cocktail_drinks

Vodka Drinks Recipes

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Inspiration and Ideas

• Tips & Tricks

Sea Breeze Cocktail

As refreshing as its name. Plant your beach umbrella and enjoy this simple blend of vodka, cranberry juice, and grapefruit juice.

Easy Bloody Marys

It's a salad in a glass! Bloody Mary mix, herbs, spices, and vodka served in a spicy salt-rimmed glass. Garnish with pickles, celery, olives—whatever you like.

Vodka Martini

"Perfect, simple vodka martini recipe. My wife, a first-time martini drinker, liked it. Use a high-quality vodka." – Tacketts Mill Farm

Vicki's Tangerine Martini

"I love anything orangey—this martini is delicious!" – mary

Cocktail Recipes

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Top-rated recipes, party ideas, and cooking tips to inspire you year-round. Get a full year for just $5!

Inspiration and Ideas

• Tips & Tricks

The Real Mojito

"Wow! Best mojito I ever made. Thank you!" – Nicole

Margaritas

Make a pitcher of slushy restaurant-style margaritas in minutes with your blender, frozen limeade, tequila, and Triple Sec.

Moscow Mule Cocktail

The traditional copper mugs help keep this drink cold, but if you don't have any, don't let that stop you. These are delicious and refreshing even out of plasticware!

Whiskey Sours

"Great recipe. This is easy, no-fuss, and convenient on the refills." – Julieee

The 10 Most Popular Drinks to Order at a Bar

So you can at least sound like you know what you're doing

Unless you're still in college, you should probably have moved on by now from ordering rum and cokes or vodka sodas in a bar (unless you just really really like them). After all, you're a grown-up, and you should be drinking grown-up drinks. Especially if you want that busy bartender to take you seriously. Here are 10 popular bar drinks that are as tasty as they are sophisticated. And aren't so complicated that the bartender will never pay attention to you agin.

A classic martini technically should be made with gin, although if your prefer vodka that's no sin either. Order it up and stirred, not shaken (sorry 007). And just as with sex, baseball uniforms, and old Jeeps, dirty is always a solid choice.

3 oz. gin or vodka

1/2 oz. dry vermouth

Garnish with an olive

The workhorse of summer, there's nothing better than a classic margarita when the temperature skyrockets. The best are made with just lime juice, tequila, and a splash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier, but if you like them a little sweeter, ask your bartender to add agave syrup.

2 oz. silver tequila

1 oz. lime juice

Course salt for the rim

In terms of all time classic whiskey cocktails, there are none better than the Manhattan. Just three simple ingredients— bourbon (or rye), sweet vermouth, and bitters—and you're good to go. And while a quality whiskey is always a good choice, the key to a great Manhattan is the sweet vermouth. So always ask for Carpano Antica. Trust us, it will make all the difference.

2 oz. bourbon or rye

1 oz. Carpano Antica sweet vermouth

2 dashes Angostura bitters

They've become quite popular over the last few years, and for good reason. It's a cocktail that is crisp and refreshing, and good for any season. Plus it (usually) comes in a cool copper mug.

2 oz. vodka (or bourbon for a Kentucky mule)

4 to 6 oz. ginger beer

1/2 oz. lime juice

If you're going to order a scotch, especially a good scotch, you should order it neat. Although, sometimes it is good to ask the bartender to add just a couple of drops of water so that it can breathe.

The best scotch you can afford

Like good tailoring, punk rock music, and vintage motorcycles, the gin and tonic is one of those things would should definitely thank the British for.

Like the Manhattan, another classic whiskey cocktail. This one, however, is for the guy who likes his drinks on the sweeter side.

2 oz. bourbon or rye whisky

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Garnish with an orange twist

Popular since the Sumerians invented it 3,900 years ago. You just can't go wrong when ordering a cold one.

Maybe an orange wedge (if you order a wheat of course)

Maybe not the best choice in your dive-ier bars, but if you aren't in the mood for a cocktail and you want to keep things sophisticated, wine is your move.

Good conversation (vino veritas after all)

If scotch is a bit too malty or peaty for you, bourbon might be your move. This one you can confidently order neat or on the rocks.

