Tequila Sunrise

Article by Layla Khoury-Hanold

A tequila sunrise is a fruity, refreshing cocktail that’s known for its colorful layers. Tequila sunrises are one of the most popular tequila drinks, ideal for sipping during the summer or as a festive brunch cocktail. It’s also one of the most simple tequila drinks, calling for just three ingredients: tequila, orange juice and grenadine. With chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s easy recipe, you’ll learn what kind of glass to use, the key technique for achieving a colorful, layered effect, the one thing you should never do when making a tequila sunrise and the best maraschino cherries for garnishing.

How to Make a Tequila Sunrise Like a Pro

Choose a highball for your glassware. A highball glass is tall and has straight sides, making it ideal for showing off the striking layers of the sunrise-esque color gradient.

Reach for unaged blanco tequila. Unaged blanco tequila, also known as silver tequila, is light and bright with notes of citrus, which pair well with the orange juice and the sweet-tart grenadine.

Use the back of a spoon to add the grenadine. Pouring the grenadine over the back of a spoon helps to slowly add the syrup to the glass.

Don’t stir the drink! Allow the grenadine to settle in the bottom of the glass to achieve the drink’s beautiful red base layer.

Opt for Luxardo cherries to garnish. Geoffrey recommends using high-quality Luxardo cherries, which have a natural dark red color and a balanced sweet-tart flavor profile and are soaked in Luxardo marasca cherry syrup for added flavor depth.

Ingredients for a Tequila Sunrise

A tequila sunrise is made with three ingredients, including tequila, orange juice and grenadine (pomegranate syrup) and garnished with an orange slice and maraschino cherry.

What Kind of Tequila Is Best for a Tequila Sunrise?

Unaged blanco tequila (also known as silver tequila) is best for making a tequila sunrise as its light, bright flavors pair well with the citrusy orange juice and its freshness balances the sweet-tart flavors of the grenadine and sweetness of the orange juice.

Tequila Sunset vs Sunrise

A tequila sunset and a tequila sunrise are both cocktails made with tequila and orange juice, but tequila sunrises are made with grenadine, a pomegranate syrup, while tequila sunsets swap in crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) or blackberry brandy. Some versions of tequila sunsets substitute pineapple or grapefruit juice for the orange juice.