The short answer: the best cocktail recipes to learn first are the classics: margarita, old fashioned, martini, mojito, Moscow mule, negroni, whiskey sour, daiquiri, Manhattan and cosmopolitan. All 30 below use common bottles, simple measurements and a shaker or a glass of ice.
- The basic formula: 2 oz spirit + 3/4 oz citrus + 3/4 oz sweetener (a "sour"), or 2 oz spirit + a dash of bitters + a little sugar (an "old fashioned")
- Top moves: measure with a jigger, shake anything with citrus, stir anything that's all spirits, and use plenty of fresh ice
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For adults 21 and older; please drink responsibly and never drink and drive. Recipes and alcohol guidance were checked November 12, 2026. The sections below cover all 30 recipes by spirit, a home bar starter list, batching for a crowd and mocktail swaps.
30 classic cocktail recipes
Measurements are in U.S. ounces (1 oz is about 30 ml). "Shake" means shake hard with ice for about 10–15 seconds and strain; "stir" means stir with ice for about 20–30 seconds and strain. For bar-standard specs, see the International Bartenders Association's official cocktail list.
Tequila cocktails
- Margarita: 2 oz blanco tequila, 1 oz fresh lime juice, 3/4 oz orange liqueur. Shake, serve on the rocks with a salted rim. Full recipe, pitcher and frozen versions: margarita recipe.
- Paloma: 2 oz tequila, 1/2 oz lime juice, a pinch of salt, topped with about 4 oz grapefruit soda over ice. Full recipe: paloma.
- Tequila sunrise: 1.5 oz tequila and 3 oz orange juice over ice; slowly pour 1/2 oz grenadine so it sinks to the bottom.
Vodka cocktails
- Moscow mule: 2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz lime juice, about 4 oz ginger beer in an ice-filled mug. Stir gently, garnish with lime.
- Cosmopolitan: 1.5 oz citrus vodka, 3/4 oz orange liqueur, 1/2 oz lime juice, 1 oz cranberry juice. Shake, serve up with an orange twist.
- Espresso martini: vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso, shaken hard for foam. Full recipe: espresso martini.
- Lemon drop: 2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz orange liqueur, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup. Shake, serve in a sugar-rimmed glass.
- White Russian: 2 oz vodka, 1 oz coffee liqueur over ice, float 1 oz heavy cream. (Skip the cream for a Black Russian.)
- Bloody Mary: 1.5 oz vodka, 4 oz tomato juice, 1/2 oz lemon juice, 2 dashes Worcestershire, hot sauce, a pinch of celery salt and pepper. Roll between two glasses, serve over ice with a celery stalk.
Gin cocktails
- Martini: 2.5 oz gin, 1/2 oz dry vermouth, optional dash of orange bitters. Stir, serve up with a lemon twist or olive. Full recipe: martini recipe.
- Negroni: 1 oz gin, 1 oz Campari, 1 oz sweet vermouth. Stir, serve over a big ice cube with an orange peel.
- Gimlet: 2 oz gin, 3/4 oz lime juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup. Shake, serve up.
- Tom Collins: 2 oz gin, 1 oz lemon juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup. Shake, pour over ice in a tall glass, top with club soda.
- French 75: 1 oz gin, 1/2 oz lemon juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup. Shake, strain into a flute, top with about 2 oz sparkling wine.
Rum cocktails
- Mojito: muddle 6–8 mint leaves with 3/4 oz simple syrup and 3/4 oz lime juice, add 2 oz white rum and ice, top with club soda.
- Daiquiri: 2 oz white rum, 3/4 oz lime juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup. Shake, serve up.
- Piña colada: 2 oz white rum, 3 oz pineapple juice, 1.5 oz cream of coconut. Blend with 1 cup ice or shake and serve over crushed ice.
- Mai tai: 2 oz aged rum, 3/4 oz lime juice, 1/2 oz orange curaçao, 1/2 oz orgeat. Shake, serve over crushed ice with mint.
- Dark 'n' Stormy: 2 oz dark rum over ice, topped with about 4 oz ginger beer and a squeeze of lime.
Whiskey cocktails
- Old fashioned: 2 oz bourbon or rye, 1 sugar cube or 1/4 oz simple syrup, 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Stir, serve over a big cube with an orange peel. Full recipe: old fashioned.
- Whiskey sour: 2 oz bourbon, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup, optional egg white. Shake (dry shake first if using egg white), serve over ice.
