Whether you're spending a cozy night in with friends or your partner, easy cocktail recipes can make it seem like a special occasion. Having a handful of easy cocktail recipes allows you to make mixed drinks you're sure to love.
Easy Cocktail Recipes for All Tastes
What makes a mixed drink recipe easy? It uses simple, common cocktail ingredients and easy techniques. These are some of the easiest cocktails around.
1. Vodka-Soda
The vodka soda is a classic easy cocktail, and it isn't complicated to vary it by adding a splash of juice, adding some fruit for garnish, or changing the flavor of soda.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 2 ounces vodka
- Club soda or soda water
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a collins glass with ice.
- Add the vodka. Top with soda and stir.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
2. Orange Dark and Stormy
The Dark n' Stormy is a classic tropical cocktail that uses dark rum and ginger beer. If you don't have dark rum, you can also use light rum or spiced rum. If you don't have ginger beer, you can also use ginger ale.
Ingredients
- Orange wedge
- Ice
- 1½ ounces rum
- Ginger beer
Instructions
- In a collins glass, crush the orange wedge and add ice.
- Add the rum. Top with the ginger beer. Stir.
3. Lemon-Lime Cuba Libre
By any other name, the Cuba libre is a rum and Coke. It's super easy to make at home, and it's easy to vary by adding different types of citrus juices or different flavors of soda.
Ingredients
- ½ ounce lime juice (freshly squeezed tastes best)
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 2 ounces rum
- Ice
- Cola or diet cola
- Lime wheel for garnish
Ingredients
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, lemon juice and rum. Add the ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a collins glass filled with ice. Top with the cola and stir.
- Garnish with a lime wheel.
4. Maple Irish Coffee
Looking for a warm coffee cocktail? Whether you use decaf or full strength, this is a delicious cocktail.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce pure maple syrup
- 1½ ounces Irish whiskey
- 3 ounces freshly brewed coffee
- Whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- In a coffee mug, combine the maple syrup and whiskey. Stir.
- Add the coffee.
- Top with the whipped cream.
5. Rosemary Citrus Scotch and Soda
This has a simple citrus twist on a traditional Scotch and soda.
Ingredients
- 1 orange wedge
- 1½ ounces Scotch
- 2 ice cubes
- 2 ounces soda water or club soda
- Rosemary sprig and orange peel for garnish
Instructions
- Squeeze the orange wedge into a rocks glass and drop it into the glass.
- Add the Scotch and stir.
- Add the ice. Top with the soda water.
- Garnish with the rosemary sprig and orange peel.
6. Pineapple Coconut Slushie
Looking for an easy blended umbrella drink? This one only has three ingredients plus ice.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces pineapple juice
- 1½ ounces coconut rum
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth. Pour into a collins glass or a cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
7. Boozy Cherry Limeaid
Lime and cherry are a great flavor combination, and this refreshing drink is perfect for a backyard barbecue.
Ingredients
- 2 maraschino cherries plus 2 barspoons maraschino cherry juice
- ¾ ounce lime juice (freshly squeezed tastes best)
- 1½ ounces vodka
- Ice
- Club soda or soda water
- Lime or lemon wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cherries and cherry juice with the lime juice.
- Add the vodka and ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a soda glass filled with ice.
- Top with club soda and garnish with a lime or lemon wedge.
8. Orange Italian Soda
While this calls for an orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or triple sec, you can use any liqueur to change the flavor; so consider coffee flavored liqueur, raspberry liqueur, or any other that catches your fancy.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 1 ounce orange liqueur
- Club soda
- Splash of cream or half and half
Instructions
- Fill a collins glass with ice. Add the orange liqueur.
- Fill almost to the top with the club soda and stir. Add a splash of cream.
9. Fizzy Pink Lemonade
What could be easier than stirring booze into soda water? This version uses Pink Whitney, although you can also substitute any citrus-flavored vodka. You can make this sweeter by stirring in up to ¾ ounces of simple syrup or 1 tablespoon superfine sugar.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 1½ ounces Pink Whitney
- 6 ounces lemon-lime soda
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a collins glass with ice.
- Add the Pink Whitney and soda. Stir.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel.
10. "Pepsi" Lite
Back in the day (in the 1980s), Pepsi released a lemon scented diet cola they called Pepsi Light. It's no longer on the market, but you can easily enjoy this boozy version.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 1½ ounces citrus-flavored vodka
- 6 ounces cola or diet cola
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a collins glass with ice.
- Add the vodka and cola. Stir.
- Garnish with the lemon wheel.
11. Adult Cherry Cola
Make your own version of a cherry cola with some decidedly adult ingredients.
Ingredients
- Ice
- ¾ ounce cherry flavored liqueur
- 1½ ounces vodka
- 5 ounces cola or diet cola
- Cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a collins glass with ice.
- Add the cherry liqueur, vodka, and cola. Stir.
- Garnish with the cherry.
12. Hot Apple Cinnamon
Try this super easy spicy hot apple cider to warm you up on a winter evening.
Ingredients
- 1 package hot apple cider mix
- 6 ounces hot water
- 1½ ounces Fireball or another cinnamon whiskey
- Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- In a coffee mug, combine the cider mix, hot water, and fireball. Stir.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
13. Paloma
The paloma is a Mexican cocktail that's super easy to make.
Ingredients
- Grapefruit wedge
- Coarse salt
- ¾ ounce lime juice (freshly squeezed is best)
- 1½ ounces tequila or mezcal
- Ice
- Grapefruit soda
Instructions
- Run the grapefruit wedge around the rim of a rocks glass. Dip the rim in salt.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice and tequila. Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a collins glass filled with ice.
- Top with the grapefruit soda.
- Garnish with a the grapefruit wedge.
