If you love fruity cocktails the way I do, this Big Red Margarita is a game-changer.
First off, it’s gorgeous. Bright red with rich purple undertones, this cocktail looks like it’s ready to party.
And the taste is pure, sweet, fruity refreshment.
Enjoy a delicious Big Red Margarita made with cream soda
The drink is made with watermelon liquor, Blue Curacao, and Big Red Soda.
In fact, the Big Red Margarita tastes a bit like a happy marriage between a watermelon and an orange creamsicle.
Add in the mellow tones of tequila and the zing of cherry-flavored grenadine and your mouth will be making all kinds of happy noises.
I would like to caution you, if I may.
This cocktail is so refreshing, especially on a hot day when lounging in the backyard, that it’s very easy to forget the booze.
But this delightful Big Red Margarita can stand toe to toe with other tequila-based beverages.
It may look all dressed up and ready for fun, but it also knows how to pack a punch.
We don’t call it “Big Red” for nothing!
When to serve a Big Red Cream Soda Margarita?
We like to serve this drink anytime.
It’s just a fun drink.
But with it’s nice bright red color, one can’t help but notice that it’s kind of perfect for summer time events.
And since the cream soda will be an ingredient that’s unfamiliar to some people, it’s really fun to serve for a party or backyard cookout for people to try for the first time.
And of course, since it’s a gorgeous bright red, it’s great to add to your Memorial Day, Father’s Day, and July 4th drink menus.
You can’t go wrong adding a tasty, fun drink to a patriotic event or summertime picnic.
What is Big Red Soda?
I grew up in the South, so Big Red was a favorite cream soda growing up.
If you haven’t had it before, it is aptly named because it is a bright red cream soda.
It comes from Texas, and of course, if something comes from Texas, you know there’s a good chance I’m going to add some tequila to it.
So it turns out that Big Red, tequila, plus other liquids = a yummy drink!
What does Big Red Soda taste like?
But what does Big Red taste like?
If you asked me when I was a kid, I would have told you that it tasted “red.”
But it’s really a combination of vanilla with orange and lemon.
And it’s carbonated.
So when you make a drink with Big Red, it’s going to be sparkling.
The fizz is sometimes kind of pink.
I remember some friends saying that it tasted kind of like a classic bubble gum flavor.
To me, it’s definitely more of an orange creamsicle taste from the orange and vanilla notes.
Its flavor is a touch ambiguous and definitely distinct.
It’s quite a fragrant drink too.
That’s part of the fun.
When it bubbles, it spreads it’s fragrance around.
The aroma is definitely citrus.
Since it’s flavor and aroma profile has orange in it, it pairs really well with Blue Curacao, an orange flavored liqueur.
There’s also a Big Blue Soda made by the same bottlers.
I’ve made a couple of cocktails with Big Blue as well.
You may want to try our blue Shark Week themed drinks, the Shark Bite Shot, and the Bloody Shark Bite.
Ingredients to Make a Big Red Margarita:
This drink uses three liquors and cream soda to make a delightful pitcher of margaritas!
You could even call this a cream soda cocktail.
With it’s delicious orange and watermelon flavors, it’s a delicious, fruit flavored margarita with a hint of vanilla.
Since you are using blue curacao, you won’t need triple sec for this drink.
But if you don’t have blue curacao, you may substitute triple sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier.
- Tequila, we used Jose Cuervo Especial Gold
- Watermelon liquor, we used DeKuyper’s Pucker Watermelon
- Blue Curacao
- Big Red Soda
- Grenadine
- Margarita Salt, optional
- Lime wedge, for garnish
You will need a pitcher, 4 beverage glasses, a measuring spoon or jigger, and a long bartender’s spoon for stirring the drink and adding the blue curacao.
If you are salting your margarita glasses, you may need a small plate if your margarita salt doesn’t have a salting surface built into its lid.
Can I make a non-alcoholic version?
You can!
What you will want to do is leave out the tequila and make a substitution for the blue curacao and the watermelon pucker.
I like to substitute Monin’s Blue Curacao syrup for the blue curacao liqueur.
