Lime Juice cocktails
32 classic recipes from our canon that use lime juice — Lime Juice sits in our juices shelf.
Margarita
Bright, salty and bracing — the benchmark every other sour is measured against.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml blanco tequila
- ◆20 ml triple sec
- ◆15 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Rim a chilled coupe with salt if you like.
- 2Shake all ingredients hard with ice for 12 seconds.
- 3Double-strain into the glass.
PRO TIP
Use fresh lime juice only — bottled juice flattens the whole drink.
Garnish — Lime wheel
Daiquiri
Rum, lime and sugar in perfect tension — deceptively simple, endlessly refreshing.
Ingredients
- ◆60 ml white rum
- ◆20 ml lime juice
- ◆10 ml simple syrup
Method
- 1Shake everything hard with ice for 10–12 seconds.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
Chill the coupe first — a warm glass kills a drink this delicate.
Garnish — Lime wheel
Mojito
Mint, lime and soda over rum — a Havana classic built for hot afternoons.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml white rum
- ◆20 ml lime juice
- ◆10 ml simple syrup
- ◆6 leaves mint
- ◆to top club soda
Method
- 1Gently press the mint with lime juice and syrup — don't shred it.
- 2Add rum and ice, stir.
- 3Top with soda and stir once more.
PRO TIP
Slap the mint sprig between your hands before garnishing to wake up the aroma.
Garnish — Mint sprig
Cosmopolitan
Tart, pink and razor-sharp — far better than its reputation suggests.
Ingredients
- ◆40 ml vodka
- ◆15 ml triple sec
- ◆30 ml cranberry juice
- ◆15 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
Use citron vodka if you have it for an extra zesty lift.
Garnish — Lime wheel
Kyiv Mule
Vodka, lime and ginger beer with a cold copper bite.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml vodka
- ◆10 ml lime juice
- ◆120 ml ginger beer
Method
- 1Build over ice in a mug or highball.
- 2Add vodka and lime, top with ginger beer.
- 3Stir gently.
PRO TIP
Spicy ginger beer, not ginger ale — the heat is the whole point.
Garnish — Lime wedge
Mai Tai
Two rums, orange, almond and lime — the tiki benchmark, not a fruit-punch slushie.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml triple sec
- ◆15 ml orgeat
- ◆30 ml lime juice
- ◆7 ml simple syrup
- ◆30 ml dark rum
Method
- 1Shake white rum, triple sec, orgeat and lime with crushed ice.
- 2Pour unstrained into a rocks glass.
- 3Float the dark rum over the top.
PRO TIP
A real Mai Tai is rum-forward and barely sweet — orgeat is the almond note.
Garnish — Mint sprig and spent lime shell
Paloma
Tequila, grapefruit and lime over soda — Mexico's everyday drink, lighter than a Margarita.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml blanco tequila
- ◆60 ml grapefruit juice
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆to top club soda
Method
- 1Build tequila, grapefruit and lime over ice in a salted highball.
- 2Top with club soda.
- 3Stir once gently.
PRO TIP
A pinch of salt in the drink, not just the rim, sharpens the grapefruit.
Garnish — Grapefruit wedge and salt rim
Last Word
Equal parts gin, Chartreuse, maraschino and lime — herbal, complex and perfectly balanced.
Ingredients
- ◆22 ml gin
- ◆22 ml green chartreuse
- ◆22 ml maraschino liqueur
- ◆22 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Shake all four equal parts with ice until cold.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
Equal parts is the whole trick — measure carefully.
Garnish — Brandied cherry
Zombie
Three rums, falernum and citrus with a hidden kick — the most notorious tiki drink of them all.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml dark rum
- ◆45 ml white rum
- ◆30 ml spiced rum
- ◆20 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml falernum
- ◆10 ml grapefruit juice
- ◆5 ml cinnamon syrup
- ◆5 ml grenadine
- ◆1 dash angostura bitters
- ◆6 drops absinthe
Method
- 1Flash-blend everything with a scoop of crushed ice for a few seconds.
- 2Pour into a tall glass and add more crushed ice.
PRO TIP
Traditionally limited to two per customer — it hides its strength well.
Garnish — Mint sprig
Singapore Sling
Gin, cherry and a cast of liqueurs over pineapple — the lavish Raffles Hotel original.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml gin
- ◆15 ml cherry liqueur
- ◆7 ml cointreau
- ◆7 ml benedictine
- ◆120 ml pineapple juice
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆10 ml grenadine
- ◆1 dash angostura bitters
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice until cold.
- 2Strain into a hurricane glass over fresh ice.
PRO TIP
Lots of fresh pineapple juice gives it the frothy top.
Garnish — Pineapple and cherry
Tommy's Margarita
Tequila, lime and agave — a Margarita stripped to three honest ingredients.
