10 Easy Cocktails You Can Make at Home Tonight

Create Your Own Cocktails At Home With These Easy Recipes

Whether you are just starting out learning about cocktails, or are an experienced hand looking for easy cocktail recipes to whip up tonight, this article has something for everyone. Save this list of easy cocktails you can make at home, and make it your “go to” every time you feel like treating yourself, or impressing your guests. You’re welcome!

Basic Cocktail Ingredients

Firstly, let’s look at our starting ingredients list. What I have tried to do here is create a list of ingredients that most people are likely to already have in their cupboard or fridge at home, or can buy easily from the corner shop if required. Now, being an experienced bar tender myself, my bar at home is well stocked with all sorts of exotic ingredients. I don’t expect the average person to have Wonderfoam, Verjus and a smoke gun behind their bar though. So who did I go to for inspiration? My Mom!

Mom loves a cheeky gin and tonic, the occasional glass of wine and a Bailey’s on ice. She is certainly no expert on cocktails though. Having a good look through her pantry and fridge, these are the ingredients I found that would be handy to use for easy cocktails you can make at home. How many of these do you have currently in your home?

Vodka	Bitters	Ginger Ale	Jalapenos
Gin	Sugar	Fresh Mint	Nutmeg
Light Rum	Club Soda	Coriander leaves	Cinnamon
Dark Rum	Tonic Water	Chili	Paprika
Whiskey	Cola	Ice cubes	Sea Salt
Bourbon	Lemon juice	Passionfruit	Grapes
Ouzo	Lime Juice	Kiwi Fruit	Red Wine
Vermouth	Orange Juice	Basil	White Wine
Tequila	Mango	Rosemary	Lemonade
Kahlua	Pineapple	Thyme	Mandarin
Sparkling Wine	Banana	Olives	Strawberry

Recipes for 10 Easy Cocktails You Can Make at Home

So, being able to select from only from these ingredients, what recipes can I come up with for easy cocktails you can make at home? Let me tell you, Mom and I had some real fun researching this article!

Here are the recipes for the 10 best cocktails that we created, and instructions for how to make them yourself at home.

1. Classic Daiquiri

We start our list of easy cocktails you can make at home with the classic Daiquiri. For this cocktail, a Martini style glass is best.

First, chill your glass. You can do this simply by filling it with ice and water whilst you are making the cocktail, then tip out the ice and water when you are ready to serve your cocktail. Or, if you have a bit more time, put the glass in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Next, if you have a cocktail shaker, grab it and put in 2 oz of light rum, 1 oz of lime juice, and ¾ oz of 2 teaspoons of sugar. Add a scoop of ice to the shaker and shake hard for about 15 seconds. Strain the drink into your chilled glass and serve! No garnish required for this one, it is all about the fresh taste of the lime.

This is a great base recipe that you can add other fruits to. Think strawberry, mango, banana – basically any fruit that you want to use. These fruits also go well in a frozen Daiquiri. Use the recipe above, but instead of putting it in a cocktail shaker, put it in a blender with plenty of ice. You could even use frozen fruit as this is perfect for frozen Daiquiris.

2. Whiskey Sour

You will need a Rocks glass for this cocktail.

First, grab your glass and fill it with ice.

Then, take your cocktail shaker and put into it 2 oz of whiskey, ¾ oz of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of sugar.  Add a scoop of ice to the shaker and shake it for about 15 seconds, then strain it over the ice that is already in your glass.

Note, straining means using only the liquid inside the cocktail shaker. Leave the ice in the shaker. Most cocktail shakers have a strainer, and if you are using a jar or bottle then use a tea strainer to separate the liquid from the solids.

Add a fancy garnish to your cocktail. A dried slice of citrus floating on top would look nice, add in a bright red cherry, or make a lemon twist.

One of the most famous whiskey’s in the world is Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and a popular question I get asked is “how old is Johnnie Walker Blue Label? Find out the answer here.

3. Mojito Twist

For this drink, a Highball glass is best.

First, you want to put into your glass about 8 mint leaves, 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 oz of lime juice. Then, using the end of a wooden spoon (or a similar blunt instrument that will reach the bottom of the glass), apply light pressure to all these ingredients to mix them up and mush them together. Can I just stress here – light pressure only. You don’t want to completely pulverise the ingredients.

Then, throw in a handful of ice, 2 oz of light rum and top up with club soda (also known as soda water). Give it a good stir, and garnish with more mint.

4. Pineapple Tequila Smash

For this cocktail, the best glass to use is a Rocks glass. Fill it with ice before you start preparing your cocktail.

The first step is to put 4 oz of fresh or tinned pineapple chunks in your cocktail shaker and muddle them. Muddling means applying gentle pressure with a blunt instrument – like the end of a wooden spoon – to mix them up and mush them together. Don’t completely pulverise them. Just light pressure to mush them together.

Then, throw in 2 oz of tequila, ¾ oz of lime juice and a handful of ice straight into the shaker. Shake for 15 seconds, then strain the drink into your glass of ice.