- Manhattan: 2 oz rye, 1 oz sweet vermouth, 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Stir, serve up with a cherry.
- Boulevardier: 1.25 oz bourbon, 1 oz Campari, 1 oz sweet vermouth. Stir, serve over ice with an orange peel. (A whiskey negroni.)
- Paper plane: equal parts bourbon, Aperol, amaro and lemon juice. Full recipe: paper plane cocktail.
- Irish coffee: 1.5 oz Irish whiskey, 1 tsp brown sugar, about 4 oz hot coffee in a warmed mug, topped with lightly whipped cream.
- Hot toddy: whiskey, honey, lemon and hot water. Full recipe: hot toddy.
Brandy and wine cocktails
- Sidecar: 1.5 oz cognac, 3/4 oz orange liqueur, 3/4 oz lemon juice. Shake, serve up in a sugar-rimmed glass.
- Aperol spritz: 3 oz prosecco, 2 oz Aperol, a splash of club soda over ice, with an orange slice.
- Mimosa: equal parts chilled sparkling wine and orange juice in a flute, about 3 oz each.
- Mulled wine: red wine warmed with orange, cinnamon, cloves and a little sweetener. Full recipe: mulled wine.
Holiday bonus: for a creamy party pitcher, see homemade eggnog, and for a whole seasonal menu, our Christmas cocktails.
Cocktail recipes at a glance
| Cocktail | Spirit | Method | Glass | Flavor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margarita | Tequila | Shake | Rocks | Tart, citrus |
| Mojito | White rum | Build | Highball | Minty, fizzy |
| Moscow mule | Vodka | Build | Mug | Spicy, fizzy |
| Negroni | Gin | Stir | Rocks | Bitter, bold |
| Whiskey sour | Bourbon | Shake | Rocks | Sweet-tart |
| Old fashioned | Bourbon or rye | Stir | Rocks | Strong, smooth |
| Manhattan | Rye | Stir | Coupe | Rich, spiced |
| Martini | Gin | Stir | Coupe | Dry, crisp |
| Daiquiri | White rum | Shake | Coupe | Bright, tart |
| Cosmopolitan | Citrus vodka | Shake | Coupe | Fruity, tart |
| Aperol spritz | Aperol + prosecco | Build | Wine | Light, bittersweet |
| French 75 | Gin + sparkling wine | Shake, top | Flute | Bubbly, lemony |
Home bar starter list
You can make most of the 30 drinks above with these:
| Category | Buy first | Makes |
|---|---|---|
| Spirits | Vodka, gin, white rum, bourbon, blanco tequila | 20+ of the 30 |
| Liqueurs and fortified wine | Orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, Campari or Aperol, coffee liqueur | Margarita, Manhattan, martini, negroni, spritz, white Russian |
| Bitters | Angostura | Old fashioned, Manhattan |
| Mixers | Club soda, ginger beer, tonic, cranberry and orange juice | Mules, Collins, highballs |
| Fresh | Limes, lemons, oranges, mint | Every sour and garnish |
| Pantry | Sugar for simple syrup, coarse salt, grenadine | Syrups and rims |
| Tools | Jigger, shaker, strainer, bar spoon, ice trays | All of them |
Simple syrup: stir 1 cup sugar into 1 cup hot water until dissolved, cool, and refrigerate in a sealed jar.
Batching cocktails for a party
- Multiply the recipe by the number of servings. Eight margaritas = 16 oz tequila, 8 oz lime juice and 6 oz orange liqueur.
- Add some cold water if you won't shake each drink, to stand in for the ice that would melt in a shaker. Taste and adjust before guests arrive.
- Chill the pitcher for at least 2 hours.
- Add bubbles last. Top mules, spritzes and Collinses with soda or ginger beer in the glass, not the pitcher.
- Set out water and alcohol-free drinks next to the cocktails. Our Christmas mocktails work all year.
Planning the whole party? See easy party food ideas, dinner party ideas and the holiday party planning checklist, and pair the drinks with a few shrimp cocktail platters.
How strong is a cocktail?
