Winter Citrus Tequila Smash.

This Winter Citrus Tequila Smash is a refreshing mix of sweet blood oranges, pomegranate juice, fresh ginger, mint, a little honey, and silver tequila. Everything is muddled together, shaken with ice, then topped with sparkling water for a pretty, bubbly finish. It’s sweet, citrusy, a little spicy from the ginger, and so delicious. The perfect winter cocktail to enjoy with friends or make for a cozy night at home. And the best part? It takes just 10 minutes to make!

Bringing back Cocktail Saturday with this pretty Winter Citrus Tequila Smash!

I love a good citrus cocktail, especially during the winter months when blood oranges are in season. They’re sweet, slightly tart, and have the prettiest deep red color. Mixed with pomegranate juice, fresh ginger, and mint, they make such a delicious winter drink.

When I originally created this recipe, I was planning to take a little break from sharing cocktails. After three months of making a new cocktail every single Saturday, I thought it might be time to switch things up.

But then I started thinking about all the beautiful winter citrus available this time of year, and I couldn’t resist.

I wanted something fresh, colorful, and not overly sweet. A cocktail that felt a little lighter after all the rich holiday drinks, but was still fun and special enough to share.

And that’s how this Winter Citrus Tequila Smash came to be.

It’s such a simple combination, but the flavors are SO GOOD. You get sweetness from the oranges and pomegranate, a little warmth from the ginger, freshness from the mint, and just enough fizz from the sparkling water.

Plus, you can easily leave out the tequila and make this a mocktail. I actually love it that way too!

These are the details

Ingredients

• blood orange zest
• fresh blood oranges
• lime juice
• pomegranate juice
• fresh ginger
• fresh mint leaves
• honey, if needed
• silver tequila
• sparkling water

The blood oranges are really the star here. They’re naturally sweet and juicy, with the most beautiful color. If you can’t find blood oranges, you can use your favorite variety of oranges instead.

The pomegranate juice adds a little tartness and makes the color even prettier, while the fresh ginger gives the drink a nice kick.

I also love adding fresh mint. It makes everything taste extra refreshing.

And finally, a little honey to sweeten things up, if needed. Depending on how sweet your oranges are, you might not need much at all!

The Steps

Step 1: Prepare the citrus

Start by zesting your orange, then remove the peel and cut the orange into quarters.

Add the orange zest and orange pieces to a cocktail shaker or glass jar.

Pour in the fresh lime juice and pomegranate juice.

The combination of fresh citrus and pomegranate is so pretty and gives this drink the best sweet and tart flavor.

Step 2: Add the ginger and mint

Next, add the freshly grated ginger and mint leaves.

If you like a sweeter cocktail, add a little honey too. I recommend starting with less and adding more if needed.

Now, using a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon, gently muddle everything together.

You want to press the oranges to release all their juices while mixing the ginger and mint into the drink.

This is what gives the cocktail so much fresh flavor!

Step 3: Add the tequila

Pour in the silver tequila, then fill the shaker with ice.

Shake everything together until well chilled.

Strain the mixture into your favorite cocktail glass, leaving behind the orange pieces, ginger, and mint.

The color should be a beautiful pinkish red. So pretty!

Step 4: Finish with bubbles

Top the cocktail with sparkling water and gently stir.

I love finishing each glass with a fresh blood orange slice and a sprig of mint. It makes the drink feel a little extra special without much effort.

And that’s it! So simple, but so delicious.

Make it a pitcher cocktail

If you’re serving friends or family, this is also a great cocktail to make in a larger batch.

Instead of muddling everything in a cocktail shaker, use a large glass jar. Combine the orange zest, blood oranges, lime juice, pomegranate juice, ginger, mint, and honey.

Muddle everything together, then strain the juice into a large pitcher, discarding the pulp.

Add the tequila and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

Just before serving, add ice and top with sparkling water. Finish with fresh mint and orange slices.

This makes entertaining so easy since you can prepare the citrus mixture ahead of time and add the bubbles at the very end.

Make it a mocktail

One of my favorite things about this drink is how easily it can be made without alcohol.

Simply leave out the tequila and follow the recipe as directed.

You’ll still have all those delicious flavors from the blood oranges, pomegranate, ginger, and mint, plus the sparkling water to make it nice and bubbly.

It’s such a refreshing winter drink, with or without the tequila!

I love serving this for a casual Saturday night, winter dinner parties, or anytime I want something a little special.

The fresh citrus makes it bright and refreshing, the ginger adds just the right amount of warmth, and the sparkling water keeps everything light and bubbly.

It’s colorful, easy to make, and a fun way to enjoy winter citrus while it’s in season.

Make one glass for yourself or mix up a pitcher to share. Either way, it’s delicious!

If you make this winter citrus tequila smash, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!