Ranch Water Recipes

Simply put, Ranch Water Recipes are the best, most refreshing cocktails to have on a hot summer day. In its most basic form, the 3 ingredient cocktail Ranch Water is made of silver tequila (or tequila blanco), fresh lime juice, and a splash of Topo Chico mineral water in a cocktail glass over ice.

This ridiculously easy cocktail recipe is the unofficial drink of West Texas and got its ranch water name from being a popular choice among Texas cattle ranchers. I think we can all agree a West Texas rancher has a pretty good idea of what you need to beat the summer heat. So without further ado, let’s get into what vaulted this simple cocktail to nationwide popularity in recent years.

What is Ranch Water

Ranch water is a very simple drink at its core. The basic formula is just 3 simple ingredients; tequila blanco, fresh lime juice, and icy cold Topo Chico mineral water, but there is a whole world of ranch water recipe variations out there!

Because it is such a pared down cocktail, you have a good reason to break out the best tequila you can afford. When there are only 3 ingredients, you go for the best ones you can!

Some people might call ranch water a “skinny margarita” because it shares a lot of the same flavour profiles as a classic margarita. It *is* a slightly healthier alternative than an old school margarita because there is no simple syrup or sugar in it.

Ranch water recipes are generally served in a Collins or highball glass, but I dig them in pint jars. On hot days, cold drinks taste even more refreshing when they’re served in canning jars. That’s a fact.

What Ingredients Do I Need for a Ranch Water Cocktail?

For the original, 3-ingredient Ranch Water Cocktail, you need the following ingredients:

• 3 ounces of tequila blanco
• 1 1/2 ounces of fresh lime juice
• a full bottle of chilled carbonated mineral water

That’s it! Now, we have a multitude of wonderful variations on the theme but we’ll get into those in a moment. First details!

How to Make Ranch Water

It’s definitely a tequila cocktail that skews on the dry side. Part of what makes this easy ranch water recipe such a refreshing drink is that it is so dry.

That said, if you have a sweet tooth, you can enjoy a ranch water drink, too! I’m including a couple of simple variations that add ripe strawberries or pineapple to add a touch of sweetness. (Or you can add just a splash of orange liqueur to your glass!)

And while we’re at it, you can change up the type of tequila you use. Silver Tequila or tequila blanco is the traditional choice, but you can swap in infused tequilas like pineapple, strawberry, and more.

If you fancy a spicy ranch water, just sub in our jalapeño tequila! And if you’re making the spicy version, why not rub the rims of your glasses with some fresh lime wedges and dip the rim in a little chili lime seasoning like Tajin?

Fresh limes really make your ranch water recipes just that much better. If fresh limes are hard to come by where you live, you can certainly get away with bottled lime juice. But again, remember there are only 3 ingredients, so make it the best lime juice you can!

Speaking of ingredients, let’s talk mineral water for a moment. Topo Chico is the traditional choice for ranch water recipes.

If you cannot find Topo Chico where you live (and I know it’s tricky sometimes!), you can get away with substituting any good, chilled carbonated mineral water. Pardon the bold font there, but it’s important to point out it needs to be carbonated because not all mineral water is! Just check your label carefully.

And if you blew all your cash on good tequila, feel free to use the budget option of la croix plain seltzer or another brand of plain seltzer. The idea here is that you want something good-and-cold that is well carbonated.

My last choice would be club soda, but you can use it if that’s all you can lay your hands on. I don’t recommend using tonic water at all, though, as it is too assertively bitter. (That’s great for a Gin & Tonic, but not so much for ranch water recipes.)

Ranch Water Recipes

To Make the Basic Lime Ranch Water Cocktail:

Fill a Collins glass or pint jar with ice. 

Add the blanco tequila and fresh lime juice to a cocktail shaker or jar filled with ice. Cap it tightly and shake for 30 seconds. Strain over the ice. 

Add any desired garnish -such as lime slices- to the glass, then top off with cold Topo Chico or another carbonated mineral water. Stir gently and serve. 

