cantarito drink

The cantarito drink is our new all-time favorite summer cocktail. It’s a zesty tequila drink that’s bursting with lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit notes.

It’s bubbly, light, and incredibly refreshing: the ideal summer drink!

I love to serve this over a ton of crushed ice for an extra-cold and spritzy treat. But watch out! The tequila melds so well with the cold citrus juices that you won’t realize you’re drinking a full-strength cocktail. 

It’s such a delicious cocktail, I hope you mix it up on the next sunny day out with your friends!

What is a cantarito?

A cantarito is a tequila-based Mexican cocktail that is mixed with lemon, lime and orange juice and topped with grapefruit soda. It doesn’t use any simple syrup and is wonderfully light, crisp, and zesty.

It’s lighter than a margarita, which typically contains liqueur for a boozier, sweeter drink. If you’re looking for a lower alcohol summer drink, the cantarito is calling your name!

There’s often some confusion about a paloma vs cantarito. 

A paloma is a tequila and grapefruit soda with a squeeze of lime. Cantaritos simply have more citrus juices mixed in, which offsets some of the bitter grapefruit notes. They’re a little bit lighter and softer. If you love grapefruit, try a paloma!

cantarito ingredients:

• blanco tequila
• orange
• lemon
• lime
• grapefruit soda
• salt 
• tajin

A note on the tequila:

Use 100% blue agave blanco tequila. These tequilas have herbal notes that are clean and pure. They go so well with the citrus flavors and bubbly freshness of the drink. Barrel-aged tequilas will often have subdued agave flavor and more pronounced notes of spice and sweet vanilla. Save these for a tequila old-fashioned!

how to make a cantarito:

1. Rim a high-ball glass (or cantarito mug) with Tajín.
2. Fill with ice.
3. Combine tequila and citrus juices in a shaker filled with ice; shake until chilled.
4. Strain into the glass, add a pinch of salt, and top with grapefruit soda.
5. Enjoy!

how to serve a cantarito drink:

Traditionally cantaritos are served in small clay cups. They help the drink stay extra cold and add a fun, local vibe to the cocktail. These little jars are called jarritos or cantaritos de barro, and can be found easily online (check Etsy or Amazon)!

For simplicity, you can also serve this drink in a simple highball glass like I’ve done in the photo.

I love to slide a thin slice of grapefruit inside the glass and secure it with ice, for a beautiful visual cue of the flavors. And of course, don’t skip the Tajin rim!

cantarito variations:

• Skip the grapefruit soda: add 1 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and top the cocktail with soda water or lemon-lime soda.
• Use blood orange juice in place of standard orange juice for extra color and floral notes.
• Muddle in a jalapeño for a little bit of heat.
• Substitute mezcal for a touch of smoke and earthy richness.

Make it as a pitcher (serves 8): 

• 2 cups blanco tequila
• 1 cup orange juice
• ½ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup lime juice
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cups grapefruit soda

more tequila cocktails to try:

blackberry tequila spritzer

blood orange margarita

cucumber mint margarita

hibiscus margarita

mango margarita (frozen and on the rocks!)

mexican mule (tequila ginger beer cocktail)

pineapple margarita

ranch water

spiced tamarind margarita

spicy cilantro jalapeño margarita

strawberry margarita

tequila sour

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