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Mocktails

Grapefruit Paloma Mocktail

A grapefruit Paloma mocktail mixes fresh grapefruit juice, lime juice, and a touch of honey with sparkling water, served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass, ready in 5 minutes. It’s the non-alcoholic version of the Paloma, a classic Mexican cocktail usually built on tequila, and it keeps all the same bright, slightly bitter, refreshing character without needing a bottle of anything stronger than club soda. If you’re rounding out a mocktail spread, pair it with our sparkling lemon ginger mocktail so there’s a citrus option for every taste at the table.

By Claudio  ·  Updated Sep 2026Jump to Recipe ↓
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Quick answer: A grapefruit Paloma mocktail mixes fresh grapefruit juice, lime juice, and a touch of honey with sparkling water, served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. It's the non-alcoholic version of the classic Mexican Paloma cocktail, ready in 5 minutes.

A tall glass of pink grapefruit mocktail with a salted rim, ice, and a grapefruit wedge garnish on a table
Prep5 min
Total5 min
Serves2 glasses
PPin

Instructions

1

If rimming the glasses, run a lime wedge around the rim of two glasses and dip each rim into a shallow plate of coarse salt.

2

Fill the glasses with ice.

3

In a small pitcher, stir together the grapefruit juice, lime juice, honey, and a pinch of salt until the honey dissolves.

4

Divide the mixture between the glasses and top with chilled club soda or sparkling water. Stir gently to combine.

5

Garnish with a lime wedge and serve immediately, while it's still fizzy.

Zesty Tip: The pinch of salt stirred into the juice isn't there to make the drink taste salty, it's there to tame grapefruit's natural bitterness. Salt actually suppresses your tongue's perception of bitterness more effectively than adding extra sweetener would, so don't skip it even though it sounds odd in a drink.

Questions people actually ask

What's a Paloma, and does this taste like the real thing?

A Paloma is a popular Mexican cocktail built on tequila, grapefruit, lime, and soda water with a salted rim. This mocktail keeps the same grapefruit-lime-soda backbone and salted rim, so it captures the same bright, slightly bitter, refreshing profile, just without the tequila.

Can I use bottled grapefruit juice instead of fresh?

Yes, bottled juice works fine and is a common shortcut. Fresh-squeezed juice tastes a bit brighter and less bitter, since bottling and oxidation change the flavor slightly, but bottled is a perfectly good substitute if that's what you have.

Should I use pink, red, or white grapefruit?

Pink or red grapefruit is sweeter and less bitter, so it's the better choice for this drink and needs less honey to balance. White grapefruit works too, it's just more bitter and may need an extra splash of honey to taste right.

Can I make this ahead for a party?

Mix the grapefruit juice, lime juice, honey, and salt ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add the ice and sparkling water right before serving so the drink stays fizzy instead of going flat.

Is it safe to drink grapefruit juice if I take medication?

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interact with certain medications, including some statins and blood pressure medications, by changing how your body processes them. If you take prescription medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist before regularly drinking grapefruit juice.

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