Coconut Free Herbal Grapefruit Paloma
Bright, citrusy, and just a little herbaceous, this paloma is the kind of cocktail that makes a regular Tuesday feel like a rooftop happy hour. Fresh grapefruit juice does the heavy lifting here, delivering that signature bittersweet punch alongside lime and a homemade rosemary-thyme simple syrup that adds an unexpected savory depth. The syrup comes together in minutes on the stovetop — just sugar, water, and fresh herbs steeped until fragrant and faintly golden, then strained clean. Many store-bought cocktail mixers and flavored syrups sneak in coconut water, coconut sugar, or coconut-derived sweeteners, so making your own from scratch is the smartest move for keeping things worry-free. A salted rim rubbed with a fresh grapefruit wedge ties everything together, and a final splash of chilled sparkling water keeps the whole drink light and effervescent. Shake it hard, pour it over ice, and garnish with a sprig of rosemary or thyme if you want to look like you really have your life together.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
For the herbal simple syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
For the salted rim
- 2 tsp coarse kosher salt
- 1 grapefruit wedge, for rimming
For the cocktail
- 3 oz blanco tequila
- ¾ cup fresh grapefruit juice (from about 1 large grapefruit)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- 1 oz herbal simple syrup (from above)
- 1 cup sparkling water, chilled
- 1 cup ice cubes
For serving
- 2 small sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme, for garnish (optional)
- 2 thin grapefruit slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the sugar, water, rosemary sprigs, and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the herbs steep for 10 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant and faintly golden.
- 2
Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a small jar or bowl, pressing the herbs lightly to extract their oils. Discard the spent herbs. Let the syrup cool to room temperature before using.
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