Ranch Water Recipes: Make this super popular, easy drink at home! (2024)

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

This ridiculously easy co*cktail 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 co*cktail 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 co*cktail, 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 co*cktail?

For the original, 3-ingredient Ranch Water co*cktail, 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 co*cktail 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 co*cktail:

Fill a Collins glass or pint jar with ice.

Add the blanco tequila and fresh lime juice to a co*cktail 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 co*cktail shaker and muddle them gently. Fill the co*cktail 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.