Ingredients
- ◆60 ml blanco tequila
- ◆30 ml lime juice
- ◆30 ml agave syrup
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice until cold.
- 2Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
PRO TIP
Agave instead of orange liqueur keeps the tequila front and centre.
Garnish — Lime wheel
Old Cuban
A grown-up mojito — aged rum, mint and lime lengthened with Champagne and bitters.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml dark rum
- ◆22 ml lime juice
- ◆30 ml simple syrup
- ◆6 leaves mint
- ◆2 dashes angostura bitters
- ◆60 ml prosecco
Method
- 1Shake everything except the sparkling wine with ice.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
- 3Top gently with prosecco or Champagne.
PRO TIP
Audrey Saunders' modern classic — aged rum makes it elegant, not beachy.
Garnish — Mint sprig
Jungle Bird
Dark rum and Campari over pineapple and lime — bitter, tropical and unexpectedly sophisticated.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml dark rum
- ◆22 ml campari
- ◆45 ml pineapple juice
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml demerara syrup
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice.
- 2Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
PRO TIP
The Campari is what makes it — bitter against the sweet pineapple.
Garnish — Pineapple wedge
Cuba Libre
Rum and cola with a real squeeze of lime — the difference from a rum-and-coke is the lime.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml white rum
- ◆120 ml cola
- ◆10 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Build over ice in a highball.
- 2Squeeze in a lime wedge and drop it in.
- 3Stir once.
PRO TIP
The fresh lime is what separates it from a plain rum and coke.
Garnish — Lime wedge
Hemingway Special
A dry, grapefruit-and-maraschino daiquiri — supposedly the author's preferred, sugarless version.
Ingredients
- ◆60 ml white rum
- ◆40 ml grapefruit juice
- ◆15 ml maraschino liqueur
- ◆15 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice until cold.
- 2Strain into a large chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
Also called the Papa Doble — bone-dry by design.
Garnish — None
Grand Margarita
A Margarita built on Grand Marnier — deeper, more orange-forward and a touch richer.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml blanco tequila
- ◆30 ml grand marnier
- ◆15 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Salt the rim of a rocks glass.
- 2Shake all ingredients hard with ice for 10 seconds.
- 3Strain into the glass over ice.
PRO TIP
Grand Marnier swaps the triple sec for a cognac-based orange depth.
Garnish — Salt rim and lime slice
Naked and Famous
Equal parts mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol and lime — smoky, bitter and bright at once.
Ingredients
- ◆22 ml mezcal
- ◆22 ml yellow chartreuse
- ◆22 ml aperol
- ◆22 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Shake all four equal parts with ice.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
A modern equal-parts riff on the Last Word — measure precisely.
Garnish — None
Ramos Gin Fizz
Gin, citrus, cream and orange-flower whipped to a towering cloud — the famous two-minute shake.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml gin
- ◆15 ml lemon juice
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆30 ml simple syrup
- ◆60 ml heavy cream
- ◆1 egg white
- ◆3 dashes orange flower water
- ◆2 drops vanilla extract
- ◆to top club soda
Method
- 1Shake everything except the soda with ice for a full two minutes.
- 2Double-strain, return to the shaker, and hard-shake again without ice.
- 3Strain into a highball and top slowly with soda to lift the foam.
PRO TIP
The long shake is the whole point — it builds the signature standing foam.
Garnish — None
Three Dots and a Dash
Aged and agricole rum with falernum, allspice and citrus — Morse code for 'victory'.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml dark rum
- ◆7 ml falernum
- ◆7 ml allspice dram
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml orange juice
- ◆15 ml honey syrup
- ◆2 dashes angostura bitters
Method
- 1Flash-blend everything with crushed ice.
- 2Pour into a tall glass and top with more crushed ice.
PRO TIP
The garnish spells the name — three cherries (dots) and a pineapple baton (dash).
Garnish — Three cherries and a pineapple chunk
Spicy Fifty
Vanilla vodka with elderflower, honey and a slice of chilli — sweet heat in a coupe.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml vodka
- ◆15 ml elderflower liqueur
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆10 ml honey syrup
- ◆2 thin slices jalapeño
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice until cold.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
Adjust the chilli to taste — it should warm, not scorch.
Garnish — Red chilli slice
Chartreuse Swizzle
Green Chartreuse swizzled with pineapple, lime and falernum — herbal, tropical and frosty.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml green chartreuse
- ◆30 ml pineapple juice
- ◆22 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml falernum
Method
- 1Add all ingredients to a tall glass with pebble ice.
- 2Swizzle vigorously until frosted.
- 3Top with more crushed ice.
PRO TIP
A rare cocktail that puts a full measure of Chartreuse in the lead.
