Mexican Sunset Cocktail (Tequila Sunset)
A Mexican Sunset drink is a quick 2-minute cocktail made with silver tequila, amaretto, peach schnapps, pineapple juice, and grenadine. This easy tequila sunset recipe delivers sweet tropical flavor and a vibrant layered sunset effect that’s perfect for taco night, summer parties, or anytime you want a colorful cocktail with minimal effort.
I keep coming back to this version because the amaretto and peach schnapps smooth out tequila’s sharper edge without masking its crisp finish. The ingredient ratios also make the grenadine layer easier to achieve, so even newer home bartenders can create a beautiful sunset effect without complicated techniques.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Mexican Sunset is the kind of cocktail that looks impressive, tastes amazing, and comes together in just a couple of minutes.
- Perfect for parties, cookouts, and taco night
- Beautiful sunset layers with minimal effort
- Sweet tropical flavor balanced by tequila
- Made with simple, easy-to-find ingredients
What Readers Say
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Beautiful color and easy to make for taco night.-Gail
What You’ll Need
This Mexican Sunset keeps things simple with silver tequila, amaretto, peach schnapps, pineapple juice, grenadine, and a few garnishes. Here’s how each ingredient contributes to the cocktail’s flavor and signature sunset look.
Best Tequila for a Mexican Sunset
Silver tequila gives this cocktail a cleaner, crisper finish, keeping the drink bright and refreshing. I don’t recommend swapping in gold tequila unless it’s your only option, since it can make the overall flavor taste a little heavier and sweeter.
Where the Sweetness Comes From
This drink gets its layered sweetness from peach schnapps, pineapple juice, amaretto, and grenadine, but they don’t all do the same job. The peach schnapps and amaretto soften tequila’s edge, while the pineapple juice keeps everything tasting juicy and tropical instead of syrupy. Add the grenadine separately at the end so it sinks to the bottom and creates that signature sunset effect.
How to Make a Mexican Sunset Drink
STEP ONE: Pour the spirits and juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Cover and shake until cold, and then strain into a large glass with ice.
STEP TWO: For the cleanest sunset effect, pour the grenadine very slowly down the inside of the glass or over the back of a bar spoon so it sinks rather than blending into the drink. Garnish with some cherries and a lime slice, and enjoy!
Troubleshooting
If the grenadine blends instead of sinking, your pour was too fast. Slowly pour the grenadine so it trickles down to the bottom of the glass.
If the drink tastes too sweet, use a little less grenadine next time. You can also squeeze a little fresh lime juice into the cocktail shaker to brighten it up even more.
Tips for Success
A few simple tips will help you get the prettiest layers and best flavor every time.
- Substitution: Mango schnapps works well when you want an even more tropical flavor profile.
- Chilling: Cold tequila, peach schnapps, and a chilled glass help keep the cocktail crisp and make it easier for the grenadine to settle into distinct layers.
- Presentation: Leave a little room at the top of the glass before adding the grenadine so the sunset effect has room to develop.
- Balance: Taste the cocktail before adding the grenadine. If you’d like a less sweet drink, use a little less grenadine or add an extra squeeze of fresh lime before serving.
What to Serve With a Tequila Sunset
This cocktail was practically made for taco night. The fruity sweetness pairs beautifully with spicy shrimp tacos, smoky grilled chicken, and citrusy carne asada, helping balance bold flavors while keeping everything light and refreshing. It’s also an easy addition to summer cookouts and casual happy hours with friends.
*This post originally posted on 04/24/2020.
Mexican Sunset Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ounce amaretto
- 1 ounce peach schnapps
- 3 ounces silver tequila
- 6 ounces pineapple juice
- ½ ounce grenadine
- 1 lime slice per glass for garnish
- 3 maraschino cherries per glass for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the 1 ounce amaretto, 1 ounce peach schnapps, 3 ounces silver tequila, and 6 ounces pineapple juice.
- Cover with the lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds until the shaker is nice and cold.
- Fill two tall glasses with ice, then divide the tequila cocktail mixture between them, almost filling each glass. Slowly pour 1/2 ounce grenadine down the side of each glass so that it falls to the bottom.
- Garnish each glass with 1 lime slice and 3 maraschino cherries on a cocktail toothpick. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
FAQ
You can mix the tequila, amaretto, peach schnapps, and pineapple juice a few hours ahead and keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Wait to add the grenadine, ice, and garnishes until right before serving so the layers stay pretty and the drink doesn’t get watered down.
Absolutely. To make a pitcher, just double or triple the base ingredients and stir them together in a 2.5-quart pitcher. For that pretty layered look, pour the cocktail into ice-filled glasses and add the grenadine to each glass individually. You can also stir the grenadine right into the pitcher if you don’t mind skipping the layered effect, then chill it until you’re ready to serve and pour it into glasses over ice with your garnish.
This cocktail is best served fresh, especially once the grenadine has been added. If you do have leftovers, strain to remove the ice and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Give the cocktail a good stir before serving and pour over fresh ice.
More Drinks To Try
If you enjoyed the fruity flavors and easy-drinking vibe of this Mexican Sunset, here are a few more cocktails worth mixing up next.
Classic Tequila Sunrise – Love the layered sunset look? This classic tequila cocktail swaps the peach schnapps and amaretto for orange juice, creating a lighter citrus-forward flavor.
Tequila Blackberry Hard Lemonade – Sweet blackberries and tart lemonade make this a refreshing option when you’re craving something fruit-forward with a little more tang.
Plum & Peach Margaritas – If the peach schnapps was your favorite part of this recipe, these margaritas deliver even more juicy stone-fruit flavor with a margarita twist.
White Peach Sangria – Perfect for sharing, this wine-based cocktail is packed with fresh fruit and makes a great choice for parties, cookouts, and warm-weather gatherings.
Peach Mango Rum Splash – For a tropical change of pace, swap tequila for rum and enjoy a sweeter, beachy cocktail with plenty of peach and mango flavor.
Too sweet for us. The amaretto is overpowering. It is slightly better with 1/2 the amaretto amount but still very sweet.