deliciosa.
The key to Cinco de Mayo is enjoying it with friends and family, and what better way than with a celebratory drink in hand? Here's a tip to up your home bar game: Don't be tempted by the convenience of overly sweet bottled or powdered mixers. Instead, use recipes with fresh ingredients like fruit juice, herbs, spices, and citrus.
If you're partial to tropical, refreshing flavors—and are fans of tequila and rum—you're in luck. We rounded up top-notch Cinco de Mayo cocktails and mocktails you can shake, stir, or blend at home. Once you've nailed the drinks, whip up some homemade guac, set out the chips, and get the party started.
Classic Margaritas
The secret to the best-ever margarita is to use freshly squeezed lime juice for maximum bright, citrusy tang. If you love margaritas but crave something new, there are plenty of easy margarita upgrades to try.
Watermelon-Mint Agua Fresca
This mocktail is like chilled watermelon in a glass, only better. The drink signals the start of summer in the most refreshing way with just watermelon, lime juice, and a mint-infused simple syrup. Swap the watermelon with honeydew or cantaloupe for a different take that's just as refreshing.
Grapefruit Kombucha Margarita
This zesty margarita features a dose of grapefruit juice and fizzy, good-for-you kombucha. Don't worry, it retains those margarita essentials: tequila, lime, simple syrup, and a salted rim.
Ranch Water
DEBBY LEWIS-HARRISON/GETTY IMAGES
This popular cocktail was said to have been invented by a rancher in West Texas. It's a lightened-up version of a margarita, perfect for Cinco de Mayo. Pleasant and uncomplicated, it has just three ingredients: blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, and seltzer (like Topo Chico).
Michelada
You could call this Mexican cocktail one hot tamale. It mixes lager beer (like Corona) and Calmato juice with hot sauce, spices, and a few more surprises, all served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass.
Cucumber Spritzer
Victor Protasio
If your Cinco de Mayo celebration starts with brunch, here's a cocktail idea to get you started. Packed with refreshing mint, lime, and cucumber, it's a club soda and gin mixture that's just lightly alcoholic. Make it non-alcoholic by swapping the gin with more club soda.
Chambord Lemonade Cocktail
Here's a hard lemonade that's so easy to make. Just three ingredients—lemonade, vodka, and Chambord (a French raspberry liqueur)—is all you need for this pretty, pink party starter.
Partida Passion Fruit Cocktail
What's more appropriate for celebrating Cinco de Mayo than a cocktail with "party" in its name? This fruity, four-ingredient, tequila-based one provides the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
Limeade Margarita on the Rocks
Interested in using 3 ingredients that make 4 margaritas in less than 5 minutes? This recipe's shortcut, store-bought limeade, makes margarita magic to get your party started sooner.
'Una Buena Noche' Cocktail
Jen Causey
Reminiscent of a fading sunset, this two-toned cocktail starts with a mixture of tequila, lime, apricot liqueur, and two different simple syrups. Add deep red Lambrusco, an Italian sparkling wine, to mimic an enchanting evening sky.
Mexican Spicy Hot Chocolate
The beginning of summer may still elicit some chilly evenings where you live. If your celebration involves gathering around a roaring fire pit, consider mixing up this five-ingredient, soul-warming treat.
Sunset Daiquiris
This layered cocktail—featuring frozen pineapple, mango, and strawberries—is the perfect way to kick off the summer. For a more Mexican vibe, swap out the rum for tequila,
White Sangria
Sangria is the perfect make-ahead solution for serving party guests with minimal fuss. Allow at least an hour (the longer the better) for its white wine base—Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc—to mingle with fruit before serving.
Spicy Watermelon Margarita Ice Pops
Have you considered serving cocktails on a stick? They're the ultimate make-ahead, big-batch party treats you can serve in seconds. The "spicy" refers to a hit of cayenne, just enough to make things interesting.
Chambord Royale
Let's not forget a nod to the French! If it weren't for their defeat by Mexican forces in 1862, Cinco de Mayo would simply be May 5th. Celebrate with this simple two-ingredient cocktail that's pretty, fruity, and festive,
Tropical Lemonade
This mocktail recipe takes a pitcher of lemonade south of the border with an infusion of tropical fruit. Pineapple juice and apricot nectar give this non-alcoholic punch a sunny color and festive flavor.
Red Sangria With Blackberries
Blackberries and orange slices mingle with a bottle of red to make this classic big-batch punch. To truly celebrate the Cinco de Mayo spirit, look for a light- to medium-bodied Mexican red wine.
Mint-Scented Mojito
Technically, the mojito is a rum-based cocktail from Cuba. If you're a stickler for accuracy, switch out the rum for tequila, and you have a Cinco de Mayo-worthy refresher that no one can complain about.
Hibiscus Lemon Iced Tea
Though not a native of Mexico, hibiscus plays an important role in Mexican cuisine, such as in hibiscus water, known as agua de Jamaica. Similarly, this mocktail recipe uses fresh-brewed hibiscus tea to deliver the flower's distinctive color and flavor. Top off each glass with sparkling wine for a refreshing spritz.
Paloma With Fresh Grapefruit Juice
Greg DuPree
The aptly named paloma, the Spanish word for "dove," is a kinder, gentler tequila cocktail, perfect for those who find a margarita a bit too strong. Combine ingredients (including grapefruit juice instead of grapefruit soda) in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.
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