Is it finally your bday? The holiday szn? Galentine’s Day? Maybe you've just made it through the day without texting that f*ckboy back, or just successfully managed to not bite at your cuticles the entire week even when you were lil ball of anxiety. IMO, all of these things are grounds to throw a (safe) get-together.
Ok, so I do gotta note that “party” is a pretty loose term nowadays. Outdoor picnics, Zoom gatherings, and ragers all fall under the umbrella at this point, but you know what really solidifies their party status? Good friends and good cocktails (pls stop me if I sound too Carrie Bradshaw rn). I'll have you know that with the right ingredients and some clear instructions, there's a seasoned bartender within all of us.
So if you're down to turn your next available Friday night into a party for the ages (or at least one that leads to some quality mems and IG pics) how about you start by picking some cocktails from this list? These party drinks are full of refreshing juices! Unexpected splashes of color! Seasonal flavors! Everything you need to wow even the most devoted vodka soda stans.
Keep scrolling for the recipes to help you whip up some classic cocktailsand some newer bev concepts that will definitely be added to your list of fave party drinks. Once you've picked out what the drink of the hour will be, be sure to check out the party decor that'll elevate your plans even further!
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1French 75
Taste of Home
Fill a cocktail shaker three-fourths full with ice. Add ¾ oz. gin, 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Cover and shake for 10 to 15 seconds, or until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker. Strain into a flute glass and top with champagne.
Pour 25 ml. Malibu Strawberry, 100 ml. Sparkling wine, and .25 ml. of soda water into a glass with ice. Then sip!
Recipe by Malibu Rum
3Prickled Pink
Milagro silver
Pour 2 parts Milagro Silver, 1 part fresh lime juice, 2 parts pink Agua de Tuna, ¾ part agave nectar into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.
(To make Agua de Tuna: Peel and roughly chop 5 prickly pear fruits, add to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds and pulp.)
Heat 8 parts milk and 8 parts white chocolate in a pot until melted. Add a pinch of sea salt. Pour into a mug + add 1 part Glenfiddich 14 whisky. Garnish with star anise.
Recipe by Kevin Canchola at Glenfiddich.
5Sweet Cherry Smash
Two Hands
Shake 5 oz. Starward Two Fold Australian Whisky, 1 oz. cherry jam, 1 oz. lime, and 1 oz. soda over ice, then strain into a wine glass of ice. Garnish with 2 strawberries on a skewer, a large mint tip, and a fun (not plastic!) straw.
Combine 1.5 parts Reyka Vodka, .5 parts Cloudy Apple juice, .25 parts lemon juice, .5 parts maple syrup in a shaker with ice.
Recipe from Reyka Vodka
7La Valoma
Volcan
Combine 2 oz. Volcan Blanco, ¾ oz. fresh lime juince, .5 oz. of grapefruit juice, a pinch of salt, and ¾ oz. agave syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain over ice in a highball glass. Top with soda water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Recipe from Volcan Blanco Tequila
8Los Arango Rose
Los Arango Anejo
Combine 2 oz. Los Arango Añejo, ¾ oz. lime juice, ½ oz. agave syrup, and ½ oz. grenadine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to chill and combine ingredients. Fine strain into a coupe glass. Garnish & Enjoy!
Recipe by Los Arango Añejo
9White Negroni
Hendrick's
Stir 1 part Hendrick’s Gin, 1 part Dolin Blanc Vermouth, and 1 part Suze with ice and strain onto fresh ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish by pressing a thin slice of lemon peel over the drink.
Add 1 oz. white cranberry juice, ½ oz. lime juice, and ½ oz. Cointreau to a cocktail shaker. Fill ¾ of the shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, about 12 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wedge.
Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add 1⅓ parts Absolut Vodka, ⅔ part Kahlúa, and ⅔ part espresso to the shaker. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with 3 whole coffee beans.
Pour 5 oz. Ilegal Mezcal Joven, .5oz. fresh grapefruit Juice, .5 oz. fresh Lime, and 4 oz. of tonic over fresh ice in a highball glass and stir. Salt half the rim and garnish with a grapefruit slice.
Recipe by Ilegal Mezcal Joven
13Apples to Apples
Don Papa Rum
Combine 1 ½ oz. Don Papa rum, 1 oz. apple juice, ½ oz. spiced maple syrup, ½ oz. lemon juice, and ½ oz. egg white with ice and shake vigorously. Finely strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with pink peppercorn and rosemary sprig.
Combine1/2 parts Basil Hayden's® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 1/2 part cinnamon-pomegranate syrup, 1/2 part fresh-squeezed lime juice, 1 part fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, and 2 dashes black walnut bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold. Strain into a double rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a sprig of rosemary.
