If you’ve ever found yourself in a bar and wanted something that feels a bit more “authentic” than a Margarita or even a Paloma, the Cantaritos cocktail is your next stop.
Often served in traditional clay pots in Jalisco, Mexico, this drink is a citrus explosion. It’s tart, salty, and incredibly refreshing on a warm afternoon. The beauty of this drink is the mix of juices. While most tequila cocktails stick to just lime, the Cantaritos brings in lemon, orange, and grapefruit as well. It’s bright, zingy, and has a bit of a “fizz” thanks to the grapefruit soda.
Prep Time: 5 mins
Servings: 1
Price Range: Affordable
Difficulty: Medium
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Cantaritos Cocktail Ingredients
Alcohol
- 50 ml Tequila Blanco (we used Cazcabel Blanco)
Juices, Sodas & Syrups
- 15 ml Lime Juice
- 15 ml Lemon Juice
- 15 ml Orange Juice
- Grapefruit Soda to top up (we used San Pellegrino Pompelmo)
Fruit & Other
- Sea salt for garnish
- Slices of orange, lime, and grapefruit for garnish
Cantaritos Cocktail Recipe
Only seven steps to make the perfect Cantaritos Cocktail!
- Run a lime wedge around the rim of your clay pot or glass. Dip it into a small saucer of sea salt until you have a good, thick coating.
- Add your tequila, lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, and a tiny pinch of salt into the glass.
- Fill the glass right to the top with fresh ice cubes.
- Pour your grapefruit soda over the ice. Don’t go too fast or it’ll fizz over the edge and destroy the salty rim.
- Give it a quick, gentle stir with a spoon just to combine the juices and the soda.
- Stuff a few slices of your fresh citrus into the top of the glass.
- Serve, sip and enjoy!
Equipment
This cocktail will need the following equipment:
- Bar Spoon
- Jigger
- Cantarito Clay Pot or Highball Glass
- Small saucer for salt
- Chopping board
- Knife
Cocktail Units & Pricing
We’ve based these volumes, units and pricing off our alcohol database. Our prices are based off open Open Exchange Rates from the GBP total.
| Ingredient | Volume | Units | Price |
| Tequila | 50 ml | 2.00 | £1.21 |
| Lemon Juice | 15 ml | 0.00 | £0.02 |
| Lime Juice | 15 ml | 0.00 | £0.02 |
| Orange Juice | 15 ml | 0.00 | £0.02 |
| Grapefuit Soda | 50 ml | 0.00 | £0.20 |
| 145 ml | 2.00 | £1.47 | $2.00* | €1.70* |
FAQs
Do I really need three different types of citrus?
Ideally, yes. The magic of the Cantaritos is the complexity you get from mixing the tartness of the lime and lemon with the sweeter orange. If you’re in a rush, you can skip one, but try to keep at least two to maintain that “zing.”
Why add salt inside the drink?
It sounds odd, but a tiny pinch of salt actually suppresses bitterness and makes the citrus flavours “pop.” It’s the same reason we salt our food-it’s a flavour enhancer, not just a garnish!
Can I use Reposado tequila instead of Blanco?
You can, and it adds a lovely caramel/vanilla note to the drink. However, Blanco is the traditional choice as its crisp, peppery flavour cuts through the heavy citrus much better.