Recipes

Making a great drink is easier than you think with delicious premium spirits.

• Purple Cocktails
• Classic cocktails
• Easy Cocktails
• Punch Cocktails
• Frozen Cocktails
• Mojito Cocktails

All Cocktails

If you’re looking to mix up great cocktails that you’ll want to serve again and again, you’ve come to the right place. It’s easy to find the drink you want here – whether you’re looking for your favourite brand, mixer or other ingredient of choice. There are 'Classic Cocktails' like the minty, zesty Mojito, 'Easy Cocktails' such as a Vodka Tonic, or 'Amazing Cocktails' as in the honey and bergamot-flavoured Golden Flip. You can create a delicious vodka cocktail, opt for Edible Cocktails or branch out with non-alcoholic 'Mocktails'. Choose one that fits your tastes, or pick anything that appeals – either way you can’t go wrong.

About this recipe

You can tell the Old Fashioned is a turbo-charged classic because it has a glass named after it. It’s one of the few cocktails, like the Martini and the Collins, to be so celebrated.

The Manhattan is another with the dark spirit look that fits the season, but it’s even more suited to parties than the Old Fashioned because essentially the Manhattan is a dark Martini. Like this classic drink, the Manhattan is a late 19th century combination of spirit and vermouth, and, like the Martini it’s served in an elegant v-shaped glass. The aromatics from the fortified wine escape into the nostrils as you drink, stem in hand. Most likely invented in the 1870s by a bartender on Broadway, it’s the number one New York cocktail – apart from, that is, the Cosmopolitan.

19 Insanely Delicious Vodka Cocktails

These eight vodka cocktails are the essentials everyone needs for drinking.

29 Perfect Potato Side Dishes

When it comes to mixed drinks, vodka seems to be everyone's go-to liquor. It goes down easy and tastes decent with pretty much anything—which can too often result in ordering another vodka tonic. That's why we teamed up with the brilliant mixology minds at New York's The Roof: these eight vodka cocktails—both classics like a Moscow Mule and new essentials like the refreshing Trouble Maker—are far from boring.

Cranberry Mules

Cranberry Mules

A cup of holiday cheer.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Pumpkin Spice White Russians

Pumpkin Spice White Russians

The next pumpkin spice latte.

Get the recipe from Delish.

65 Easy And Totally Healthy Party Appetizers

Cranberry Mules

A cup of holiday cheer.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Pumpkin Spice White Russians

The next pumpkin spice latte.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Moscow Mule Mimosas

Switch up your brunch routine.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Porn Star Martinis

Despite the name, it's still good.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Grilled Cheese Bloody Marys

The cocktail version of grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Apple Pie Sparklers

No fall party would be complete without apple pie sparklers.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Apple Pie Vodka

This is how fall lovers get their drink on.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Caramel Apple Spritzers

Apples on apples on apples.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Vodka Pink Lemonade Slushies

Sweet, sour, and crazy adorable.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Toasted Marshmallow Campfire Cocktail

This creamy concoction hits the sweet spot between cocktail, coffee, and dessert.

Get the recipe from Delish.

Dieting should never stand in the way of a party.

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10923 Cocktails drinks recipes by popularity

6236 rates

stir ingredients together in a collins glass filled with ice cubes. Add water and sugar if desired, to taste, and serve.

4878 rates

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3470 rates

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893 rates

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799 rates

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269 rates

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310 rates

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461 rates

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200 rates

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340 rates

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78 rates

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158 rates

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132 rates

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127 rates

Pour the Malibu coconut rum, Absolut vodka, cranberry and pineapple juice into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cu.

209 rates

Pour first vodka, then Bailey's, then Kahlua into a cocktail glass over crushed ice. Stir. Caution: use only hi.

441 rates

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198 rates

Blend with ice and serve in a tall glass. Garnish with chocolate flakes and optionally chocolate topping drizzled down t.

100 rates

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523 rates

Fill the glass with ice. Add the rum and lime juice. Fill with ginger ale.

104 rates

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223 rates

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84 rates

Pour the chambord, irish cream, and milk or cream into a shaker with ice. Shake, strain and pour into a champagne saucer.

