Looking for the best cocktail recipes ever created? Check out this post for all of the details.
This post is all about 13 of the best cocktail recipes.
For a drink recipe to make the list of 13 of the best cocktails ever, its creator must be either associated with fame, have a best-selling cookbook, a forward written by someone like Martha Stewart, and maybe even own a 5-star restaurant or something.
What? Like that’s hard? Actually, your chances of getting accepted into Harvard are better.
The point is, not just any ole cocktail recipe can make the cut for 13 of the best alcoholic beverages ever created. You must be a foodie and drink mastermind to have your creation qualify. For the critics out there wondering about this list’s validity, rest assured these best cocktail recipes are all of top-notch quality.
So what exactly goes into ranking one of the best cocktails? According to Diageo Bar Academy, a perfect cocktail has tension, balancing the elements of alcohol strength, sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness, temperature, and texture.
“The best cocktails are eventful drinks that speak in more than one dimension,” says Jose Cuervo Ambassador Fred Siggins.
And let us not forget to learn the reasoning behind those funny cocktail names that often border on cheesy and raunchy and are usually an afterthought by the creator but tend to stay stamped in the consumer’s mind forever.
Sex on the beach got its awful name from a Florida bartender named Ted, who was inspired by a Peach Schnapps Promotion to sell the most of his drink. Ted chose to name his alcoholic concoction Sex on the beach because he assumed spring breakers only visited Florida for two reasons, sex and the beach.
Now that you have the full background into what makes the best and most memorable cocktail recipes, you should be fully prepared to appreciate the list of drinks chosen.
After much research, opinionated feedback, and testing (the fun part), here’s a list of 13 of the best cocktail recipes you will ever try. Some of them are classic, and some have a trendy new twist.
13 OF THE BEST COCKTAIL RECIPES EVER CREATED
1. HINT, IT’S NOT A GIN AND JUICE RECIPE
But it’s AMAZING, and with Snoop Dogg at the helm and a stamp of approval from Martha Stewart, how could a drink go wrong?!
Plus, the people have spoken because his cookbook, From Crook to Cook, features this dirty cocktail, and it has been a best seller on Amazon since it debuted in 2018.
This drink recipe named, So Clean We Dirty Martini has a lot going for it. While the title specified this was not a gin and juice recipe, it does include gin because a true martini always does.
Check out Snoop’s best cocktail recipe here.
2. CHRISSY’S SO DELUSHIOUS PUNCH COCKTAIL
This next best cocktail recipe was featured in Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings cookbook and was named after her low-key food blog, So Delushious. (Yes, that spelling is correct!)
If you weren’t aware, she had a food blog (last post dated in 2013). Check it out, especially if you appreciate good European food and cute/earlier pics of Chrissy and her hubby John traveling the world.
Now, back to the spiked punch!
Chrissy enjoys having huge cocktail punch bowls at parties because it’s an easy cocktail to serve and the recipe’s ingredients are fresh and sweet, ensuring guests will love it.
Think of this cocktail recipe as a cross between spiked sweet tea and a long island iced tea. With fresh lemon juice, sugar, black tea, and a bottle of Smirnoff as its main ingredients, everyone should be happy.
Make sure to serve with plenty of ice! You can find Chrissy’s recipe here.
3. A HISTORIC CLASSIC
A classic and best cocktail recipe has a history and a timeless ability to withstand any new drink trend, and the old-fashioned continues to achieve just that.
Developed more than 200 years ago, this cocktail calls for a bottle of your finest bourbon. (Save your subpar liquor for other mixed drinks).
According to liquor.com, the rule of thumb is, “If you wouldn’t sip it by itself, it has no place at the helm of a Bourbon Old-Fashioned.”
Check out Martha Stewart’s classic Old-fashioned recipe. And don’t forget the cocktail tumbler glasses!
4. CASAMIGOS STYLE COCKTAIL
Remember that time George Clooney and Cindy Crawford’s husband, Rande Gerber, developed a Tequila called Casamigos by accident and then turned around and sold it for 1 BILLION DOLLARS? If you didn’t have the back story, that’s pretty much it in a nutshell.
And of course, when famous friends go into the liquor business together, expert cocktail consultants like Brian Van Flandern create the best cocktail recipe inspired by their friendship and liquor brand.
This best cocktail recipe, House of Friends, is a beyond brilliant creation. It’s a fresh and delicious cocktail with Casamigos Blanco, Yellow Chartreuse, Cointreau, and just the right amount of fresh lime juice and agave.
5. THE SKINNY FIZZY SPICY MARGARITA COCKTAIL
After almost a year into quarantine, we could all probably use a go-to skinny cocktail recipe that won’t leave us feeling guilty the next day.
Kristin Cavallari’s Skinny Fizzy Spicy margarita cocktail does just that. (BTW, it tastes delicious and delivers the perfect spicy kick.)
This cocktail featured in her cookbook, True Roots, uses Blanco Tequila as its main ingredient. Kristin says this type of Tequila is the most unprocessed alcohol, leaving less of a hangover the next day.
If you’re interested in comparing skinny cocktails, here’s the queen of skinny margaritas, Bethenny Frankel’s original recipe minus the spice.
6. WITHERSPOON’S APEROL SPRITZ COCKTAIL
This particular Aperol Spritz cocktail recipe went viral in 2020 after Reese Witherspoon shared her mixologist skills on Instagram.
And none of us should have been surprised to see Witherspoon showing off her skills because she’s the author of a best-selling cookbook, Whiskey In A Teacup, which features delicious southern-style recipe cocktails like her grandmother’s vodka-induced tea punch.
