Easy Frozen Paloma Recipe

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Nothing says summertime like frosty, frozen beverages — especially the boozy kind. Some are so suitable for warmer temps that we basically associate them exclusively with vacations; cocktails like piña coladas and frozen daiquiris are notable favorites of the beach-going crowds. Some frozen blended beverages were born as such — think piña coladas and Miami vices, while others were reimagined slushy versions of classics like margaritas and daiquiris. The blend of liquor and ice creates a totally new drink, and the paloma is another cocktail that deserves this frozen treatment. 

The classic Mexican cocktail is a popular grapefruit-forward tequila sipper that already screams summertime on its own. So why not kick it up a notch with this easy frozen paloma recipe developed by Michelle McGlinn? The recipe first blends ice, grapefruit juice, tequila, and lime juice before being topped with a bright and fizzy grapefruit soda. The result is a slushy-fied version of a paloma made extra-sweet and just a little bit fizzy, perfect for the warmest days of the year.

Like a regular paloma, you'll need a high-quality tequila, agave, grapefruit juice, and lime juice. Freshly-squeezed juices are best here, but for harder-to-squeeze (and sometimes bitter) fruits like grapefruit, bottled juice does the job. Look for the ruby red grapefruit variety; this type is one of the sweetest and a little less tart than other kinds. You'll also need a good bit of ice to properly thicken the drink into a slushy texture. The finishing touch is sparkling grapefruit soda to top off the drink and give it a thirst-quenching fizz.

Add the ice, grapefruit juice, tequila, agave, and lime juice to a blender.

Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 30 seconds, tamping as needed.

Pour into glasses.

Top with grapefruit soda.

Serve the frozen palomas immediately.

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This easy frozen paloma recipe involves topping with soda, which offers just a little bit of fizz to the icy, smooth drink, while also allowing you to customize the frozen paloma. We recommend grapefruit soda to enhance the grapefruit flavor, but you can also use other soda flavors, too. You can try something simple and citrusy like lemon-lime soda (think Sprite or 7Up). You can also go the opposite direction and give the drink a spicy flair with ginger ale or ginger beer. We also love the depth that cranberry, raspberry, and cherry sodas add to grapefruit, giving it a juiciness that complements the tang typical in grapefruit juice.

Though you don't have to stick to just soda, any carbonated beverage will work. You can look for sparkling grapefruit lemonade, which will add a citrusy-sweet flavor to the drink and is especially good if you find grapefruit a little bitter. If you use grapefruit-flavored seltzer or soda water, it will enhance the fruitiness without adding any sweetness. If you don't like fizz, you can either swap the soda for a splash of juice or simply omit the topper entirely.

The only bad thing about a frozen drink is that it melts — and quickly. There are a few tricks to use if you plan to serve these to a crowd that may be sipping them a little slower than the ice can handle. The first and easiest way to thicken the paloma is to add more ice; too much ice and the drink will be diluted, but add up to one cup to thicken the paloma further and prevent melting. Another option to try is freezing the juice, which is a handy ice cube trick for many other cocktails, too.

To freeze the juice, don't just stick the bottle in the freezer — you'll never be able to get the frozen contents back out (unless, of course, you let it melt). Instead, grab an empty ice cube tray and fill it with the juice. Start with the grapefruit juice and fill enough to equal 4 ounces, or about ½ cup. Add the lime juice to any remaining empty trays, then freeze overnight until solid. Blend with ice and pour into chilled glasses for a thick, not-as-diluted paloma.

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