Garnish — Mint and grated nutmeg
Planter's Punch
Dark Jamaican rum, lime and cane sugar — the original rum punch, simple and strong.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml dark rum
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆30 ml demerara syrup
Method
- 1Build all ingredients in a tumbler.
- 2Add crushed ice and stir; adjust dilution with a little water to taste.
PRO TIP
Use a funky Jamaican rum — it carries the whole drink.
Garnish — Orange zest
Suffering Bastard
Gin and brandy over lime and bitters, lengthened with ginger beer — a wartime Cairo cure.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml gin
- ◆30 ml brandy
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆2 dashes angostura bitters
- ◆to top ginger beer
Method
- 1Shake gin, brandy, lime and bitters with ice.
- 2Pour unstrained into a Collins glass.
- 3Top with ginger beer.
PRO TIP
A hangover 'cure' invented in 1942 Cairo — the ginger does the heavy lifting.
Garnish — Mint sprig and orange
Illegal
Mezcal and overproof rum with falernum and lime — smoky, tart and built to bite.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml mezcal
- ◆15 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml falernum
- ◆1 bar spoon maraschino liqueur
- ◆22 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml simple syrup
- ◆few drops egg white
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice.
- 2Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, or over rocks in a clay mug.
PRO TIP
Overproof Jamaican rum and espadín mezcal give it the backbone.
Garnish — None
Don's Special Daiquiri
A two-rum daiquiri with passion fruit and honey — Donn Beach's tiki take on the classic.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml dark rum
- ◆15 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml passion fruit syrup
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml honey syrup
Method
- 1Flash-blend everything with crushed ice for a few seconds.
- 2Pour into a footed glass and top with more crushed ice.
PRO TIP
Gold Jamaican rum brings the funk this drink wants.
Garnish — Half a passion fruit
IBA Tiki
A modern rum tiki with amaretto, passion fruit and pineapple over a slice of muddled ginger.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml white rum
- ◆30 ml dark rum
- ◆15 ml amaretto
- ◆5 ml frangelico
- ◆5 drops maraschino liqueur
- ◆30 ml passion fruit syrup
- ◆90 ml pineapple juice
- ◆30 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Muddle a thin slice of ginger in the shaker.
- 2Add the rest and shake vigorously with ice.
- 3Strain into a tiki glass filled with pebble ice.
PRO TIP
The muddled ginger is the modern twist — don't skip it.
Garnish — Citrus and dehydrated pineapple
Canchánchara
Cuban cane spirit with honey and lime — rustic, ancient and barely changed in centuries.
Ingredients
- ◆60 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml honey syrup
Method
- 1Smear the honey, lime and a splash of water around the base of the glass.
- 2Add cracked ice, then the rum.
- 3Stir vigorously from the bottom up.
PRO TIP
Traditionally made with aguardiente — a young Cuban cane spirit.
Garnish — Lime wedge
Missionary's Downfall
A blended rum cooler with peach, mint and pineapple — bright, frozen and herbaceous.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml peach liqueur
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆30 ml honey syrup
- ◆10 leaves mint
- ◆4 chunks pineapple
Method
- 1Add everything to a blender with half a cup of crushed ice.
- 2Blend until smooth and pour into a chilled glass.
PRO TIP
A Donn Beach tiki original — the mint and peach are the signature.
Garnish — Mint sprig and pineapple
Gimlet
Gin, lime and sugar in tight balance — crisp, pale and bracingly tart.
Ingredients
- ◆60 ml gin
- ◆20 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml simple syrup
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
Fresh lime over lime cordial — brighter, cleaner, less candied.
Garnish — Lime wheel
Hurricane
Two rums, passion fruit and citrus — a potent New Orleans crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml dark rum
- ◆30 ml white rum
- ◆30 ml passion fruit syrup
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆30 ml orange juice
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice.
- 2Pour into a hurricane glass over fresh ice.
PRO TIP
Passion fruit is the signature — don't skip it.
Garnish — Orange slice and cherry
Hugo Spritz
Prosecco, elderflower, mint and lime — a lighter, floral alternative to the Aperol Spritz.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml elderflower liqueur
- ◆10 ml lime juice
- ◆4 leaves mint
- ◆90 ml prosecco
- ◆splash club soda
Method
- 1Add elderflower, lime and mint to an ice-filled wine glass.
- 2Add prosecco, then a splash of soda.
- 3Stir gently.
PRO TIP
Slap the mint before adding it to wake up the aroma.
Garnish — Mint sprig and lime wheel
El Diablo
Tequila and blackcurrant over spicy ginger beer — dark red, long and lively.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml reposado tequila
- ◆15 ml creme de cassis
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆to top ginger beer
Method
- 1Build tequila, cassis and lime over ice in a highball.
- 2Top with ginger beer.
- 3Stir once gently.
PRO TIP
Spicy ginger beer plays off the sweet cassis.
Garnish — Lime wheel
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