While Witherspoon doesn’t give the exact measurements in her IG video, here’s a copycat recipe (same ingredients but with a guesstimation of Reese’s measurements):
- 3 ounces of Prosecco
- 2 ounces of Aperol
- 1 ounce of soda water
- 1 ounce of apple cider
- Optional garnish: apple slices and cinnamon sticks
- Ice
7. THE PAINKILLER COCKTAIL
This best cocktail recipe was created in the 1970s by Daphne Henderson, who at the time was the owner of the world-famous beach bar Soggy Dollar in the British Virgin Islands. Still today, the Painkiller is the bar’s most famous drink.
Upgraded in strength (for that painkiller effect), this cocktail mirrors the popular Pina Colada but with some slight differences. For one, it’s served on the rocks instead of blended to reduce the risk of diluting the alcohol. God forbid, right?! And secondly, it calls for a bit of orange juice.
The folklore for the Painkiller cocktail depends on your pain level, which will then determine how much rum is added.
You can check out Daphne’s recipe for her infamous cocktail concoction on MasterClass.
8. MERMAID JUICE RECIPE
Nope. This is not a mommy and me drink.
This mermaid juice cocktail with its ocean blue hues can be enjoyed by all adults who enjoy a fun and delicious drink with rock-solid alcoholic ingredients.
And you can thank Jessie James Decker for this best cocktail recipe, which is featured in her best-selling cookbook, Just Feed Me: Simply Delicious Recipes From My Heart To Your Plate.
If you follow Jessie on Instagram, then you already know she’s all about enjoying life, living in the moment, and having fun. With Blue Curacao, White Rum, lemonade, and ginger ale as its main ingredients, what could go wrong?!
And while Jessie’s recipe comes with specific measurements, she adds, “I don’t like to measure how much alcohol I put into things. I just like to fill it up till it feels right.”
You can find her Mermaid Juice Cocktail recipe here (measurements included). P.S. don’t forget to garnish with Maraschino Cherries.
9. THE FAMOUS WHITE RUSSIAN
If you’re a big movie buff, you might remember the White Russian cocktail as Jeff Bridges character, Jeffrey “the Dude” Lebowski’s main slurp of choice in The Big Lebowski film, written and directed by the Coen Brothers.
This cocktail combines cream, vodka, and a coffee liqueur such as Kahlua.
Kim Kardashian has also kept this drink in the headlines as it’s her go-to cocktail since she despises the taste of alcohol and the cream makes it more palatable.
Who would have guessed Kim K and “the Dude” would have anything in common?!
Check out the famous recipe here.
10. TUCCI’S NEGRONI COCKTAIL RECIPE
Have you checked out Stanley Tucci’s at-home Negroni Cocktail MasterClass? Pun intended, of course, but the IGTV video he shared is pretty enticing and makes you want to stop, drop what you’re doing, and begin pouring those ingredients into a martini shaker ASAP.
Tucci’s Negroni recipe calls for gin (or vodka if you prefer), a good Sweet Vermouth, not the Martini brand he adds, and Campari. Tucci finishes off his version of the popular Italian cocktail with a squeeze from an orange slice.
With two successful cookbooks under his belt (The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table) and a food memoir due out soon, of course, the people are salivating over his Negroni because the man knows what he’s doing!
Make sure to follow Tucci on Instagram for more food and drink tips!
Tucci’s Negroni Cocktail Recipe:
- 2 shots of Gin (or Vodka)
- 1 shot of Sweet Vermouth
- 1 shot of Campari
- 1 orange slice
11. INA GARTEN’S GINORMOUS COSMOPOLITAN COCKTAIL
When you see the Barefoot Contessa in the kitchen whipping up Cosmos, you know you’re headed into something good!
After salivating over Garten’s humongous cocktail tutorial, there was no question it would be added to the list of the best cocktail recipes.
Is it the quality vodka, the fresh lime juice, or the Cointreau that makes this cocktail recipe so amazing? Who knows, but it’s delicious and a must-try.
Ina Garten’s Ginormous Cosmo Cocktail Recipe:
- 1 big pitcher
- 2 cups of Vodka
- 1 cup of Cointreau, Triple Sec, or an orange liqueur (your choice).
- 1 cup of cranberry juice cocktail
- 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
- Shake it up for 30 seconds in a martini shaker.
- 1 giant martini glass
12. GIADA’S MOSCOW MULE COCKTAIL
Giada De Laurentiis’s Moscow mule creation has made the list of best cocktail recipes because it is the freshest and tastiest mule ever!
This cocktail recipe requires a bit more time, but it is totally worth it. While making homemade mint-flavored vodka and ginger simple syrup might seem like daunting tasks, Giada makes every step simple and easy to follow.
Check out her recipe here!
13. BOBBY FLAY’S BLOODY MARY COCKTAIL RECIPE
Bobby Flay’s Spicy Citrus Bloody Mary cocktail recipe is everything!
Not only is it super easy to make, but it combines the perfect amount of spices and citrus, which complement the tomato juice and vodka perfectly.
If the master griller approved and created this best cocktail recipe, then we can rest assured we’re in good hands while brunching.
You can follow Bobby’s easy cocktail recipe here.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON 13 OF THE BEST COCKTAIL RECIPES YOU WILL EVER TRY
Now that you have the full list of the best cocktail recipes, it’s time to get busy with the taste testing. Leave a comment below to let us know which cocktail recipe was your favorite, and please remember to ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY.
P.S. If you’re looking for a margarita recipe that’s not skinny, check out this BOMB-ASS Margarita recipe with 11 tips. You won’t be disappointed!
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