77 rates

First add all 18 cans of beer to a large container. Add bottles of Everclear and tequila and last but not least add the .

219 rates

Pour the vodka and creme over some ice cubes in a tall glass and fill up with juice. to make it beuty full make the top .

182 rates

Mix ingredients together over ice in a glass. Pour into a shaker and give one brisk shake. Pour back into the glass and .

97 rates

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176 rates

Added ice and ingredients in a shaker. Shake well until top becomes frosted. Then poor in a shooter glass. This will be .

380 rates

Combine ingredients with cracked ice in a blender. Blend for a few seconds until smooth. Pour into a chilled cocktail gl.

127 rates

Mix all ingredients. Chill with ice and strain into a shooter glass.

78 rates

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with/without ice. Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

165 rates

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21 rates

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94 rates

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106 rates

Pour all ingredients in a glass with ice. Mix and enjoy.

145 rates

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182 rates

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231 rates

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708 rates

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77 rates

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74 rates

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61 rates

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28 rates

Shake well with ice, strain into a chilled martini glass, and serve.

118 rates

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42 rates

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196 rates

Mix. Serve over ice.

121 rates

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830 rates

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56 rates

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57 rates

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118 rates

Pour both ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a shot glass, and serve.

37 rates

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65 rates

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109 rates

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96 rates

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88 rates

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1169 rates

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102 rates

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156 rates

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52 rates

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11 rates

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33 rates

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61 rates

Chill and serve.

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6 rates

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70 rates

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11 rates

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119 rates

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115 rates

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59 rates

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33 rates

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30 rates

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83 rates

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132 rates

Mix in shotglass(es). Add Curacao last, to a nice blue-green color.

172 rates

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38 rates

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68 rates

Blend ingredients and serve over ice.

100 rates

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65 rates

Shaken, not stirred.

84 rates

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13 rates

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50 rates

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138 rates

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29 rates

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74 rates

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40 rates

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38 rates

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43 rates

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161 rates

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410 rates

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99 rates

Shake well over crushed ice in a shaker, and strain into a large highball glass over crushed ice.

19 rates

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128 rates

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47 rates

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Top 10 Cocktails

1001 Cocktails - Copyright © 1997-2017

List of Popular Cocktails

Whether you are planning for a party or simply wondering what to order during your next night out on the town, you should review a list of popular cocktails. Cocktails typically contain one or more types of liquor along with several mixers, such as fruit juice, honey, bitters, soda or cream.

Top Cocktails by Liquor

List of Gin Cocktails

Gin has an earthy, almost medicinal flavor since it is made from juniper berries. It is an acquired taste for some, but many traditional cocktails are made with this spirit.

• Dirty Martini - Includes dry vermouth and olive brine, shaken with ice and served with an olive
• Gibson - A nice alternative to the traditional martini, with dry vermouth and cocktail onions, served martini style
• Gimlet - Add lime juice, serve on ice in a lowball glass
• Gin Fizz - With lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water served on ice in a highball glass
• Gin Madras - With cranberry juice and orange juice served on ice in a lowball glass
• Gin Sour - Includes sweet and sour mix served on ice in a lowball glass
• Gin and Tonic - A classic drink that is easy to make, served on ice in a lowball glass
• Greyhound - With orange juice served on ice in a lowball glass
• Lime Rickey - With lime juice and carbonated water served on ice in a highball glass with a twist of lime
• Martini - The traditional martini, with or without bitters, stirred or shaken and garnished with an olive
• Negroni - With campari and sweet vermouth served on ice in an old fashioned glass
• Pimm's Cup No. 1 - Includes Pimm's liqueur, fruit juices and spices mixed in a pitcher and served on ice
• Singapore Sling - With brandy, fruit juices and liqueurs served in a tall glass garnished with a cherry
• Sloe Gin Fizz - Like a gin fizz but with sloe gin, garnished with orange and served in an old fashioned glass; sweet and delicious
• Tom Collins - Similar to the Gin Fizz, on ice served in a highball glass with a lemon wedge

List of Rum Cocktails

Rum is a crowd-pleaser due to its smoky sweetness, and it's a staple in tropical-themed drinks.

