Spiced Blood Orange Paloma

This festive Spiced Blood Orange Paloma Recipe is perfect for Christmas gatherings! This paloma recipe is citrusy, spiced and delicious.

Christmas is the perfect time to get together with friends and family, and what better way to celebrate than with a festive drink in hand? This Spiced Blood Orange Paloma Recipe is the perfect drink to enjoy during the holidays!

This spiced blood orange paloma recipe is perfect for any party – it’s easy to make and sure to please a crowd. It’s festive, flavourful, and lightly spiced.

So gather your ingredients and get ready to mix up a delicious holiday drink!

Why You Will LOVE This Paloma Recipe

• Festive cocktail for the holidays
• Light and refreshing
• Easy to make
• Easy to modify
• Lightly spiced
• Can prepare the components ahead of time

What is a Paloma?

The Paloma is a tequila-based cocktail that hails from Mexico and its name literally translates to “dove” in Spanish. Nobody knows for sure who created the Paloma but it has become one of the most popular cocktails in Mexico, typically enjoyed on hot summer days.

It’s an easy to make cocktail that is refreshing and light yet still full of flavour. Traditionally, a Paloma is made with tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda.

Here we have modified the traditional Paloma to suit the holidays while still keeping it light and refreshing.

Tips for Making the BEST Palomas

• Chill your glasses ahead of time to help ensure the cocktail remains cool to the very last sip.
• Choose premium liquors for the best results. You don’t need to reach for the top shelf but at least avoid scraping the bottom of the barrel.
• Fresh squeezed juice goes a long way with cocktails.
• To make sure your cocktail is properly chilled, consider using larger ice cubes. They melt slower and won’t water down your drink as quickly.
• Use a Blanco Tequila when making Palomas for a more crisp and refreshing flavour.
• If you choose to shake your paloma, be sure to shake and then add the sparkling water.
• Garnish your Palomas for that extra special touch.
• For an extra special sparkle, try substituting the sparkling soda for Prosecco.
• Enjoy your Paloma and don’t forget to drink responsibly. Cheers!

How to Garnish this Spiced Blood Orange Cocktail

• Fresh mint leaves
• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• Cranberries
• Blood orange slices
• Blood orange slices
• Cinnamon sticks
• Star anise
• Coarse salt to rim the glasses.

How to Make a Spiced Blood Orange Mocktail

If you are serving someone who prefers an alcohol-free drink, this spiced blood orange mocktail is the perfect choice. The cranberry juice and spiced simple syrup give it a festive but refreshing flavour, while the sparkling water makes it bubbly and fun.

To make it a mocktail, simply replace the tequila with additional sparkling water.

This is a great way to adjust the recipe for kids to enjoy a fun drink too!

Equipment Needed to Make a Paloma

You don’t really need any special equipment to make a Paloma. Just make sure you have the basics handy:

• A small saucepan
• Mesh strainer
• A cocktail shaker or cocktail stirrer
• Low ball glasses for serving

Although I do just stir together the cocktail in the glass, you can use a cocktail shaker instead.

About the Ingredients for the Spiced Blood Orange Paloma

Salt – You will want coarse salt for the rim of the glass. I used pink Himalayan salt but really any coarse salt will work.

Cranberry juice – I used 100% pure cranberry juice. If you use cranberry cocktail instead of juice then the paloma may end up too sweet.

Simple syrup – I used a cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and star anise. I would make sure it is cold or at least room temperature before making your drink. Use whole spices for making the simple syrup.

Tequila – You definitely want to use a Blanco Tequila (also called Tequila silver), and avoid using reposado or añejo tequilas when making Palomas. Blanco tequila is crisp and refreshing which works well with the fruity flavours of a paloma.

Sparkling water – Use an unflavoured sparkling water. Alternatively you can use a citrus or orange flavoured sparkling water as I did.

Blood orange – You will want blood oranges for hand squeezed juice as well as slices for garnish. Blood orange actually tastes closer to grapefruit than other oranges in my opinion, so if you can’t get your hands on blood oranges you can substitute with ruby red grapefruit.

You will need one blood orange to get 2 oz of juice.

Looking for More Holiday Cocktail Recipes?

Check out more of my favourite Christmas cocktails!

This easy Kringle and Buttershots iced coffee recipe is the perfect drink to enjoy during the Christmas season!

This The Green & Red Cider Cocktail with Cran-Apple Ice Cubes is a fun and flavourful cocktail perfect for holiday entertaining.

This Pomegranate Mojito is a festive winter cocktail perfect for serving at holiday parties.

How to Make a Spiced Blood Orange Paloma

Yields: 1 Serving | Prep time: 5 Minutes | Cook time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:
For the Spiced Simple Syrup:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 star anise

For the Paloma:

• Coarse salt
• 2 oz cranberry Juice
• 2 oz Fresh blood orange juice
• 1.5 oz Spiced simple syrup
• 2 oz Blanco Tequila
• Sparkling water

Directions:

For the Spiced Simple Syrup:

Bring the syrup ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan, over high heat.

Once boiling, turn the temperature down to low and allow to simmer for 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat.

Allow to steep for 15 minutes, then strain out the spiced and allow to completely cool off.

For the Paloma:

Pour the salt into a shallow bowl or saucer.

Run a wedge of blood orange around the rim of your glass.

Dip the glass rim into the salt, coating well.

Fill half your glass with ice. Add the juices, simple syrup, and tequila.

Stir to combine and top off with sparkling water.

Garnish with blood orange slices and cranberries.