To Make Ranch Water Recipes variations:

If desired, run a lime wedge around the outside edge of a Collins glass or pint jar. Pour Tajin into a saucer or appetizer plate and dip the moistened rim of the glass in it.

Fill the Collins glass or pint jar with ice.

Add the tequila and lime juice and any additional fruit pieces to a cocktail shaker and muddle them gently. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice. Cap it tightly and shake for 30 seconds. Strain over the prepared Collins glass or pint jar. 

Add any additional fruit that is desired, top off with Topo Chico or another cold mineral water. Garnish as desired. 

Ranch Water Recipes

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Rebecca Lindamood

Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 8 minutes mins

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Ranch Water Recipes run the gamut from basic to bougie, but this ultra refreshing cocktail is about as simple as it gets. In its most pared back form, it’s simply good tequila blanco, lime juice, and Topo Chico mineral water. But there’s no law against having a little fun with it, and with a couple of simple additions, you can have a fabulously fun and ever so slightly different take on ranch water. Whether you want basic ranch water or something a little more playful, I’ll talk you through how to make ranch water.

Equipment

• 1 Cocktail Shaker or Jar with a tight fitting lid
• 1 muddler or sturdy spoon
• 1 Collins glass or pint jar

Ingredients

  

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Per Basic Lime Ranch Water Cocktail:

• 3 ounces tequila blanco or lime infused tequila
• 1 ½ ounces lime juice
• Carbonated Mineral water preferably Topo Chico

Ranch Water Recipes Garnish Options:

• Any combination of fresh strawberries, jalapeño, cucumber, or lime slices, or pineapple chunks or shapes.
• Chili Lime Seasoning (Like Tajin) for the rim of the glass

Instructions

 

To Make the Basic Lime Ranch Water Cocktail:

• Fill a Collins glass or pint jar with ice.
• Add the tequila and lime juice to a cocktail shaker or jar filled with ice. Cap it tightly and shake for 30 seconds. Strain over the ice.
• Add any desired garnish -such as lime slices- to the glass, then top off with cold Topo Chico or another mineral water. Stir gently and serve.

To Make Ranch Water Recipes variations:

• If desired, run a lime wedge around the outside edge of a Collins glass or pint jar. Pour Tajin into a saucer or appetizer plate and dip the moistened rim of the glass in it.
• Fill the Collins glass or pint jar with ice.
• Add the tequila and lime juice and any additional fruit pieces to a cocktail shaker and muddle them gently. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice. Cap it tightly and shake for 30 seconds. Strain over the prepared Collins glass or pint jar.
• Add any additional fruit that is desired, top off with Topo Chico or another cold mineral water. Garnish as desired.

Notes

Ranch Water Recipes Variations

Jalapeño Cucumber Ranch Water:
3 ounces Jalapeno tequila
1 ½ ounces lime juice
2 pieces cucumber plus extra for garnish
2 slices fresh jalapeño pepper plus extra for garnish
Mineral water

Strawberry Ranch Water
3 ounces tequila blanco or strawberry infused tequila
¾ ounce lime juice
3 fresh strawberries, hulled, plus extra for garnish
Mineral water

Pineapple Ranch Water
3 ounces tequila blanco or pineapple infused tequila
1 ½ ounces lime juice
¼ cup fresh pineapple chunks plus extra for garnish
Mineral Water

Pineapple Jalapeño Ranch Water
3 ounces tequila blanco or 1 ½ ounces pineapple infused tequila and 1 ½ ounces jalapeño infused tequila
1 ½ ounces lime juice
¼ cup fresh pineapple chunks plus extra for garnish
2 slices fresh jalapeño pepper plus extra for garnish
Mineral Water

Jalapeño Ranch Water
3 ounces tequila blanco or Jalapeño Infused Tequila
1 ½ ounces lime juice
2 slices fresh lime plus extra for garnish
Mineral Water

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 0.2gFat: 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 51mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 21IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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