This Cinnamon Grapefruit Paloma elevates your typical tequila cocktail into a cozy, yet refreshing fall drink. It’s filled with a cinnamon infused simple syrup, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, orange juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and a splash of soda water. To top it all off, the cocktail is rimmed in a cinnamon salty sugar!
Everyone always talks about how they love summer cocktails, with all the berries, lemon, and watermelon-y flavors, but for me, fall cocktails are the absolute best. Nothing excites me more than fall flavors, and this is the very first fall-inspired cocktail I’m sharing this year! And I’m grinning as I type this because I’m overwhelmed with happiness as we approach my very favorite month of the entire year. And there’s no better way to celebrate than with a few cinnamon grapefruit palomas!
These gorgeous glasses are giving me life, as are these cocktails. The inspiration for this fall cocktail came from a breakfast I’ve been enjoying lately – broiled grapefruit with cinnamon on top! I got the idea for this breakfast (well, breakfast side, really – I’ve been having it alongside my usual veggie frittata or breakfast tacos!) from Rachael. The cinnamon and grapefruit combo is SO delicious and unexpectedly good.
Kind of unexpectedly good in the way that these mango chocolate chunk cookies are.
This paloma is not the most authentic paloma, but it’s really freaking good. Aside from the grapefruit and tequila, which are always in a paloma, I added freshly squeezed orange juice and grand marnier. The orange flavors play really well with the cinnamon, and they help to cut the bitter citrus of the grapefruit. Making this the most perfectly balanced fall drink.
It’s refreshing from the citrus, yet still cozy and spicy from the cinnamon!
I love a fun rim on a cocktail – especially a paloma cocktail or a margarita – so I decided to keep going with the cinnamon and add a cinnamon salty sugar rim! I often mix a little sugar into my salt for my margarita rim, just because it really balances the lime and the salt. Here, I added a little cinnamon and it’s DELISH.
For the cinnamon simple syrup, I used cinnamon sticks instead of ground cinnamon. It gives it a more subtle cinnamon-y flavor profile, and keeps the drink super pretty without a bunch of ground cinnamon floating around. This simple syrup method is also in my christmas sangria and my winter rosé sangria. And my pomegranate rosemary clementine margaritas! Looking at those photos makes me feel so festive! It miiiiight be a little too early to be thinking about that though.
Maybe.
The cinnamon salty sugar is something that you can make a bigger batch of, and keep it in a sealed container to use on your cocktails throughout the holidays! Having things like that on hand for impromptu get togethers is the best! It just makes everything extra special.
Another thing I always add to my paloma cocktail, is a splash of soda water for a little fizz and to cut the sweetness just a tad. Feel free to add as much as you like to suit your tastes!
I am beyond ready for you, fall.
Cinnamon Grapefruit Paloma
This Cinnamon Grapefruit Paloma elevates your typical tequila cocktail into a cozy, yet refreshing fall drink. It's filled with a cinnamon infused simple syrup, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, orange juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and a splash of soda water. To top it all off, the cocktail is rimmed in a cinnamon salty sugar!
Ingredients
For the cinnamon simple syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cinnamon sticks
For the cinnamon salty sugar
- 2 tablespoons margarita salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
For the paloma
- 2 ounces tequila
- 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
- 3 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- 2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 1/2 ounces cinnamon simple syrup
- splash of club soda, to taste
Instructions
For the paloma
Moisten the edge of your glass with a grapefruit wedge and rim in the cinnamon salty sugar. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add a few ice cubes to a cocktail shaker and add the tequila, Grand Marnier, grapefruit juice, orange juice, and cinnamon simple syrup. Shake for 20 seconds and pour in the glass. Top with a splash or two of club soda, stir to combine, and garnish with a graperfuit wedge. Enjoy immediately!
For the cinnamon simple syrup
Bring the water, sugar, and cinnamon sticks to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil for 2 minutes to let the cinnamon infuse. Let cool completely, then strain and discard cinnamon sticks.
For cinnamon salty sugar
Add salt, sugar, and cinnamon to a plate and stir together with your fingers to combine.
Recipe Notes
*Extra cinnamon simple syrup will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
*To make these pitcher-style for a crowd, I'd measure all of the cocktail ingredients out for how many people you want to make them for, add everything to a pitcher, and chill the mixture in the fridge. When you're ready to serve, add the club soda and grapefruit slices if desired, and serve! (And you may need to double or triple the simple syrup depending on how many people you're making them for!)
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