• Bahama Mama - With coconut liqueur, coffee liqueur, and pineapple juice served on the rocks
• Blue Hawaii - Includes pineapple juice, sweet and sour mix and blue curaçao served on ice
• Cuba Libre - A classic cocktail that is easy to make, with cola and lime, served on ice in a highball glass
• Dark and Stormy - Dark rum with ginger beer served on ice in a highball glass
• Daiquiri - Traditionally with lime juice and sugar, but variations include other fruit juices; it's a blended frozen drink
• Hot Buttered Rum - Perfect for winter, with hot buttered rum batter and topped with a hint of grated nutmeg
• Hurricane - Classic New Orleans cocktail with lime juice and passion fruit syrup served on ice
• Mai Tai - Tiki drink with many variations that contain fruit juices, syrups and liqueurs served on ice and garnished with fruit
• Mojito - With mint, sparkling water and simple syrup served on ice garnished with lime and a sprig of mint
• Piña Colada - A blended frozen drink with pineapple juice and coconut cream
• Planter's Punch - Mixed with various fruit and fruit juices; a fruity umbrella drink
• Zombie - With orange curaçao, grenadine, bitters, passion fruit, orange juice, lemon juice, and lime juice

List of Tequila Cocktails

Tequila is a popular liquor that flavors many festive drinks.

• Bloody Maria - A variation on the Bloody Mary served garnished with a celery stalk
• Juan Collins - With lemon juice, club soda, and agave nectar
• Margarita, variations include:
  • Frozen margarita
  • Fruit flavored margaritas, such as peach, strawberry or mango
  • Habanero margarita, an extra spicy version
• Tamarind and Tequila - With tamarind nectar, simple syrup, and ginger ale served on ice in a highball glass
• Tequila Sunrise - Includes orange juice and grenadine served on ice and garnished with an orange wedge
• Tequila Sunset - Similar to the Sunrise, but with grenadine on top - the consummate umbrella drink

List of Vodka Cocktails

Many of the most popular cocktails include vodka. This clear liquor has a subtle taste and mixes well with other ingredients, especially fruit juice.

• Appletini - With apple liqueur or juices shaken with ice and served in a martini glass
• Bloody Mary - A brunch favorite with tomato juice and various spices garnished with a celery stalk
• Cape Cod - With cranberry juice served on ice in a lowball glass with a twist of lime
• Cosmopolitan - Includes cranberry juice, triple sec and lime juice shaken with ice and served martini style
• Greyhound - With grapefruit juice served on the rocks
• Kamikaze - Add lime juice and triple sec; serve either on the rocks or shaken with ice in a lowball glass
• Lemon Drop Martini - With lemon juice and simple syrup shaken with ice and served in a martini glass with a sugared rim
• Mudslide - With coffee liqueur and Irish Cream served on the rocks or blended with ice cream and served frozen - dessert in a glass
• Screwdriver - With orange juice served on the rocks
• Sea Breeze - With grapefruit juice and cranberry juice served on the rocks - tart and refreshing
• Sex on the Beach - Includes peach schnapps, orange and cranberry juices served on the rocks
• Smith and Wesson - With club soda, half and half, and coffee liqueur served on the rocks in a lowball glass
• Vodka and Tonic - Served on the rocks in a lowball glass garnished with lime

Vodka Collins - Similar to a Tom Collins but with vodka in place of gin

Vodka Gimlet - With lime juice shaken with ice and strained into a cocktail glass

List of Whiskey Cocktails

Popular in the Prohibition Era, whiskey cocktails have experienced a resurgence in many modern speak-easy theme bars. Its sophisticated flavor blends well with sweet as well as bitter mixers.

