19 Citrusy Cocktails to Make With Cointreau
If you love a margarita or can’t say no to a cosmo, then you likely have a bottle of Cointreau gracing your bar cart. The orange-flavored liqueur is a type of triple sec produced in France and delivers a crisp citrus flavor thanks to its neutral spirit base and a combination of sweet and sour (or bitter) orange peels. Cointreau gives countless classic cocktails their bright, floral zip and remains a staple ingredient for many of today’s best bartenders. If you’re looking to use up a bottle, look no further—here are a few of our favorite Cointreau cocktail recipes to try at home.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton3/19Cosmopolitan Spritz
With a dash of orange bitters and a rosemary garnish, this fizzy take on the cosmopolitan cocktail is perfect for a crowd: It can be batched and prepared up to 10 hours in advance.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh5/19White Lady
This vintage cocktail is citrusy, sunny, and sure to be a hit with the gin drinkers in your life. A vigorous session in your cocktail shaker is what gives the drink it’s ghostly brume.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Leslie Raney7/19Sidecar
While Grand Marnier will lend this elegant cognac cocktail a warmer flavor, using Cointreau will make it brighter and more crisp. Try it both ways, either sipped from a glass with a sugared rim and garnished with an orange peel twist.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou8/19Turmeric-Cumin Margarita
Inspired by the vibrancy of the Hindu festival, Diwali, this margarita gets magnetic color and a warm, peppery punch from turmeric, plus a smoky flavor from a cumin-salt rim.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt9/19Salty Paloma Soda Can Cocktail
The real tea: Drinking this out of a can is fun, but can be impractical if taking it to the beach or on a picnic. Just combine 7 oz. La Croix, 2 oz. tequila, 1 oz. lime juice, and 1 oz. Cointreau in a sealable cup and go—or scale it up to whatever will fit in your Stanley cup.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart10/19Blackberry Margarita
Fresh lime juice and orange liqueur enhance the flavor of muddled blackberries in this juicy twist on the tequila classic. Fruity Peychaud’s bitters adds a balanced finish.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert11/19Whiskey Daisy
Essentially a whiskey sour, but instead of simple syrup, Cointreau steps in as sweetener. A splash of club soda, while optional, makes this drink even more sippable.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert12/19The Classic Margarita
A good margarita recipe isn’t just about the tequila—it’s also about the triple sec. That’s why choosing a great one like Cointreau is so important. For a smoky iteration, try swapping the tequila out for mezcal.