It maintains both the flavor and color integrity of the liqueur, so it’s a more authentic substitution.
Monin also makes a watermelon syrup too.
But for the watermelon syrup, you have a lot more options.
You can also use Hawaiian shaved ice syrup or even a splash of watermelon flavored Kool-Aid.
So long as you’re mindful of the sweetness of what you’re using to substitute in the drink, you’ll be fine.
You’ll want to use less syrup than you would Kool-Aid for instance.
When I am substituting a syrup for a liqueur, I like to use a little at a time to taste.
So I start with adding a teaspoon (or even a half teaspoon) at a time so that the drink isn’t too sweet.
Where is Big Red available?
Since Big Red Soda is made in Texas, it’s easy to find it there.
It’s also easy to find it in Kentucky and Indiana too.
You may also find it if you have a local cream soda or specialty drink shop.
But if you don’t live in one of those states or have a cream soda shop, you may want to give Amazon a try.
I’ve been able to find the soda there pretty easily.
How to make a Big Red Margarita
Before you get started, you’ll want to gather your ingredients, tools, and beverage glasses.
We’ll start by preparing the beverage glasses.
If you like salt on your Rita, run a lime wedge along the edge of the glass and dip it into margarita salt if desired.
If your salt container doesn’t have it’s own lid for that, you can always pour a bit of salt out on a plate.
Now it’s time to fill both your pitcher and beverage glasses with ice.
I like to do the glasses at the same time as the pitcher with this drink so that I can pour immediately.
Since the drink has carbonation in it, I don’t want to lose the fizz.
Pour tequila, watermelon liquor, Big Red soda, and grenadine over the ice in the pitcher.
Give it a gentle stir until it’s mixed and chilled.
You don’t want to over stir it so as not to disturb too much of the carbonation.
The fizz makes this fun.
Line up your beverage glasses and pour the mixture into the glasses.
Be sure to leave a bit of room at the top for the blue curacao.
Gently pour the Blue Curacao over the drink.
This isn’t a layered drink, but you still want to pour it gently and slowly into the glass.
The blue curacao is a bit heavier and will sink to the bottom giving the red color a bit of dimension.
DO NOT STIR!
If you stir at this point, the drink will turn purple.
Stir it only when you’re ready to sip
Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy your drink!
More delicious Margarita recipes to enjoy making:
Spicy Grapefruit and Jalapeno Margaritas
Spicy Cucumber Margarita with Jalapeno
Blackberry Thyme Margarita Smash
More Patriotic Drinks to try:
With a drink named Big Red, you may have landed here looking for some drinks for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July.
We’ve got some more drinks that are perfect for the occasion to help you find what you need.
And of course, if you just want something fruity, we’ve rounded up our favorite fresh and fruity drinks for you too!
Layered Red and Blue Kool-Aid Punch
Raspberry and Blueberry Silver Tequila Mojito
Tequila Watermelon Slice Popsicles
15 Patriotic Cocktails for the Fourth of July
try it and share!
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If you haven’t had a chance to make one yet, be sure to save the recipe on Pinterest so you’ll remember where you found it.
You may enjoy following our Fourth of July Cocktails and Memorial Day Cocktails board on Pinterest.
Big Red Margarita
Ingredients
- 4 oz Tequila
- 2 oz Watermelon liquor
- 2 oz Blue Curacao
- 10 oz Big Red Soda
- 2 oz Cherry Grenadine
- Margarita Salt optional
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Rum a lime wedge along the edge of the glass and dip it into margarita salt if desired.
- Fill a pitcher and 4 beverage glasses with ice.
- Add tequila, watermelon liquor, Big Red soda, and grenadine. Stir until it's chilled.
- Pour the mixture into the iced beverage glasses.
- Gently pour the Blue Curacao over the drink.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy your drink!
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Jennifer. I love to cook and entertain. I have a lot of fun sharing traditional food and drink recipes as well as putting a new spin on the classics. I strive to provide easy to make recipes that are perfect for the home cook, bartender and entertainer.
I grew up in Texas, and we used to drink Big Red all the time. Making it into a margarita was really good. Fun memories – yum!