Frozen Tequila Sunrise Margarita

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/28/22
Tested by Joan Velush
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cup

The tequila sunrise margarita brings the beauty of a tequila sunrise into the world of frozen margaritas. It combines the best of both drinks and is utterly refreshing with its tropical fruit flavor. Enjoy this one on a hot summer day, whether that means cooling off by the pool or watching the sunset from your patio.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make at home. You'll simply pour grenadine into a salt-rimmed glass, then blend up an orange margarita to top that off. As the slushy drink melts, the sweet pomegranate syrup will integrate into it, creating a beautiful visual effect as the crimson and gold fuse to go along with the delicious taste.

Frozen Tequila Sunrise Margarita

The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

“The sweetness of classic tequila sunrise meets the salty intoxicating slush of a classic margarita. Frozen and refreshing and it looks beautiful in a glass.” — Joan Velush

Frozen Tequila Sunrise Margarita/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • Coarse salt, for rimming

  • 1/2 ounce grenadine

  • 1 1/2 ounces tequila

  • 1/2 ounce triple sec

  • 1 ounce  orange juice

  • 1/2 ounce sour mix

  • 1 cup ice

  • Lime wedge, for garnish

  • Maraschino cherry, for optional garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Frozen Tequila Sunrise Margarita ingredients

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  2. Rim a tall glass with salt by running a lime wedge around rim and then dipping it into a shallow dish of salt.

    rim glass with salt, bowl with lime wedges

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  3. Pour grenadine into glass. Some can run down the side inside the glass as that will enhance the blend of colors.

    Pour grenadine into glass

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  4. In a blender, add tequila, triple sec, orange juice, sour mix, and ice.

    tequila, triple sec, orange juice, sour mix, and ice in a blender

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  5. Blend until smooth.

    tequila, triple sec, orange juice, sour mix, and ice blended together in a blender

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  6. Pour contents of blender into prepared glass and stir slightly so colors begin to mix.

    Pour contents of blender into prepared glass

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  7. Garnish with a lime wedge and/or cherry.

    Frozen Tequila Sunrise Margarita in a glass, garnished with a lime wedge and cherry

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Tips

  • To maximize the sunrise effect, a tall glass (e.g., a highball glass) is better than a margarita glass, though that certainly will work.
  • Serving this drink with a straw allows you to slurp up bits of sweetness from the bottom along with the citrus blend. It also lets you stir it up as you drink.
  • Silver (blanco) tequila is recommended as the other ingredients will provide plenty of flavors and it's an affordable choice for blended drinks.
  • If you don't have triple sec handy, you can substitute another orange liqueur, including Grand Marnier or orange curaçao.

Recipe Variations

  • You will find some recipes for a blended tequila sunrise margarita that suggest including the grenadine in the blender. That makes for a great-tasting drink, but you lose the visual sunrise effect.
  • Mezcal can be poured instead of tequila if you want a bit of smoke with your sunrise.
  • Turn this into a frozen virgin sunrise for nondrinkers. Simply increase the orange juice to 3 ounces and skip the tequila and triple sec.
  • You can very easily transform this cocktail into a frozen ice pop. The recipe includes tequila, orange juice, and grenadine with Greek yogurt; the red and orange layers are separated to keep the drink's signature look.

How Strong Is a Tequila Sunrise Margarita?

Frozen cocktails are almost always low-proof drinks because the ice adds a significant amount of volume to offset the alcohol. The tequila sunrise margarita is a perfect example, with an alcohol content of just 9 percent ABV (18 proof). That makes it slightly stronger than beer and a little lighter than wine but filled with a lot more flavor than either.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
273 Calories
1g Fat
45g Carbs
2g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 273
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1277mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 17%
Dietary Fiber 6g 22%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 76mg 382%
Calcium 83mg 6%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 299mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)