Many people have a soft spot in their hearts for 90s nostalgia; from the food to the clothes to the 90s drinks, it's an era of simplicity. Whether you're a 90s baby looking to view that era through the eyes of an adult this time around, or you're looking for the nostalgia of enjoying some drinks that you've long forgotten, there are plenty of alcoholic drinks from the 90s to go around.
Appletini
The 1990s were the heyday for fruity martinis, and the appletini was at the forefront.
Pairs well with: Watermelon Lip Smacker
Ingredients
- 2 ounces apple vodka
- 1 ounce sour apple schnapps
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Maraschino cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, apple vodka, sour apple schnapps, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with maraschino cherry.
Cosmopolitan
A quintessential 90s martini, the cosmo popularized by a thriving tv show on HBO that recently made a comeback.
Pairs well with: Your Scrunchy collection
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces citron vodka
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- ½ ounce cranberry juice
- Ice
- Lime slice for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, citron vodka, lime juice, orange liqueur, and cranberry juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lime slice.
Mojito
The mojito has been swirling around glasses far before the 90s rolled in, but it saw its popularity skyrocket when the muddler became a tool in almost every kitchen.
Pairs well with: The customized AIM sounds of your crush logging online
Ingredients
- 5-7 fresh mint leaves
- 1½ ounces white rum
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Mint sprig and lime slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint leaves with a splash of simple syrup.
- Add ice, rum, lime juice, and remaining simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with mint spring and lime slice.
Breakfast Martini
This cocktail started in London and ended in every martini glass in the mid-1990s and beyond.
Pairs well with: Crimped hair
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- ¼ ounce orange marmalade
- Ice
- Orange wheel for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, lemon juice, orange liqueur, and orange marmalade.
- Shake well to dissolve marmalade and chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with orange wheel, if desired.
Lemon Drop Martini
The 90s were a time of fruit-forward martinis, and the sweet and sour lemon drop is no exception.
Pairs well with: Warheads
Ingredients
- Lemon wedge and sugar for rim
- 2 ounces citron vodka
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- Ice
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the martini glass or coupe with the lemon wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, citron vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, and orange liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
Espresso Martini
The long-established espresso martini was all the rage in the 1990s, breathing new life into this classic.
Pairs well with: Daria
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- ¾ ounce chilled espresso
- ½ ounce coffee liqueur
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Coffee beans for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, chilled espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with coffee beans.
Razztini
Just behind the stars of the fruity martini pack is the raspberry martini, or razztini. Consider it the more accessible version of the clover club.
Pairs well with: The Tamagotchi in the back of your desk drawer
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- ¾ ounce cranberry juice
- ¾ ounce raspberry liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, cranberry juice, raspberry liqueur, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
Jell-O Shots
Very much ingrained in society today, Jell-O shots were a novelty in the 1990s. A party was not a party without a Jell-O shot selection.
Pairs well with: Fruit gushers
Ingredients
- 3-ounce package flavored gelatin
- 8 ounces boiling water
- 4 ounces cold water
- 4 ounces vodka
Instructions
- In a large heat-safe mixing bowl, stir together boiling water and gelatin.
- Stir for approximately two minutes or until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
- Stir in cold water and vodka.
- Mix until well combined.
- Spray a 9x13 baking pan.
- Carefully pour mixture into pan.
- Chill in refrigerator until firm, approximately 4 hours.
- After set, cut into small squares.
Cable Car
If the name sounds familiar, that's because it's a riff on the classic cocktail, the sidecar.
Pairs well with: Yak Back
Ingredients
- Cinnamon sugar rim and orange wedge for rim
- 1½ ounces spiced rum
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce orange curaçao
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Orange twist for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the martini glass or coupe with the orange wedge.
- With the cinnamon sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the cinnamon sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, spiced rum, lemon juice, orange curaçao, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with orange twist, if desired.
White Russian
The white Russian exploded in popularity thanks to The Dude and his mission for a new rug.
Pairs well with: The Big Lebowski and inflatable furniture
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce coffee liqueur
- ¾ ounce heavy cream
- Ice
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, add ice, vodka, and coffee liqueur.
- Top off with heavy cream.
- Stir if desired.
Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri
In the 1990s, you couldn't throw a rock without hitting a bar with a menu of blender drinks or drink machines behind the bar.
Pairs well with: Your GameBoy color
Ingredients
- 3 ounces light rum
- 1½ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1½ ounces simple syrup
- 1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Strawberry for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, add ice, rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and strawberries.
- Blend until desired consistency.
- Pour into margarita or rocks glass.
- Garnish with strawberry.
Long Island Iced Tea
The 1990s cocktail scene was about fruity martinis and cocktails that packed a lot of booze. You know which category this falls into.
Pairs well with: A piece of the Aggro Crag
Ingredients
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce rum
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce gin
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Cola to top off
- Lemon slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, orange liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
- Top off with cola.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with lemon slice.
Jasmine
A sour gin cocktail, consider this the little sibling of the more famous cosmo and lemon drop.
Pairs well with: The plastic choker you never left the house without
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce Campari
- ¼ ounce orange liqueur
- Ice
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, lemon juice, Campari, and orange liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
Dirty Martini
The dirty martini found itself in the company of the other popular martinis of the 1990s.
Pairs well with: The star and moon print you had to have on everything
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin or vodka
- ¾ ounce olive brine
- Ice
- Olives for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a mixing glass, add ice, gin, and olive brine.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with olives.
Old-Fashioned
Long considered the second cocktail renaissance; the 1990s saw a flood of classic cocktails beyond martinis. Skip the simple syrup in favor of muddling a sugar cube with a few dashes of bitters.
Pairs well with: The phrase, "Submitted for the approval of The Midnight Society…"
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add rye, simple syrup, orange bitters, and aromatic bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with cherry and orange peel.
The 90s Drinks You'll Be Totally Buggin' About
Capture nostalgia in a glass with some tasty alcoholic drinks from the 90s. Whether you're taking this chance to rewatch an old favorite tv show (Melrose Place or Daria, anyone?) or reminiscing over your favorite LipSmackers flavors, you can rest easy knowing there's a 90s drink for that.