• Highball - With ginger ale served on the rocks in a highball glass
• Hot Toddy - With honey, lemon juice, and tea served hot in a mug
• Irish Coffee - Irish whiskey with coffee, sugar and cream served hot in a mug; perfect for winter days
• Jack and Coke - Jack Daniel's whiskey with cola served on ice in a highball glass; easy to make with two ingredients
• Lynchburg Lemonade - With triple sec, lemon-lime soda, and sweet and sour served on ice in a highball glass
• Manhattan - Rye whiskey with sweet vermouth and bitters shaken with ice and served martini style
• Mint Julep - Bourbon with mint, sugar and water served on ice; a classic Southern drink
• Old Fashioned - Bourbon with simple syrup and bitters served on ice in an old fashioned glass
• Seven and Seven - Seagram's Seven with 7-Up served on ice served on ice
• Sneaky Pete - Rye whiskey with milk and coffee liqueur served on ice in a lowball glass
• Whiskey Sour - With sweet and sour mix, served on ice and garnished with a cherry

Other Cocktails

Many popular cocktails feature a mix of multiple types of liquor, while others use less traditional liquors for the cocktail.

• Amaretto Sour - Amaretto with sweet and sour served on crushed ice; a nice balance of sweet and sour
• B52 - Kahlua with Irish creme and orange liqueur in a shot glass
• Boston Sidecar - With brandy, light rum, triple sec, and lime juice shaken with ice and strained into a cocktail glass
• Brandy Alexander - With brandy, créme de cacao and cream shaken and strained into a cocktail glass garnished with nutmeg
• Electric Lemonade - Rum, blue curaçao, lemon-lime soda, and sweet and sour served on crushed ice and garnished with lemon; tart and refreshing
• Fuzzy Navel - Peach schnapps and orange juice served on crushed ice and garnished with an orange slice
• Harvey Wallbanger - Vodka, Galliano, and orange juice served on crushed ice with the Galliano floating on top
• Kir - White wine and créme de cassis served in a fluted glass
• Kir Royale - Champagne and créme de cassis served in a fluted glass; an elegant cocktail
• Long Island Iced Tea - With vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, sweet and sour, and cola served on crushed ice and garnished with a cherry
• Melon Ball - Vodka, melon liqueur, and orange juice served on crushed ice and garnished with an orange wedge; a refreshing summer drink
• Metropolitan - Brandy with sweet vermouth shaken and strained into a martini glass
• Smith and Kearns - Coffee liqueur, cream, and club soda served in a highball glass on crushed ice; a great dessert drink

Narrow Your Choices and Order

Once you have studied this list of popular cocktails and are familiar with your options, depending on your liquor of preference, deciding what to order is much simpler. If you still can't decide, choose a liquor and ask the bartender to come up with his or her own concoction. You may just discover a new favorite.

Easy Cocktails: 35 Simple, 3-Ingredient Drinks to Make at Home

[Photographs: Vicky Wasik, unless otherwise noted]

It can be fun to watch a bartender carefully add a litany of ingredients to a mixing glass: layers of different spirits, unusual liqueurs, custom tinctures, bizarre bitters. A bar is a great place to get familiar with unusual bottles and sample drinks that take a more effort than just opening the cupboard and filling a few jiggers.

At home, though, most of us want a drink we can assemble with what we have on hand; nothing that takes an overnight infusion or 12 different bottles.

If your home bar is really bare (and you're up for a trip to the grocery store for produce), you may want to start with our one bottle drinks series: all of those recipes are centered around just one spirit. But if you're a little more well-stocked, or you're considering one more bottle to add to your collection, the easy cocktails below are your new house drinks. All of them are made with three ingredients or fewer, bitters included. Optional garnishes don't count in the three items; feel free to get fancy or skip 'em altogether, depending on what you have on hand.

Three-Ingredient Cocktails: The Spirits

Gin Drinks

If you make it with vodka, call it a Kangaroo. But other than that, this classic is pretty darn flexible. You can have it dry, making jokes about looking at a bottle of vermouth, or you can actually use a little vermouth (try a fresh bottle and you might be surprised how great it is). Or you can make your martini the way we—and many of our favorite bartenders—prefer: two parts gin to one part vermouth, stirred until well chilled. In case you're wondering, here are our thoughts on the best gin for the job.

Sherry Martini

Like vermouth, sherry is a fortified wine. But unlike vermouth, it draws its distinctiveness from the funky powers of yeast and oxidation—and the wine itself—rather than added herbs and spices. Here, dry sherry adds its characteristic saline and nutty, bright, downright savory flavors to a simple martini. It doesn't really need a garnish, but a slice of jamon Iberico plays up the savory aspect even more.

