7 Crisp Ranch Water Cocktails for a Tantalizing Taste of Texas

Take a flavorful trip to Texas - with no plane ticket required.

Published March 10, 2023
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You don't need cowboy boots or a love of longhorns to enjoy the classic Texan beverage that is ranch water. It's more than just a skinny margarita - you'll need to grab a few bottles of Topo Chico (yeah, you need to go with the brand name for the full experience) to get started. Can I get a yee-haw? Alright, let's get shaking with these ranch water recipes!

Classic Ranch Water

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Quicker than picking up a Texas twang, the classic ranch water is ready in a blink. Bubbly with a touch of citrus, it's a great substitute for taco Tuesday.

Ingredients

  • 1½ ounces tequila
  • ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Ice
  • Topo Chico to top off
  • Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a highball glass, add ice, tequila, and lime juice.
  2. Top off with Topo Chico.
  3. Stir briefly to mix.
  4. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Fast Fact

There's no official story about the history of the ranch water. Some think it was an easy way to get blue-collar workers into the bar to enjoy a cheap happy-hour drink, and others say it's been around since the 1960s.

Christmas Ranch Water

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All it takes is a little sprig of rosemary to bring Christmas to the ranch, well, anytime of year, really. Christmas in July, anyone?

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces tequila
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ½ ounce white cranberry juice
  • Ice
  • Topo Chico to top off
  • Rosemary sprig and lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a rocks or highball glass, add ice, tequila, white cranberry juice, and lime juice.
  2. Top off with Topo Chico.
  3. Stir briefly to mix.
  4. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and lime wheel.

Limeade Ranch Water

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For those who are limeade fanatics (the club meets every third Thursday), then this riff on ranch water is heaven sent.

Ingredients

  • 1½ ounces tequila
  • 2 ounces limeade
  • Ice
  • Topo Chico to top off
  • Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a highball or rocks glass, add ice, tequila, and limeade.
  2. Top off with Topo Chico.
  3. Stir briefly to mix.
  4. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Crisp Cucumber Ranch Water

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The ranch water is doubly refreshing and crisp with some muddled cucumber. Do you want to make that flavor even bigger since everything is bigger in Texas? Use a cucumber-infused tequila, too.

Ingredients

  • 1½ ounces tequila
  • 3-4 cucumber wheels
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Ice
  • Topo Chico to top off
  • Cucumber ribbon and lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle cucumber wheels with lime juice.
  2. Add ice and tequila.
  3. Shake to chill.
  4. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
  5. Top off with Topo Chico.
  6. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon and lime wheel.

Ranch Water Martini

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No one gets fancied up like the Texans. You can imagine yourself at a larger-than-life-festivity with a ranch water martini in your hand.

Ingredients

  • 1½ ounces tequila
  • ½ ounce lime juice
  • ¼ ounce orange liqueur
  • Ice
  • Topo Chico to top off
  • Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur.
  3. Shake to chill.
  4. Strain into the chilled glass.
  5. Top off with Topo Chico.
  6. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Strawberry Ranch Water

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Ranch water flashes its range with a juicy bursting berry riff. Whether you decide to use homegrown (okay, store-bought) strawberries is up to you.

Ingredients

  • 1½ ounces tequila
  • ¾ ounce strawberry liqueur
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2-3 strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • Ice
  • Topo Chico to top off
  • Lime slice and mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, strawberry liqueur, lime juice, and fresh strawberries.
  2. Shake to chill.
  3. Strain over fresh ice into a highball glass.
  4. Top off with Topo Chico.
  5. Stir briefly to mix.
  6. Garnish with lime slice and mint sprig.

Watermelon Ranch Water

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A splash of watermelon juice and your ranch water practically becomes a spa drink. #LaptopShutUntilTomorrow

Ingredients

  • 1½ ounces tequila
  • ¾ ounce watermelon juice
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Ice
  • Topo Chico to top off
  • Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a highball glass, add ice, tequila, watermelon juice, and lime juice.
  2. Top off with Topo Chico.
  3. Stir briefly to mix.
  4. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Enjoy the Ranch Water Without The Work

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You don't need to be a cowboy or farmer to enjoy a ranch water. You don't even need to be in Texas. Wrangle yourself some tequila, rope in some Topo Chico, and give that lime a squeeze. It's time to enjoy a Texas-sized flavorful cocktail.

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7 Crisp Ranch Water Cocktails for a Tantalizing Taste of Texas