El Diablo Cocktail Recipe

The El Diablo is a popular and simple tequila cocktail that is one of my new favorites! Sweet blackcurrant-flavored cassis, tequila, lime juice, and ginger beer combine in this easy sipper that’s perfect for fall!

A New Favorite Ginger Beer Cocktail!

It’s no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Ginger Beer Cocktails! Whether it’s a Moscow Mule, a Rum Mule, or a Tequila Mule, I’m always up for cocktails with ginger beer!

Recently I made the El Diablo and was smitten! The creme de cassis really balances the bite of the tequila and ginger beer and gives the drink a deeper and richer flavor – making it a perfect choice for fall!

If you aren’t familiar with Creme de Cassis (black currant liqueur) it’s a terrific ingredient to have in your collection! Add it to sparkling wine for a Kir Royale or drizzle it over berries for my favorite Butter Cake with Boozy Berries!

What you need to make an El Diablo

• Reposado Tequila – Reposado tequila is smoother with hints of honey and warm spices, making it the perfect tequila for this cocktail.
• Creme de Cassis – there are a number of Creme de Cassis brands on the market. I use Mathilde which has an excellent flavor, comes in a small bottle and is reasonably priced!
• Fresh lime juice – with so few ingredients, fresh lime juice does make a difference!
• Ginger Beer – I’ve talked a LOT about ginger beer and I am a huge fan of Fever-Tree. If you want to know more about ginger beer (and how it differs from Ginger Ale!) check out my Gin and Ginger Ale post for all the details!
• Fresh Blackberries – TOTALLY OPTIONAL but I think they make a pretty garnish! If you can find (or grow!) black currants those would be even better. But, living in SoCal, fresh blackberries are the closest I’m going to get!
• Fresh Mint- TOTALLY OPTIONAL but… so pretty!

How to make it!

1. Juice your limes (you can do this several hours in advance.
2. Add ice to a Collins or Old Fashioned glass.
3. Pour in the tequila.
4. Add the lime juice.
5. Add the cassis.
6. Stir with a barspoon.
7. Top with ginger beer.
8. Garnish and serve.

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Testing Notes

This is not the traditional way to make the El Diablo! In general, cocktails made with citrus juice and a sweetener (i.e. the Creme de Cassis) are shaken.

In testing, I tried both shaking and stirring and found that shaking didn’t make a significant difference. And since I’m all about keeping things simple, I chose not to use the shaken method! But for the purists out there, by all means – combine the tequila, lime juice and creme de cassis in a shaker tin and shake away!

Other Tequila Cocktails I think You’ll Love!

• Aperol and Tequila Cocktail – Aperol and tequila are a surprisingly delicious combination!
• Margarita on the Rocks – the absolute BEST Margarita on the rocks!
• Tamarind Margarita – one of the most delicious margaritas I’ve ever had!

If you enjoyed this recipe, I would LOVE for you to give it a 5-star rating! Cheers! Nancy