Note, straining means using only the liquid inside the cocktail shaker. Leave the pineapple chunks and the ice in the shaker. Most cocktail shakers have a strainer, and if you are using a jar or bottle then use a tea strainer to separate the liquid from the solids.

Garnish your drink with a wedge of pineapple.

5. Spicy Gin Smash

This recipe requires a Rocks style glass. Fill it with ice before you start making your cocktail.

The first step is to put a few slices of jalapeno (add to taste, if you want it hotter, add more!) and a pinch of coriander leaves into the cocktail shaker. You want to gently muddle these together. Muddling means applying gentle pressure with a blunt instrument – like the end of a wooden spoon – to mix them up and mush them together. Don’t completely pulverise them. Just light pressure to mush them together.

Then, add in 2 oz gin and ¾ oz of lime juice to the shaker. Throw in a handful of ice and shake for 15 seconds. Then strain the drink into your glass of ice.

Note, straining means using only the liquid inside the cocktail shaker. Leave the jalapenos, coriander leaves and the ice in the shaker. Most cocktail shakers have a strainer, and if you are using a jar or bottle then use a tea strainer to separate the liquid from the solids.

Garnish your cocktail with a slice of jalapeno and a sprig of coriander.

6. Whiskey Ginger

For this cocktail you will need a Highball glass. Fill it with ice cubes as a base for your drink.

Then, pour 2 oz of your whiskey over the ice, and top it up with 4 oz of ginger ale. Add a squeeze of lime juice and stir gently.

Finally, garnish it with with some a dried citrus ring, or a wedge of fresh lime.

7. Rum Punch

A Highball glass is the best choice for this cocktail. Fill it with ice cubes before you start making your cocktail.

First, put into your cocktail shaker 1 oz of dark rum, 1 oz of light rum, 2 oz of orange juice, 2 oz of pineapple juice and a big handful of ice. Give it a good shake for 15 seconds, and then strain your concoction into your glass of ice.

Note, straining means using only the liquid inside the cocktail shaker. Leave the ice in the shaker. Most cocktail shakers have a strainer, and if you are using a jar or bottle then use a tea strainer to separate the liquid from the solids.

The best garnish for this cocktail is a slice of orange or a cherry.

8. Vodka Mango Cooler

The best type of glass to use for this cocktail is a Rocks glass. Fill it with ice before you start making your cocktail.

First take 4 oz of mango puree and put it in your cocktail shaker. To this, add a big handful of ice,  2 oz of vodka and ½ oz of lime juice. Shake it for a good 15 seconds, then strain into into your glass of ice.

Note, straining means using only the liquid inside the cocktail shaker. Leave the ice in the shaker. Most cocktail shakers have a strainer, and if you are using a jar or bottle then use a tea strainer to separate the liquid from the solids.

The best garnish for this cocktail is a slice of fresh mango and or wedge of lime.

9. Tequila Chili Margarita

For this cocktail you will need a Rocks style glass.

First thing you need to do is rim your glass with sea salt. The best way to do this is to first get a wedge of lime and run it around the rim of your glass to wet it. This will help the salt stick. Then place some sea salt in a saucer or a small plate, turn the glass upside down on the plate and give the rim a good coating of sea salt. Given this is a spicy cocktail, you could also add some chili flakes to the salt for an added bit of color and spice.

Then, into your cocktail shaker pour in 2 oz of tequila, 1 oz of lime juice, a big handful of ice and a few slices of fresh chili to taste. Give it a good shake for 15 seconds and then strain it into your salt rimmed glass.

For an extra kick, garnish your drink with 3 thin slices of chili floating on top.

10. Whiskey Rosemary Sour

To round out our list of easy cocktails you can make at home, we have a variation on the classic Whiskey Sour cocktail recipe. Use a Rocks glass for this cocktail. Fill it with ice before you start making your cocktail.

First, get your cocktail shaker and add to it a big handful of ice, 2 oz of whiskey, ¾ oz of lemon juice and ½ oz of sugar syrup. Give it a good hard shake for 15 seconds, then strain it into your glass of ice.

Note, straining means using only the liquid inside the cocktail shaker. Leave the rosemary and the ice in the shaker. Most cocktail shakers have a strainer, and if you are using a jar or bottle then use a tea strainer to separate the liquid from the solids.

To finish off your cocktail, add a sprig of rosemary as a garnish.

As an interesting side note – have you ever wondered how much alcohol is in a Margarita? Read this article to find out.

Enjoy Your Cocktails!

Making cocktails really is fun, and this list of easy cocktails you can make at home is a great way to get started. The list of ingredients required are ones that most people will already have in their cupboard or fridge at home. You will likely have most of these ingredients already!

There are a couple of easy techniques explained in the recipes above to help you in your cocktail making adventures. Muddling, straining, shaking – master these and you will be well on your way to cocktail mastery, and creating your own cocktail magic.

Once you master these easy cocktails and techniques, the world is your oyster! Experiment with these ingredients and other more exotic ones to come up with your own exciting creations. You could even use our free cocktail name generator to name it. Best of luck, and welcome to the world of cocktails.