Green Ghost

The Last Word is one of our favorite gin cocktails, but if you don't have maraschino liqueur on hand, you can still make this three-ingredient sibling. The herbal flavors of Chartreuse marry well with the botanicals in gin, and fresh lime juice makes it lively.

Obituary Cocktail

If you're friendly with the Martini, you might want to make the acquaintance of this drink: the Obituary starts with gin and dry vermouth, but adds in a little absinthe or pastis, for an anise flavor that brings the gin and vermouth's herbal aromatics to life.

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

If you're into cocktails at all, you've probably had a Negroni or twenty. You'll get the basic recipe clicking through, though you hardly need it: the drink is equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. It's a cocktail that spawned a million easy variations, but you can also play around with the classic itself. Experiment with using a Navy-strength gin such as Perry's Tot: the boozier spirit has the muscle to grapple with the Campari. You may also want to try adjusting the ratios to your taste, or giving alternate amari like Gran Classico a try.

White Negroni

There's more than one way to make this sibling of the classic Negroni, and part of the fun is in the experimentation. If you can find Suze, Salers, or Bonal, those aperitifs will add a wonderful bitterness to the combo, but you can also try it with Cocchi Americano, as in this recipe. Some folks use rich, floral Lillet, while others turn to blanc/bianco vermouth. Your ratios will depend on which ingredients you choose, but tasting your way through the options is a pretty good way to spend an evening.

Frozen Negroni

Yes, it's basically a Negroni adapted for your blender. But this frozen drink is so good it's worth calling out here. For the best balance when frozen, the bittersweet Campari and sweet vermouth are dialed back a bit. The key to easy hosting and a frosty drink that doesn't immediately melt all the ice in your blender? Store a batch of the cocktail in your freezer overnight.

Auld Draper

[Photograph: Elana Lepkowski]

The hardest part of making this drink is tracking down a bottle of Byrrh, but now that most top-notch liquor stores carry it, even that shouldn't be too rough. What is Byrrh, anyway? It's a richly aromatic fortified red wine that contains quinine, making the flavor akin to a light port with a mildly bitter edge. (There's coffee and bitter orange in there too—it's delicious stuff!) Try it alone, then try it this way, with a little gin and orange bitters.

Back in the 1800s, sailors with the British Navy would treat their sea sickness with Angostura bitters. Straight bitters are kind of intense, so they'd mix it with gin to help it go down easier. And so the Pink Gin was born. This brown-hued version amps up the spice a little for a citrus- and clove-scented drink that's bitter and delicious.

Whiskey Drinks

Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned is one of those drinks that proves that a cocktail doesn't need to be complicated to be good. Booze, sugar, and bitters are all you need: bourbon and rye are pretty standard, but you can also experiment with other spirits, especially good aged tequila or rum. Note that this recipe keeps its distance from fussy fruit and soda water. (Still, if you slip in a Luxardo cherry and an orange peel and gently press 'em with your muddler before adding the whiskey, we won't tell.)

Frisco Sour

Benedictine is sweet and herbal, and it's wonderful with whiskey. (You can stop there: just mix a few ounces of rye with a quarter ounce of Benedictine and a dash or two of bitters for a variation on the Old Fashioned: the Benedictine replaces the simple syrup and enlivens the cocktail, adding all sorts of herbal flavors.) But if you want something a little more bright and bracing, you'll need a lemon, too. In the Frisco Sour, spicy rye stars and the Benedictine adds interest, while the citrus cuts through and keeps things dry.

Boulevardier

It's probably the most well-known Negroni variation, but the Boulevardier deserves a spotlight of its own. This combo of whiskey with Campari and sweet vermouth is one of the most delicious simple drinks we know. Try it with both rye and bourbon and see which way you like it.

Man About Town

If I had to choose between a classic Negroni and a Boulevardier, I'd lean toward the brown-spirited one. If you feel the same way, I urge you to try this rye variation on the cocktail from Gramercy Tavern in New York. Instead of Campari, it calls for vegetal, bittersweet Cynar. It's a deep, rich drink, with a punch of rye spice and a lush, bitter finish.