NIAAA's standard drink guide defines a U.S. standard drink as about 14 grams of pure alcohol: 1.5 oz of 80-proof spirits, 5 oz of table wine or 12 oz of regular beer. Many cocktails hold more than one:
| Cocktail | Alcohol in the glass | About |
|---|---|---|
| Daiquiri, gimlet, mojito | 2 oz 80-proof spirit | 1.3 standard drinks |
| Margarita | 2 oz tequila + 3/4 oz orange liqueur | More than 1.3 |
| Mimosa | 3 oz sparkling wine | Less than 1 |
CDC's moderate drinking guidance for adults 21 and older is two drinks or less in a day for men and one or less for women, and it says not to drink at all if you're pregnant, under 21, taking medication that interacts with alcohol, or recovering from alcohol use disorder.
Mocktail swaps
- Virgin mojito: mint, lime and simple syrup topped with club soda.
- Ginger-lime mule: ginger beer and fresh lime in a copper mug.
- No-tequila margarita: lime juice, orange juice, agave and sparkling water over ice with a salt rim. Our margarita recipe has a full alcohol-free version.
- Cranberry spritz: cranberry juice, a splash of orange and sparkling water.
Save your house cocktails
Write your favorite specs, the bottles you like and who loved which drink in the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99). For holiday hosting, the Holiday Season Bundle ($15.99, $25.94) puts your Christmas budget, gift list and party menu on paper, and the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) keeps the shopping list for limes, mixers and snacks in one place. See every bundle.
Keep every family recipe in one binder
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular cocktails? Classic cocktails people make most often at home include the margarita, old fashioned, martini, mojito, Moscow mule, negroni, whiskey sour, Manhattan, daiquiri, cosmopolitan and espresso martini. All of them are on this list with measurements you can follow with a basic jigger.
What is the easiest cocktail to make? The easiest cocktails are two-ingredient highballs and three-ingredient classics. A Moscow mule is vodka, ginger beer and lime over ice, a mimosa is sparkling wine and orange juice, and a negroni is equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth stirred with ice.
What do I need to make cocktails at home? You need a jigger for measuring, a shaker, a bar spoon, a strainer and good ice. With vodka, gin, white rum, bourbon and tequila, plus limes, lemons, simple syrup, sweet vermouth, orange liqueur and bitters, you can make most of the 30 drinks on this list.
How do you make simple syrup for cocktails? Stir equal parts sugar and hot water until the sugar dissolves, then let it cool. A cup of each makes about 1.5 cups of syrup. Keep it in a clean, sealed jar in the fridge and use it within a few weeks.
Should a cocktail be shaken or stirred? Shake cocktails that contain citrus, juice, cream or egg white, like a margarita, daiquiri or whiskey sour, to mix and chill them fast. Stir drinks made only of spirits, vermouth and bitters, like a martini, Manhattan or negroni, so they stay clear and silky.
How much alcohol is in one cocktail? Many cocktails hold more than one standard drink. NIAAA defines a U.S. standard drink as about 14 grams of pure alcohol, the amount in 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits, so a cocktail with 2 ounces of 80-proof liquor is about 1.3 standard drinks before any liqueur or wine is added.
How do you make cocktails for a crowd? Batch the spirits, liqueurs, syrup and juice in a pitcher ahead of time, multiplied by the number of guests, and chill it. Add bubbly mixers like soda or ginger beer to each glass just before serving so they stay fizzy, and shake or pour over ice to order.
What are good non-alcoholic versions of cocktails? Most citrus cocktails work as mocktails if you swap the spirit for chilled tea, sparkling water or a zero-proof spirit. A virgin mojito with mint, lime, sugar and soda, or a ginger-lime mule with ginger beer, gives guests who don't drink something just as festive.
Where can I keep my favorite cocktail recipes? The Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) keeps your house cocktails, punches and mocktails with your own measurements and notes, next to the food you serve with them. You can also start one with the free recipe book starter pages, which we email to you.
How do I plan drinks and food for a holiday party? The Holiday Season Bundle ($15.99, compared with $25.94 for its items bought separately) includes the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner and the Meal Planner & Grocery List, so your drink list, menu and party budget are planned on paper before you shop.
Can you make cocktails without a shaker? Yes. A clean jar with a tight lid works as a shaker for drinks with citrus, and a pint glass with a long spoon works for stirred drinks like a negroni or Manhattan. Strain through a small kitchen sieve, or hold back the ice with the jar lid.
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Sources
- International Bartenders Association: Official IBA cocktails iba-world.com
- NIAAA: What Is A Standard Drink? niaaa.nih.gov
- CDC: About Moderate Alcohol Use cdc.gov