blood orange el diablo.
bright, strong, and sweet. the perfect end-of-season cocktail.
Makes: 1 cocktail Prep time: 0 minutes Build Time: 3 minutes
My mom introduced me to this cocktail via a quick text late one Saturday night. A classic El Diablo is made up of a few relatively common things: Reposado tequila, creme de cassis, lime juice, and ginger beer. I happened to have all of those things on hand that night and whipped up a sparkly El Diablo.. and then another.. and then one more.
It’s good. And it’s really a pretty classic cocktail, but not one that is common to make. It’s not far off from a margarita but tastes deeper thanks to the reposado, sweeter due to the cassis, and spicier because of the ginger beer. It’s a bold drink, but perfect for the end of summer when margaritas just don’t hit the spot anymore.
So what’s special about this El Diablo?
Mostly, I wanted to introduce you to a drink I love, but I did switch it up a little! Blood orange liqueur has been my favorite new obsession, and adding it to this felt like a no-brainer. It gives the drink a sweet orange taste, which happens to go perfectly with the black currant liqueur. Can’t find blood orange liqueur, or don’t want to make the splurge yet? Squeeze fresh blood oranges into the drink instead.
Is this spicy, then?
No, ginger isn’t spicy hot, it’s spicy in a “tingly” way. I included my favorite ginger beer brand below and some alternatives if ginger is really just not your thing.
How is this a fall drink?
Does every fall drink have to be an apple cider, pumpkin, cinnamon extravaganza? Blood oranges are actually a winter fruit, so you can make this to brighten up your winter days, too! This isn’t as light and sour as a summery margarita, and offers something a little different than the heavily-spiced drinks of fall. Plus, we could use more tequila in the winter months.
blood orange el diablo ingredients
tequila: You can use Reposado like a classic El Diablo, but this recipe uses the more accessible blanco tequila instead. You can even use mezcal for a super smokey flavor. It really depends what you have on hand and what you prefer; blanco is a pretty blank slate, though, so I recommend starting there.
crème de cassis: This has to be my favorite liqueur to have on hand, and it’s by far the cheapest as well. I use Mathilde, which is under $10 but worth having in your bar for mixing casual cocktails. It’s sweet and syrupy, and adds a unique flavor to just about anything — even just a glass of champagne. Don’t skip this for an El Diablo! In a pinch, you can swap for simple syrup, muddled blue or blackberries, blueberry syrup, or raspberry liqueur.
blood orange liqueur: This is a tough ingredient to suggest because it comes in a wide range of forms. I used Solerno blood orange liqueur, which is a clear, super-citrusy spirit. You can also use blood orange apertivo, which is thick and dark like a wine. I recommend the liqueur so you don’t risk any bitterness. If you want to make this at home without splurging on blood orange, you can also use triple sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier, all very similar in taste. Or, in a pinch, juice a fresh blood or naval orange.
lime juice: Of course I always recommend fresh limes, but feel free to use bottled lime juice as well. I wouldn’t skip this as it adds a lot of citrusy body to the drink.
ginger beer: My favorite ginger beer to use for cocktails is Reed’s Extra. It’s spicy and full-flavored. If you find ginger too strong, you can try Fever-Tree ginger beer, which I find much more delicate in flavor.
blood orange el diablo pairing options
I’d drink this as an apertif before dinner, since it’s technically a sour and will stimulate the appetite. Since it’s fairly bold, I’d also consider it a good after-dinner drink, too!
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