Cinco de Mayo is more than just an excuse to drink during the workweek. Whether you’re a foodie or a liquor connoisseur, the holiday offers the opportunity to experiment with recipes. Since Cinco de Mayo falls on a Tuesday this year, we’ve picked out drink and cocktail recipes that are both snazzy and easy to execute if you’re short on time.
So break out the guac and chips and look through for that perfect little midweek pick-me-up. Choose from boozy or non-boozy depending on how early you need to get up the next day ;).
Michelada (Ingrid Hoffmann, Food Network)
A michelada is a Mexican beer-based drink, often made with spices, sauces, and limes. Food Network star Ingrid Hoffman’s michelada is the cubana variation, mixing Worchestershire sauce, chili, hot sauce, and salt.
Great for: Fans of Limón Hot Cheetos or those who like that extra spicy kick to their alcohol.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 limes, cut into wedges
4 (12-ounce) bottles beer
Hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
Combine the salt and chili powder in a small bowl and transfer to a flat plate. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of each beer mug and dip it into the chili-salt to coat the rim. Squeeze the juice of 4 lime wedges into each mug. Add a lime wedge to the mug and fill with ice. Add 1 bottle of beer, a dash of hot sauce and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and serve immediately.
Horchata (Aarón Sánchez, Food Network)
This isn’t your grocery store horchata. Sweet, light, and completely indulgent, homemade horchata is just fresher and better. This rice and cinnamon-based drink is a laid-back way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. We imagine lounging by the pool under a cabana with a nice tall glass.
Great for: Non-alcoholics and sweet tooths.
Ingredients:
1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
1 cinnamon stick, preferably Mexican, broken into pieces, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican, for garnish
Directions:
Combine the rice and cinnamon stick with 4 cups water in a blender; pulse to coarsely grind. Transfer to a large bowl and add another 4 cups water; soak at room temperature for 3 hours.
Puree the rice mixture in a blender in batches until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve into a pitcher. Mix in the sugar; chill.
Stir the horchata well before serving. Pour into ice-filled glasses; garnish with cinnamon sticks and a dusting of ground cinnamon.
Lime-Shaped Margarita Gelatin Shots (Food Network)
Skip the stale $2 margaritas at the bar. These lime-shaped Margarita gelatin shots are a wiggly, fun way to booze up. Plus, with only a 15-minute prep time, these fall into the set-it-and-forget-it category of party food. Just refrigerate when done and pull ‘em out once the music starts pumping.
Great for: Large parties.
Ingredients:
One 3-ounce packet lime flavored gelatin
1/2 cup orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
1/2 cup chile-infused tequila
15 limes
Kosher salt, for sprinkling
Special equipment: mini muffin tin
Directions:
Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the lime gelatin and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Pour into a liquid measuring cup and mix in the orange liqueur and tequila.
Meanwhile, cut the limes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh out of both halves. Place each half in the cups of a mini muffin tin and pour the gelatin mixture into each half. Place the muffin tin in the fridge until set.
Cut each half into 2 wedges, sprinkle with salt and shoot!
Pineapple-Sake Sangria with Jalapeño (Helene Henderson, Food & Wine)
We get it: Sangria is usually red. But don’t start hating just yet. We guarantee this bright yellow sangria, made with sake rather than wine, will be a welcome surprise with guests. The combination of sake, pineapple juice, and fresh mint refreshes, while jalapeño adds the slightest spice.
Great for: Guests who have tried it all…or so they think.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced crosswise
4 1/2 cups pineapple juice
One 750-ml bottle dry filtered sake
Ice
Pineapple slices and fresh mint sprigs, for serving
Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil with the sugar and jalapeño, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let cool completely, then strain the syrup; discard the jalapeño.
In a large pitcher, combine the jalapeño syrup, pineapple juice and sake and stir well. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. Serve the sangria over ice in tumblers, garnished with pineapple and mint.
Make Ahead:
The sangria can be refrigerated overnight.
Horchata Milk Shake (Food & Wine)
Horchata is perfection on its own, but if you want to take it to the next level, use it in a milk shake. With decadent ice cream and half a banana thrown in, this creamy concoction doubles as a dessert that counters all those salty chips and dips.
Great for: Dessert lovers, horchata lovers, and general sweet lovers.
Ingredients:
1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed well
3 cups water
4 medium cinnamon sticks, cracked
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
1/2 banana (2 ounces)
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup ice
Directions:
In a bowl, cover the rice with the water. Add the cinnamon sticks and let stand at room temperature for at least 3 hours or overnight; discard the cinnamon sticks.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, toast the almonds over moderate heat, tossing, until fragrant, 3 minutes. In a small bowl, blend 1 tablespoon of the ground cinnamon with the sugar.
Transfer the rice and its liquid to a blender. Add the almonds and puree for 2 minutes. Strain the horchata through a fine sieve into a bowl. Rinse out the blender.
Return the horchata to the blender and add the condensed milk, banana and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and puree. Add the ice cream and ice and blend. Pour the shake into glasses, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top and serve.
Drinko de Cinco Shot (Men’s Fitness)
We couldn’t do a blog on Cinco de Mayo drinks without including tequila shots. The Drinko de Cinco Shot toasts the 5th with an undertone of agave nectar.
Great for: Getting that happy Cinco de Mayo glow pronto.
Ingredients:
2 parts Hornitos Plata Tequila
3⁄4 part lime juice
1⁄2 part agave nectar
3 slices each of jalapeno and oregano
Directions:
Pour ingredients into a shaker, shake, and double strain into shot glasses.
Makes: 2 shots