Spicy rye meets sweet vermouth in this old-school cocktail; yeah, you can make it with bourbon, too, but in that case you'll want one with rye in the mashbill and a slightly higher proof. Angostura bitters bring each element together; you can garnish with a nice brandied cherry (no fluorescent red ones please!) or an aromatic lemon twist.

You don't need to use fancy (and pricey) single malt Scotch for this variation on the Manhattan; any decent blended Scotch will meld nicely with rich sweet vermouth and spicy Angostura. Not a big fan of vermouth? It could be that you've only tasted oxidized bottles. Grab a fresh one and be sure to keep it stored properly.

[Photograph: Jennifer Hess]

Ever had a Bee's Knees? It's a great simple gin sour made with honey. If you lean more toward bourbon than gin, though, give this a try: it's the same thing, more or less, but made rich with whiskey.

Blushing Betty

Have you ever tried slicing a juicy grapefruit in half, sprinkling it with sugar, and sliding it under the broiler? You end up with something tangy and bright, but also rich and caramelized—flavors we've captured in this simple drink. Even better there's no broiler work required: bourbon adds the toasty caramel notes that deepen the fresh grapefruit flavor nicely.

Moto Guzzi

I'm a little obsessed with Punt e Mes, an Italian vermouth that has a streak of unrelenting bitterness along with rich winey flavors. It's great stuff on its own, so it doesn't need much to make a great mixed drink. Paired with an equal measure of high-proof bourbon, it's the easiest Manhattan variation you can make, no extra bitters required.

Tequila Drinks

Knowing how to make a good margarita is an essential skill for any home drink-maker. Note: it does not start with a bottled mix. Instead, this perfectly balanced cocktail demands good blanco tequila, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice. (Some would say the salted rim is required and takes this over the three-ingredient limit, but I'd say that's up for debate.) Where's the sugar? Turns out you don't actually need any as long as you're working with good triple sec like Cointreau.

Rum and Cachaça Drinks

A little lime and sugar helps a bottle of rum shine; there's no need for any other fruit, and getting your blender involved makes an entirely different concoction. It's especially satisfying in warm weather, and can be a fabulous vehicle for exploring whatever new bottle of rum you track down.

Cuba Libre

It might seem like just a rum and Coke, but the Cuba Libre has more to offer, especially if you squeeze a lime in and then muddle the spent lime shell to get a little citrus oil in the mix. This easy drink is great with any aged rum, but it also shines with a funky, grassy rhum agricole instead.

Barbados Cocktail

[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Gotta love a simple drink that really shines. Here, you'll bring together the deep molasses flavor of dark rum (we used Coruba) with spicy-tropical Velvet Falernum and fresh lime. It's a little boozy, a little sweet, and plenty bright thanks to the lime.

Dark & Stormy

This spicy-sweet-boozy-tart drink is a vacation classic: just be sure to pick up a bunch of limes, a bottle of rich Gosling's Black Seal Rum, and some spicy ginger beer when you roll into the beach town of your choice. This version is served in pretty layers, but you'll want to stir before serving so that you don't get a mouthful of straight lime.

Caipirinha

Turn on the samba music and break out the cachaça for this easy Brazilian drink. All you need to do is crush up some fresh lime quarters with sugar and add in the booze, then shake with ice 'til it's frosty-cold.

Vodka Drinks

Great Gatsby

Lillet Blanc is a floral and citrusy aperitif that's wonderful with grapefruit; here it gets fresh juice and a little vodka to cut through the fruity flavors. Drink it with pre-dinner snacks or pair it with biscuits and marmalade at brunch.

Moscow Mule

Even if you're not a huge fan of vodka, this classic drink is worth considering for summer parties. It's a cool and crisp combo of the vodka and fresh lime, sweetened and spiced with a long pour of ginger beer. Copper mugs are the standard serving vessel, but we won't judge if you use one half of your cocktail shaker (or a regular glass.)

