Easy cocktail recipes to try at home

It’s never advised to mix your drinks, as we’re all well aware of just how badly that can go. However, cocktails are the exception to this rule, as you can enjoy delicious spirit-based drinks.

Making them yourself only adds to the fun, especially when you start experimenting with different blends of your own creation. 

So, if you’d like to learn how to make classic cocktails, then Drinks House 247 can help. We have compiled a list of recipes that are our favourite easy-to-make cocktails. We recommend investing in a cocktail shaker to make it a little easier. 

Remember, if you don’t have any of the essential spirits at home, Drinks House can deliver it to your doorstep within 30 minutes.

Vodka cocktail recipes

Vodka is the world’s most popular spirit and its neutral flavour provides the perfect base for a cocktail.



Woo Woo

A Woo Woo is a fruity party cocktail that’s perfect for the summer, mixing vodka with sour, crisp cranberry and sweet peach flavours.

Ingredients

50ml vodka

25ml peach schnapps

100ml cranberry juice

A few drops of fresh lime juice

A handful of ice

A wedge of lime

Method

1. Fill a glass or cocktail shaker with ice cubes
2. Add the vodka, peach schnapps and a few drops of lime juice
3. Stir thoroughly (or shake if you’re using a cocktail shaker)
4. Top with cranberry juice and enjoy



White Russian

The White Russian is an extravagant and sophisticated cocktail combining vodka, Kahlúa and cream. Emerging in the 60s as a creamy alternative to the Black Russian, this is essentially a delicious adult milkshake.

Ingredients

60ml vodka

2 tbsp Kahlúa

1 tbsp cream

A handful of ice

Method

1. Put ice into the glass or cocktail shaker
2. Add the vodka and Kahlúa
3. Top with cream and stir or shake vigorously.



Lemon drop

Invented in the 1970s by San Francisco bar owner Norman Jay Hobday, a lemon drop is a sweet and sour concoction made using lemon juice, triple sec and simple syrup. A twist on the classic martini, it’s ideal for those who want a strong cocktail without an overwhelming taste.

Ingredients

50ml vodka

25ml simple syrup

25ml triple sec 25ml lemon juice

1 tbsp white caster sugar

Zest of ½ a lemon

A handful of ice

Method

1. Put a martini glass in the fridge to chill
2. Combine white caster sugar with lemon zest and set aside
3. Pour the vodka into a glass or cocktail shaker before mixing in the triple sec, simple syrup, lemon juice and a handful of ice
4. Shake or stir well
5. Take the martini glass out of the fridge and dip into the sugar and lemon zest mix
6. Strain the triple sec, lemon juice and ice into the martini glass and drink

Gin cocktails

Some of the most iconic cocktails around are made with gin, including these three favourites.



Negroni

The Negroni is a quintessential Italian cocktail made from gin, sweet vermouth and Campari, balancing sweet, bitter and strong flavours. While its origins are unknown, Negroni is thought to have first been made in Florence in 1919 — here’s how to make it yourself.

Ingredients

25ml gin

25ml sweet vermouth

25ml Campari Ice

A slice of orange

Method

1. Mix the gin, vermouth, Campari and ice in a glass until the outside of the glass feels cold
2. Strain into a tumbler and add more ice if desired
3. Add an orange slice for garnish



Martini

The Martini is one of the world’s most famous cocktails, and consists of gin, vermouth and a garnish of choice. It can also be made with vodka, which is exactly how James Bond has it in the movies.

Ingredients

60ml gin (or vodka)

1 tbsp dry vermouth Olive, lemon or orange peel

A handful of ice

Method

1. Chill a Martini glass in the fridge
2. Put the gin, vermouth and ice together in a glass or cocktail shaker before stirring (note: although Mr. Bond famously prefers his Martinis shaken, preparing yours the 007 way can actually disturb the texture of the cocktail)
3. Strain into the Martini glass Add the peel and drink

Gimlet

Said to take its name from Sir Thomas Gimelette, the Royal Navy’s Surgeon General who added lime juice to gin to help his sailors stave off scurvy, this cocktail is an undisputed classic, and an easy one to drink.

Ingredients

50ml gin

50ml lime cordial

A handful of ice

A slice of lime

Method

1. Chill a martini or coupe glass in the fridge
2. Mix the lime cordial into a jug or large glass with the gin and the ice
3. Stir until the outside of the glass feels cold
4. Strain the mixture into the glass
5. Garnish with the lime slice and enjoy

Whiskey

While whiskey on the rocks is perhaps the most popular way to enjoy a dram, many first-class cocktails have whisky as their prime ingredient. And plenty of them are incredibly easy to make as well.



Manhattan

Combining the spiciness of whisky with the sweetness of vermouth, the Manhattan is a great option for whisky newcomers and connoisseurs alike. Traditionally made with rye whisky, other commonly-used types include Canadian whisky, bourbon, and blended whisky.

Ingredients

50ml rye whisky

25ml sweet vermouth

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 dash orange bitters

A handful of ice

Brandied cherry

Method

1. Add the whiskey, sweet vermouth, the bitters and ice into a mixing glass
2. Stir until the outside of the glass feels cold
3. Strain into a cocktail glass
4. Garnish with the brandied cherry before drinking



Mint julep

Few cocktails are as refreshing as a mint julep, with the coolness of the mint offsetting the slow heat of the bourbon. Originating in the Southern States of America, it is heavily associated with the annual Kentucky Derby horse race.

