Yeast Free Cucumber Herb Paloma
Bright, cooling, and built entirely from fresh ingredients, this cocktail is a serious upgrade from anything you'd find pre-mixed on a store shelf. The combination of fresh grapefruit juice, cucumber juice, and a homemade mint-basil simple syrup creates layers of flavor that feel sophisticated without requiring any complicated technique. Because the syrup is made from scratch with just sugar, water, and fresh herbs, there's no relying on commercial mixers or flavored syrups that can sneak in unwanted additives. Avoiding yeast-containing ingredients in cocktails is easier than it sounds when you stick to fresh-squeezed citrus, blanco tequila, and sparkling water — exactly what this recipe does. The salted grapefruit rim adds a savory contrast that makes every sip feel intentional, and the cucumber garnish keeps things looking effortlessly put-together. It's the kind of drink you'd happily serve at a dinner party or sip solo on a warm evening, knowing exactly what went into the glass.
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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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