Here are all the best vodka cocktails to try! There are so many tasty classic drinks to try, from the Moscow mule to the Cosmo to the vodka tonic. Cheers!
Got a bottle of vodka and need to use it up? There are a myriad of vodka cocktails to try: and they are as varied as you could imagine. Because of its subtle flavor, vodka easily takes on the character of a drink. So it mixes well with almost anything (unlike more distinctive liquors like whiskey).
Pretty much anything goes with vodka! You’ve got fruity vodka cocktails like the Bay Breeze, classy ones like the Gimlet and Cosmo, spicy like the Bloody Mary, and bubbly ones like the Vodka Tonic. These drinks should be in every cocktail enthusiasts repertoire. Let’s get started!
And now…the best vodka cocktails to try!
First in the list of best vodka cocktails: the vodka gimlet! This sophisticated retro cocktail has a tart, refreshing flavor and a chic vibe. A gimlet it traditionally made with gin, but it common spin-off is the vodka gimlet: it's got a smoother flavor.
Ingredients: Gin, lime juice, simple syrup
Next up: the vodka sour! This one's a classic sour cocktail: refreshingly sweet tart with a frothy egg white foam on top! Use our dry shake technique to get the perfect foam.
Ingredients: Vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, Angostura bitters, egg white
The vodka tonic is an easy two-ingredient highball cocktail with a bright, lemon lime flavor! This variation on the Gin & Tonic is less about the booze and more about citrusy bubbles. Gin is botanical and booze forward, but vodka melds right into the tonic water. It makes for an easy drinking vodka cocktail that's light and refreshing.
Ingredients: Vodka, tonic water, lime squeeze, lemon squeeze
It’s fizzy, it’s tangy, it looks festive, and it goes down easy. What's a more classic vodka cocktail than a Moscow mule? This easy cocktail recipe was invented in the 1940’s, but it's totally timeless. With only 3 ingredients and 3 minutes required, it’s perfect for entertaining or a night in. (Also try: Mexican Mule, Kentucky Mule, or Gin Gin Mule.)
Ingredients: Vodka, lime juice, ginger beer
Here's another classic vodka cocktail: the Cosmo! It’s got a brilliant pink color and refreshing flavor. This recipe is balanced and tangy, an improved version of the classic using 100% cranberry juice. It's an easy cocktail to make, ready to spice up your next gathering.
Ingredients: Vodka, 100% cranberry juice, lemon juice, Cointreau, simple syrup
Another well-known vodka cocktail: the Bloody Mary! This classic brunch drink is tangy, spicy, and perfectly seasoned, featuring tomatoes, horseradish, garlic, and lemon. Here's our spin on this classic.
Ingredients: Vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, celery salt, black pepper
Here’s one of the easiest vodka cocktail recipes you can make: the vodka cranberry! Also known as a Cape Codder, it has only a handful of ingredients and it tastes tart and refreshing.
Ingredients: Vodka, cranberry juice
The Sidecar is one of the great classic sour cocktails. It's typically made with brandy, but this version swaps it out with…you guessed it, vodka! Sometimes trying to improve on a classic comes up a little short. But this vodka sidecar is absolutely worth making. It’s refreshingly tangy, with a little vodka zing on the back end.
Ingredients: Vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice
This vodka smash cocktail is all about smashed fruit and ice! It’s tangy and refreshing, featuring muddled blackberries, mint, and lime. It’s tangy, it’s sweet, and it’s got a bit of back-end vodka flavor. And it goes down easy.
Ingredients: Lime, fresh mint, blackberries or raspberries, vodka, simple syrup, soda water
Here's a famous vodka cocktail that's creamy and sweet: the White Russian! It takes just 2 minutes to make and hits the spot in any season. Perhaps you know it from the 1990’s movie The Big Lebowski, but this drink has been around since the 1950’s. Also try it without the cream as a Black Russian.
Ingredients: Vodka, Kahlua, cream
Here's a tasty drink that's everything summer: a watermelon vodka cocktail! It's tangy and sweet tart, perfectly balanced between watermelon, bright lime and vodka. And that mini watermelon garnish? Perfection.
Ingredients: Watermelon, lime, vodka, simple syrup
Looking for a fruity vodka cocktail? Enter: the Bay Breeze! Also called the Hawaiian Sea Breeze, it has a vivid color and sweet tart flavor. Featuring the tropical taste of pineapple, it feels carefree and beachy.
Ingredients: Vodka, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, simple syrup
Want a vodka cocktail that’s laid-back, tart and refreshing? Look no further than the Sea Breeze cocktail! It tastes just like its name: light, breezy, and all about no-frills vibes. See also: Madras Cocktail.
Ingredients: Vodka, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice
This vodka cocktail is intensely sweet tart! Use citron vodka for the most lemony flavor: otherwise, regular vodka works. It’s festive and refreshing, with a lemon twist and sugar rim.
Ingredients: Vodka or citron vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice, simple syrup
Looking for a fun vodka cocktail as a signature drink for your next gathering? Try a Pomegranate Martini! Crisp, sweet tart, fruity, and light: it’s much closer to a Cosmo than the classic martini. But instead of cranberry juice like the Cosmopolitan, it’s made with pomegranate juice instead.
Ingredients: vodka, pomegranate juice, Cointreau, lemon juice, simple syrup
Also try: Watermelon Martini or French Martini
Vodka Gimlet
(12 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A vodka gimlet is a variation on the classic gin gimlet with a smoother flavor! It’s got just three ingredients: vodka, lime and syrup.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) vodka
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lime juice
- 1/4 ounce (1/2 tablespoon) simple syrup or maple syrup
- For the garnish: lime wedge or wheel
Instructions
- Add vodka, lime juice, and syrup to a cocktail shaker. Fill with a handful of ice and shake until cold.
- Strain the drink into a coupe or martini glass and top with a splash of soda water, if desired. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel and serve.
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktails
Keywords: Vodka Cocktails
More types of cocktails
Outside of these vodka cocktails, there are so many more great cocktail recipes! Here are some of our best drink collections:
- Sour Cocktails All the very best sours: Whiskey Sour, Sidecar, even the Margarita and Mojito.
- Gin Cocktails All the classics: Gin Fizz, Tom Collins, Gin and Tonic, and more!
- Bourbon Cocktails Try these bourbon greats: the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and more.
- Champagne Cocktails These cocktails are light and bubbly! Perfect for celebration.
- Cranberry Cocktails Cranberry cocktails are so refreshing, like Vodka Cranberry and Sea Breeze.
- Frozen Alcoholic Drinks Cool off with Frose or Frozen Sangria.
About the Authors
Sonja Overhiser
Cookbook Author and writer
Sonja Overhiser is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best healthy cookbooks of 2018. She’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the food blog A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja seeks to inspire adventurous eating to make the world a better place one bite at a time.
Alex Overhiser
Cookbook Author and photographer
Alex Overhiser is an acclaimed food photographer and author based in Indianapolis. He’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Alex is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious.
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