For the cinnamon pomegranate syrup:
Combine 1 cup pomegranate juice and 5 cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan on the stove. Bring to a light simmer to release the flavor from the cinnamon sticks. Add 1 cup granulated sugar, and gently stir to dissolve (do not bring to a boil). Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat and allow it to cool. Strain out the cinnamon sticks and store the syrup in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Combine 2 oz. dark rum, 4 oz. pineapple juice, 1 oz. orange juice, and 1 oz. cream of coconut (i.e. coco Lopez) in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10 seconds until cold. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Mix 2 oz. vodka, ½ oz. lemon juice, and ½ oz. simple syrup in a highball glass filled with ice. Stir a couple of times, and top with watermelon juice. Garnish with a watermelon slice.
Recipe from Sondre Kasin, principal bartender at Cote & Undercote.
17The Fisherman's Margarita
The Flying Fisherman
Combine 1 ½ oz. tequila, ¾ oz. triple sec, and ¾ oz. lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with a salted rim and filled with ice. Top with a splash of Blue Curacao for color, and garnish with a lime.
In a shaker with ice, combine 1 ¼ oz. Don Papa Rum, ½ oz. pumpkin puree, ½ oz. pumpkin spice syrup (available online from brands such as Torani and Monin), 2 dashes of orange bitters, and ¾ oz. lime juice. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with mint and a pinch of powdered sugar.
Recipe from Don Papa Rum.
19Amber Punch
Pinch Chinese
Make a “punch mix” by mixing 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 1 cup lemon juice, and 2 cups of peeled, crushed cucumbers. For each cocktail, mix 3 oz. punch mix, 1 ½ oz. lemon juice, and 1 ½ oz. gin in a tall glass. Add crushed ice, top with club soda, and garnish with a slice of cucumber.
In a tall glass, stir together 1 oz. Ketel One Vodka, 3 ½ oz. fresh juice made from equal parts of celery and cucumber, ½ oz. fresh lime juice, 1 pinch of rock salt, 1 pinch of pepper, 1 pinch of cinnamon, 1 pinch of nutmeg, and 1 pinch of dried chili flakes. Add ice, and garnish with a salted cucumber slice.
In a shaker, combine 1 oz. Zirkova Vodka, ¾ oz Pimm’s, 3/4 oz. Velvet Falernum, ½ oz. lime juice, and ½ oz. cranberry juice with ice. Shake vigorously, and strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
In a shaker, combine 1 ½ oz. tequila reposada, ½ oz. Cappelletti, 1 oz. grapefruit juice, ½ oz. simple syrup, and ¾ oz. lime juice with ice. Shake, and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with a splash of soda water, and garnish with a grapefruit slice and a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt.
First, make a Champagne syrup. Combine 1 cup of flat, dry Champagne (any brand) with 1 cup of granulated sugar. Heat, and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool, and store in the fridge when not in use. For each cocktail, combine 2 oz. white rum, ¾ oz. fresh lime juice, and ¾ oz. Champagne syrup in a shaker with ice. Strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lime peel.
Recipe from Griffin Elliot, beverage director at Cold Storage.
24Mezcal Mule
Courtesy
In a copper mug or glass filled with ice, combine 2 oz. Pelotón de la Muerte Mezcal, 1 ½ oz. ginger beer, ¾ oz. lime juice, and ¾ oz. agave nectar or simple syrup. Stir, and garnish with a lime wheel.
In a pitcher, combine 6 cups of unsweetened tea, 3 cups strawberry lemonade, 3 cups orange juice, and 4 cups Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Stir, and pour into tea cups filled with ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and a cinnamon stick. Serves approximately 16.
In a shaker with no ice, shake together 2 oz. Belvedere Vodka Ginger Zest, 1 oz. fresh pineapple juice, ½ oz. fresh lemon juice, ½ oz. honey simple syrup, and 5 dashes Angostura Bitters. Add ice, and shake further. Strain into a coupe glass.
Put 2-3 lychees in the bottom of your shaking tin. Add 1 ½ shots of vodka, ½ shot lychee liqueur, ½ shot honey syrup, and ¾ shot fresh lemon juice into the tin and shake for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a single lychee.
Pour 3 oz. of Prosecco or any sparkling wine into a glass. Add 1 oz. Aperol, a splash of soda water and sparkling water or club soda. Garnish with an orange, add some ice, and serve.
Hailey EberHailey Eber was the longtime Food Editor at the New York Post.
Brooke LaMantiaBrooke LaMantia is a Cosmo editorial intern, and a student at NYU studying journalism and English.
Mariah SchlossmannMariah Schlossmann is the editorial business assistant at Cosmoplitan and is obsessed with all things food, lifestyle, and entertainment.
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