14. Jalapeño Margarita
It's easy to add a bit of heat to a classic margarita - perfect for Taco Tuesday!
Ingredients
- Lime wedge
- Salt and chili powder mixed
- 2 slices fresh jalapeño plus 1 additional for garnish
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur or agave nectar
- 1½ ounces tequila or mezcal
- Ice
Instructions
- Run the lime wedge around the rim of a cocktail glass. Dip the rim of the glass into the mixed salt and chili powder.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the jalapeño, lime juice, orange liqueur, and tequila.
- Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a jalapeño slice.
15. Aperol Spritz
If you like the slightly bitter flavor of the Italian apéritif, Aperol, then try this easy spritz.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Aperol
- 1½ ounces dry sparkling white wine (Prosecco is traditional)
- Ice
- Club soda
- Orange wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a wine glass, combine the Aperol and wine. Add the ice and stir.
- Fill the glass with club soda. Garnish with an orange wedge.
16. Blue Otter Pop
Remember loving blue Otter Pops as a kid? Here's an easy adult version.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce blue curaçao
- 1½ ounces coconut rum
- Ice
- Club soda
- Lemon peel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail glass, combine the blue curaçao, coconut rum, and ice. Stir.
- Top with the club soda.
- Garnish with a lemon peel.
17. Tropic Delight
This simple cocktail is a mixture of a few different tropical liqueurs with RumChata, a horchata-flavored liqueur. Just toss it in a shaker, shake it up to mix it, and pour it over ice. Garnish is optional. It serves two.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce RumChata
- 1 ounce banana liqueur
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- 1 ounce Malibu rum
- Ice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
- Shake and strain into an old-fashioned glass with ice. No garnish necessary.
18. Boozy Coffee Frappe
This creamy cocktail tastes a lot like a frappe coffee - but with lots of booze. It's easy because all you do is toss it in a blender and blend. Garnish is optional. It serves one.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce coffee-flavored liqueur
- 2 ounces vanilla vodka
- 4 ounces half and half
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Whipped cream
- Nutmeg
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the coffee, vanilla vodka, half and half, and ice. Blend until smooth.
- Pour into a tall glass. Garnish with whipped cream sprinkled with nutmeg.
19. Blackberry Kamikaze
Add a twist to a basic kamikaze by adding fresh blackberries. It's a simple cocktail you shake up and pour it on ice. The blackberry adds a sweet counterpoint to the tartness of the basic cocktail. It makes two cocktails.
Ingredients
- 10 blackberries, plus additional for garnish
- 2 ounces vodka
- 2 ounces triple sec
- 2 ounces lime juice
- Ice
- Mint sprig for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Put the blackberries in a cocktail shaker and use a spoon or muddler to crush them slightly.
- Add the vodka, triple sec, lime juice, and ice.
- Shake to chill.
- Pour over ice in an old fashioned glass. Garnish with additional blackberries and a mint sprig, if desired.
20. Frozen Cantaloupe Daiquiri
Blending drinks makes them super easy to put together. This has plenty of variations - change the fruit for different flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cantaloupe cubes
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1½ ounces rum
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Cantaloupe wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth.
- Pour into a cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a cantaloupe wedge.
21. Marionberry Mule
Berry mules are all the rage, and they're super simple to make at home with fresh berries.
Ingredients
- 10 marionberries
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- 1½ ounces vodka
- Ice
- Ginger beer
Instructions
- In a mule cup (or another mug or glass), combine lightly crush the marionberries.
- Add the lime juice and vodka. Stir.
- Add the ice. Top off with the ginger beer.
22. Raspberry Smith and Kerns
This is a super easy coffee-flavored liqueur cocktail with a hint of berry.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce coffee-flavored liqueur
- 1 ounce raspberry flavored liqueur (such as Chambord)
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- Ice
- 2 ounces club soda or soda water
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the coffee and raspberry liqueurs and cream.
- Add the ice. Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Top with the club soda and stir.
23. Peanut Butter Cup
Dessert in a cup - that's the best way to describe this sweet, creamy, and easy drink.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce crème de cacao
- 1½ ounces peanut butter-flavored whiskey
- Ice
- Splash of cream
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, combine the crème de cacao and peanut butter whiskey.
- Add the ice and stir.
- Top with a splash of cream.
24. Boozy Raspberry Lemonade
Whether you use freshly made lemonade or you purchase it pre-made, this is a simple but delicious cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Chambord
- 1½ ounces citrus flavored vodka
- 6 ounces lemonade
- Ice
- Lime wheel and sprig of mint for garnish
Instructions
- In a collins glass, combine the Chambord, vodka, lemonade, and ice. Stir.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and mint sprig.
25. Adult Nutella
If you were a kid who loved the chocolate and hazelnut goodness of Nutella, then you'll love this easy dessert cocktail.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounces Frangelico
- ¾ ounces crème de cacao
- ¾ ounces amaretto
- Ice
- Splash of heavy cream
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, combine the Frangelico, crème de cacao, amaretto, and ice. Stir.
- Top with a splash of heavy cream.
More of the Easiest Cocktails
In general, cocktails are relatively easy to make unless you're going for something fancy or complex. Try some of these easy cocktail recipes.
- The most complicated thing about a frozen strawberry daiquiri is turning on the blender.
- An amaretto sour is sweet, tart, and super simple.
- If you have orange juice and Champagne, you've got a mimosa. Make it easier by using pre-made OJ.
Easy Cocktails Offer Simple Pleasures
Cocktails that require blending, shaking, or mixing are generally easy, especially if you don't go overboard on garnishes or fresh squeezed juices. However, keeping it simple doesn't mean flavorless. Even the easiest cocktails are delicious.
