Tequila Sour
This tequila sour is bright and citrusy. It’s a lovely and simple cocktail that lets the tequila shine. It’s balanced with fresh lime and lemon juice and just enough sweetness to smooth it all out.
About this tequila sour
The tequila sour is a bit similar to a margarita, but there’s no orange liqueur, just tequila, lime, and simple syrup. The result is more spirit-forward, so perfect if you’ve got a good quality bottle of tequila to use.
The “sour” family of cocktails uses a simple formula of spirit, a citrus of some sort and a sweetener. For tequila, lime is the pairing that works great, but I love using a mixture of both lemon and lime here.
Adding egg white is optional, but I really recommend it. It creates a beautiful, silky foam on top and gives the drink a lovely, smooth texture. If you’re not comfortable with raw egg white, aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas, though make sure it’s unsalted) works as a substitute. For the tequila, I prefer blanco for a clean flavor, but reposado adds a bit of warmth.
Key ingredients and why
Method
- Add tequila, lemon juice, lime juice, syrup, and egg white to a shaker (no ice) and shake for 15 seconds until foamy.
- Fill with ice and shake hard for about 15 seconds until the shaker is frosty cold. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, or into a coupe glass if serving up.
- Add a few drops of bitters and a lime twist.
Tips
- Double strain if you want a really smooth drink. You can pour it through a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer at the same time to catch any ice chips or egg white bits.
- Adjust sweetness to taste. Start with 3/4 oz (20 ml) simple syrup and add a little more if your limes are really tart.
- Chill your glass in the freezer for a few minutes before serving. It keeps the drink colder longer.
- No egg white? The drink is still delicious without it, just less frothy. Or try aquafaba as a vegan option.
More tequila and sour cocktails
- White Christmas Margarita
- Ginger Beer Paloma
- Tequila Piña Colada
- Homemade Sweet and Sour Mix
- Aperol Sour
Tequila Sour
Ingredients
- 2 oz tequila (reposado or blanco)
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- ¾ oz simple syrup
- 1 egg white or ½ oz aquafaba
- Ice
- Angostura bitters for garnish, optional
- Lime wheel
Instructions
- Dry shake (without ice) all ingredients in a cocktail shaker for 10 seconds to create foam.
- Add ice and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.
- Strain into a coupe or rock glass.
- Add a few drops of Angostura bitters on top and swirl with a toothpick. Garnish with lime wheel.
- Serve right away.