Brandy Drinks

[Photograph: Carey Jones]

Why are Margaritas—just sours made with tequila, Cointreau, and lime—so much more popular than Sidecars, which are the same thing, except with cognac and lemon? We're not sure, but if you like a good Margarita, we urge you to give the brandy version a try. It's warm and mellow and delicious, especially if you use a nice cognac.

Japanese Cocktail

You may have heard that cognac is on the rise in the cocktail world today, but this drink is no newbie. (You could read about it back in 1862 when Jerry Thomas wrote his guide for bartenders.) The drink is rich and nutty, thanks to the mix of smooth cognac and orgeat (a tasty almond syrup), plus bitters. If you can't find orgeat near you, you can order it online or make your own at home.

Aperitifs, Amari, Sparkling Wine, and More.

Adriatique

[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Sometimes it feels like every cocktail is just a tiny variation on another. But then you come across a drink like this one, from Boston bar star Jackson Cannon, and it's like having a new category of cocktail for the very first time. Amaro Montenegro and Aperol provide a bittersweet core that extends the flavors of fresh orange juice; it's the perfect pre-dinner drink to get your appetite going. Since this isn't too high in alcohol, you might want to mix up a pitcherful.

Campari Spritz

This slightly beefier version of an Aperol Spritz is meant to be served with appetizers like cured meats and olives—so it's no surprise that an olive garnish tastes delicious between sips. Warning: this drink may leave you pining for a vacation in Italy.

Courting Two Sisters Cocktail

If you're making this drink, step one starts by examining your bottles of vermouth. If they've been around since your birthday party two years ago, step two involves dumping the contents down the drain. In a three-ingredient cocktail, you want the good, fresh stuff. (Check out this piece to find out the best way to store vermouth.) Then it all comes together: juicier red and crisper blanc vermouth, plus a touch of anise from the absinthe, mingled together and stirred till refreshingly cold. This is a great pre-dinner drink.

Sparkling Suze Cocktail

[Photograph: Elana Lepkowski]

When you're trying out a new cocktail ingredient, it's nice to keep it simple so you can really get a sense of what the stuff tastes like. Suze, a bittersweet, slightly vegetal French aperitif, is practically a cocktail in a bottle, so it doesn't need much. St Germain elderflower liqueur highlights the apertif's floral side, and Cava adds a little fruity fizz.

Grapefruit and Ginger Sparkler

Hosting brunch? You could always make mimosas but this easy combo is a little more fun, doctoring up affordable bubbly (cheap-ish Prosecco, Cava, or Cremant is fine) with Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur. Fresh grapefruit juice puts its bright and bitter talents to work, preventing the balance from tipping too sweet.

Negroni Sbagliato

Maybe you've heard the story—this drink's a bungled version of the classic, made with bittersweet Campari, rich sweet vermouth, and whoops! Prosecco instead of the gin. It's perfect for a day when you're not quite ready for stiffer spirits.

Bitter Mimosa

Do you like your drinks a little bitter? Then you should probably have Cynar in your home bar. You can start by subbing it into any drink that calls for Campari, or give this easy brunch drink a try. It's bright like a classic orange juice mimosa, but instead of being sweet and fruity, grapefruit and Cynar give the cocktail brightness, bitterness, and a touch of mystery.

Maggie Hoffman served as Drinks Editor and then Managing Editor of Serious Eats from 2010 to July 2016. She is currently working on a cocktail book.

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Cocktail Party Drink Recipes

Standard classic cocktail recipes as listed by the IBA. You can't go wrong with any of these fine mixed drinks

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0.5 oz Amaretto 1 oz Cream 0.5 oz Creme de Cacao 0.

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2 tsp Vermouth 2.5 oz Vodka .

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Cocktails Recipes

Cocktails are as much delight to the eyes as to the palate. They are flavorsome, fun, and designed to be shared. They are simply mixed drinks, usually based on one or more spirits or liqueurs and flavoured with fruit juices, syrups, spices and other mixers.

Tips & Articles

• 

With many microbreweries booming at an astonishing rate across the country, the ‘soft’ alcoholic beverage is having an Indian field day!

There are more breweries around the world today than at any other time since 1930. In fact, the global beer market is expected to touch USD 688.4 billion by 2020, growing at a robust CAGR of 6% from 2015-2020.