Here is a Tequila Sour recipe that’s fun, frothy and tastes like a margarita with sour mix, but with the extra special touch of egg white foam. Shake it all together and serve at your Mexican-inspired soirees – with the option to make it without egg white to truly make it your own.
Why you’ll love this tequila sour cocktail
Homemade sour cocktail for the win! Just like Aperol sour, and the plethora of classic sour cocktails, this one gets its smooth and silky texture from the way sours were originally made, tracing their roots all the way back to the 1920s. The secret – raw egg white. This creates a drink that is balanced and frothy, with just the right amount of foam. But don’t worry – I’ve got you covered with plenty of egg white substitutes based on what you need.
Mash up of two classic cocktails! Think of tequila sour as a mix between a sour cocktail and a margarita. Yes, you heard that right. If you are a lover of margaritas just like I am, you are going to fall in love with this one.
Easy to scale up for a crowd! While the recipe written below makes one gorgeous cocktail, you can certainly make it for a crowd. Simply multiply the ingredients by however many you need and whiz all the ingredients up in a blender. Add ice after blending to chill it down, then strain before serving.
Ingredients
A tequila sour cocktail requires nothing more than a handful of ingredients, most of which you can find on your bar cart. Here’s what we need:
- Egg white
- Tequila
- Lemon juice
- Simple syrup or agave nectar
- Bitters
- Orange wheel / maraschino cherries, for garnish
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions:
- If you would prefer to make the tequila sour without egg white, try aquafaba (chickpea water)!
- Use your favorite tequila – such as Espolon or Casamigos.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Make your own simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar dissolved in a saucepan) or replace it with agave nectar.
- Feel free to omit the bitters if you are not a fan.
How to make
The key to any sour cocktail is to dry shake the egg white. In other words, shake the ingredients at room temperature WITHOUT adding ice cubes first so that they are smooth and silky. Here’s how to do it:
Dry shake: Add the egg white, tequila, lemon juice, simple syrup or agave, and a few dashes of bitters to a cocktail shaker. Dry shake for 15 seconds.
Wet shake: Add ice to the shaker and shake again for another 15-20 seconds.
Strain and garnish: Strain the cocktail into a small chilled glass. Garnish with an orange wheel and maraschino cherry.
The egg white foam
Egg whites are a key ingredient in classic sour recipes – and for good reason. The egg white creates a light and airy, yet rich and creamy, white foam top. This is achieved through a technique known as dry shake. Dry shaking means to first shake all of the ingredients in the cocktail shaker WITHOUT ICE to allow the egg white proteins to release and create foam.
The second step of adding ice and shaking once more strengthens this foam and chills it down. The result – a frothy and foamy egg white layer.
Egg white substitute
Drinks with egg whites may be concerning for some people due to the risk of salmonella from raw egg white, or for dietary reasons. If concerned about bacteria, you can purchase pasteurized eggs (Davidson’s Safest Choice is a trusted brand) from select grocery stores.
That being said, as an alternative to egg white, you can try:
- Using 2 tablespoons liquid from a can of chickpeas – aka aquafaba.
- Purchasing bottled cocktail foam from your local liquor store or Amazon.
When to serve a tequila sour
Tequila sours are both classy and approachable, so any occasion will fit the bill. I like to serve them at Mexican dinner parties, cocktail hours and late-night drinks with the girls. They go especially well with plenty of Mexican-inspired snacks, like:
- Mexican corn in a cup
- Mexican appetizer snack platter
- Grilled Mexican street corn
- Mexican fruit salad
Recipe tips & notes:
- Chill the glass. This makes for a frosty presentation and a well-chilled cocktail.
- Use the bitters as you please. Feel free to add a few dashes of bitters to the cocktail shaker or finish it off with a few drops on top of the egg white form.
Looking for more tequila cocktail recipes? Check these out!
- Watermelon Tequila Spritzers
- Italian Margarita
- Hibiscus Margaritas
- Frozen Palomas
- Raspberry Margarita
- Cadillac Margaritas
- Strawberry Margarita Recipe
If you make this Tequila Sour recipe, be sure to tag me on Pinterest and Instagram!
I seriously love seeing what you guys are making and sharing your creations with the College Housewife community!
Tequila Sour
ingredients
- 1 egg white
- 2 oz tequila
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 tsp simple syrup or agave
- Dash of bitters
- Orange wheel and maraschino cherries for garnish
instructions
- Dry shake: Add the egg white, tequila, lemon juice, simple syrup or agave, and a few dashes of bitters to a cocktail shaker. Dry shake for 15 seconds.
- Wet shake: Add ice to the shaker and shake again for another 15-20 seconds.
- Strain and garnish: Strain the cocktail into a small chilled glass. Garnish with an orange wheel and maraschino cherry.
notes
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