Ingredients

65ml bourbon

10 mint leaves

12½ ml 2:1 sugar syrup

Ice

A big mint sprig

Method

1. Mix the bourbon, mint leaves, sugar syrup and ice in a glass
2. Shake until the outside of the glass is cold
3. Strain into a highball glass or julep tin, filled with crushed ice
4. Mix softly with a spoon before adding more ice
5. Add the mint sprig garnish and enjoy



Irish coffee

The archetypal cold-weather cocktail, Irish coffee is made up of coffee, whisky and cream. Providing the perfect way to end a meal, here’s how to make an Irish coffee yourself.

Ingredients

50ml Irish whiskey

150ml freshly brewed black coffee

2 tbsp double cream

1 tsp brown sugar

A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1. Lightly whip the cream to thicken it, and set aside
2. Pour the coffee into a mug or heat-proof glass, before adding the whisky and sugar
3. Stir until the sugar has dissolved
4. Carefully decant the cream onto the coffee before sprinkling the nutmeg over the top

Rum

Treat yourself to a taste of the tropics with one of these delectable rum-based cocktails. With both white and dark varieties of rum used, depending on the recipe, there are plenty of ways to mix them into a fantastic blend.



Mojito

This classic party cocktail combines white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint to create a citrusy and herbaceous flavour that perfectly compliments the sweetness of the rum.

Ingredients

60ml white rum

Soda water

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp granulated sugar

Small handful mint leaves, plus an extra sprig for garnish

A handful of ice

Method

1. Mix the lime juice, sugar and mint leaves in a small jug, crushing the mint in the process
2. Pour this into a tall glass and add ice
3. Decant the rum into the glass before stirring
4. Top up with soda water and garnish with the mint sprigs



Piña colada

You’re in for a tropical treat with the iconic piña colada. Made with white rum, coconut milk and pineapple juice, it’s the perfect cocktail for those with a sweet tooth.

Ingredients

60ml white rum

120ml pineapple juice

60ml coconut cream

A handful of ice

Wedge of pineapple

Method

1. Add the white rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream into a glass or cocktail shaker and stir or shake
2. Strain into a tall glass over ice
3. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and enjoy



Dark ‘n’ Stormy

A Dark ‘n’ Stormy cocktail is a syrupy, smoky cocktail like no other. While it can technically only be called a Dark ‘n’ Stormy if it is made with Gosling’s Black Seal rum and Gosling’s Stormy ginger beer, you can still make a killer beverage using alternative brands.

Ingredients

50ml dark rum

100ml chilled ginger beer

25ml fresh lime juice and a wedge for garnish 5ml sugar syrup

A handful of ice

Method

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes and pour in the rum

Mix in the ginger beer, lime juice and sugar syrup before stirring

Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy

Tequila

Tequila is a great way to add a fiery Mexican kick to your favourite soft drinks, and there are plenty of winning concoctions you can make with the spirit. Here are a few we recommend making at home.



Tequila sunrise

The tequila sunrise consists of tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup, and is served unmixed in a tall glass. It is named after its appearance when served, with the different colours resembling a fiery South American dawn.

Ingredients

50ml tequila

1 large orange, juiced

½ lemon, juiced

2 tsp grenadine

A handful of ice

1 cocktail cherry

Method

1. Pour the tequila and juices into a glass with ice in it
2. Add the grenadine, which will sink to the bottom
3. Stir gently for the sunrise aesthetic
4. Garnish with the cocktail cherry and enjoy



Margarita

Margarita was created by American socialite Margarita Samas, who first combined Cointreau and tequila with lime juice in 1948. A guaranteed party-starter, this cocktail is the perfect blend of sweetness and acidity.

Ingredients

50ml tequila

25ml lime juice

20ml triple sec

A handful of ice

2 lime wedges and salt for garnish

Method

1. Sprinkle a few teaspoons of salt over a plate before rubbing a wedge of lime over the rim of a drinking glass. Then dip the glass into the salt to create a layer of salt around the rim
2. Fill a cocktail shaker or glass with ice, tequila, lime juice and triple sec.
3. Shake or stir, depending on the container, until the outside feels cold
4. Strain the mix into the drinking glass before serving with a lime wedge



Paloma

The most popular tequila-based cocktail in Mexico (the home of the spirit), Paloma typically consists of tequila, lime juice, and a grapefruit-flavoured soda. This creates a beverage that’s as delicious as it is simple to make.

Ingredients

50ml tequila

60ml pink grapefruit juice

10ml lime juice

10ml agave syrup

Soda water

Sea salt and wedge of pink grapefruit for garnish

A handful of ice

Method

1. Coat the rim of the drinking glass in salt by first dipping in water, then into a plate of salt
2. Fill a cocktail shaker or glass with ice and the rest of the ingredients, except the soda water Shake or stir well until the outside of the container feels cold
3. Strain into your drinking glass before adding more ice cubes, soda water and pink grapefruit garnish