The El Diablo cocktail is a classic cocktail made with silver tequila, creme de cassis, and ginger beer. It’s a fun drink with a little kick! Its spooky name makes it a great drink for Halloween!
If you love a Moscow Mule or a margarita, then you have to try an El Diablo. This delicious cocktail combines tequila, fresh limes, fruity liqueur, and spicy ginger. It’s a highball drink, so you only need to mix the main ingredients and top it with ginger beer! This mixed drink is a simple recipe, but the bold flavors will impress your guests!
Serve it a spooky glass for Halloween, or a regular glass for a cocktail party any time of year!
What is an El Diablo?
An El Diablo is a tequila-based cocktail made with creme de cassis (black currant liquor), lime juice, and ginger beer. It has a similar flavor profile to a Mexican Mule but with the addition of the sweet, berry-forward creme de cassis. This drink is sweet, spicy, and delicious. If you like ginger beer cocktails, you’ll love the El Diablo!
The drink was originally featured in a cookbook by Victor Bergeron aka Trader Vic called Trader Vic’s Book Food and Drink in the 1940s. He’s considered the grandfather of tiki cocktails and the inventor of the Mai Tai. Trader Vic’s book contains many classic tiki cocktails. This drink was originally called the Mexican El Diablo, but the name was shortened over time.
Need another cocktail idea for creme de cassis? Try a Black Magic Margarita!
Ingredients Needed for This El Diablo Cocktail Recipe
- Tequila – This cocktail recipe uses silver or blanco tequila. It has a strong, clear flavor that doesn’t interfere with the other flavors of the cocktail. However, reposado tequila is an excellent substitute. It has an aged vanilla flavor that complements the other cocktail ingredients.
- Crème de Cassis – Crème de Cassis is a dark, sweet French liqueur. It is made with black currants. This bold, fruit liqueur takes this cocktail to the next level! Creme de cassis is most often used for the popular Kir Royale cocktail. If you don’t want to buy creme de cassis, Chambord (black raspberry liqueur) is a good substitute.
- Lime Juice – Add a bit of bright, citrus flavor to the cocktail with fresh lime juice! Lime pairs especially well with ginger beer.
- Ginger Beer – This spicy carbonated beverage is like ginger ale but with a lot more flavor. The ginger almost burns your throat it’s so strong. That strong ginger taste mellows out a bit when mixed with sweet creme de cassis.
How to Make an El Diablo Cocktail
An El Diablo is a great tequila cocktail. This combination of earthy tequila, citrus juice, and fruity black currant liqueur is going to be your new favorite drink!
Step 1 – First, combine the tequila, creme de cassis, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker.
Step 2 – Add a handful of ice cubes to the shaker. Then firmly place the lid on the cocktail shaker. Shake for 30 seconds to combine the cocktail ingredients and chill them.
Step 3 – Strain the cocktail into a glass over ice and top with ginger beer.
Garnish this cocktail with a lime wheel or blackberries. If you’re making the El Diablo for Halloween, consider serving it in a spooky glass or garnishing the cocktail with a fake spider.
What Kind of Glass Do I Use?
- High Ball Glass – Traditionally, an El Diablo is served in a highball glass over ice or an ice-filled Collins glass. High-ball glasses are great for carbonated cocktails because the smaller surface area keeps the carbonation from dissipating quickly. The glasses also keep the ice stacked, which slows melting and cocktail dilution.
- Specialty Glass – Since this cocktail has the perfect spooky name for Halloween, consider serving it in a spooky glass. The glass shape may mean the cocktail’s carbonation dissipates more quickly, but it’s worth it to use fun glassware!
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Can I Make El Diablo Cocktails in a Large Batch?
Yes and no. Certain aspects of this cocktail may be made in a large batch for easy serving to a crowd. The base mixture of tequila, creme de cassis, and lime juice is great for making ahead in bulk. Multiply the recipe by the number of people you wish to serve to determine how much you need of each. Combine the ingredients in a pitcher or carafe. Pour the base mixture into each glass, then top the drinks individually with ginger beer.
How to Store This Cocktail
Store the base cocktail mixture, without ginger beer or ice, in an airtight jar or glass bottle in the refrigerator. The cocktail may be stored for up to a week. When you’re ready to serve, pour over ice and top with ginger beer.
Enjoy an El Diablo this Spooky Season! It’s sure to become your new favorite tequila drink!
More Cocktails for Halloween
El Diablo
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 3 oz tequila blanco
- 2 oz creme de cassis black currant liqueur
- 1 oz lime juice
- 3-4 oz ginger beer
Instructions
- Combine tequila, creme de cassis, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker.
- Add a handful of ice cubes to the shaker. Firmly place the lid on the cocktail shaker. Shake for 30 seconds to combine ingredients and chill them.
- Strain the cocktail into a glass over ice and top with ginger beer.
- Garnish with a lime wheel or blackberries.
