Oats Free Cucumber Herb Paloma
This cocktail is a bright, garden-fresh twist on a classic paloma — cooling cucumber, citrusy grapefruit, and a fragrant herb syrup that you steep yourself from fresh mint and basil. The whole thing comes together with real, whole ingredients: fresh-squeezed juice, blanco tequila, a touch of lime, and a splash of sparkling water to lift it all. Naturally, there's nothing grain-based hiding in here, so anyone avoiding oats can sip without a second thought — no label-scanning required. The homemade herb simple syrup is genuinely worth the extra fifteen minutes; it adds a floral, aromatic depth that no store-bought mixer can replicate. A flaky sea salt rim rubbed with a fresh grapefruit wedge gives every sip that perfect sweet-salty contrast. Serve it over ice in a tall glass with a thin cucumber slice and a sprig of herbs, and it looks as stunning as it tastes. This is the kind of drink that makes a regular Tuesday feel like a rooftop happy hour.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
For the herb simple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
For the rim
- 1 tbsp flaky sea salt
- 1 grapefruit wedge, for rimming
For the cocktail
- 4 oz blanco tequila
- 3 oz fresh grapefruit juice (from about 1 large grapefruit)
- 2 oz fresh cucumber juice (from about ½ medium cucumber, peeled and blended or pressed)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz herb simple syrup (from above)
- 4 oz sparkling water
- 1 cup ice cubes
For serving
- 2 thin cucumber slices (optional)
- 2 small fresh mint or basil sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the herb simple syrup: combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, add the mint and basil leaves, and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a small jar or bowl, pressing the herbs to extract their flavor, then discard the solids. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
- 2
Make the cucumber juice: peel half a medium cucumber, cut it into rough chunks, and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing firmly to yield about 2 oz of clear juice. Discard the pulp.
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