15 Classic and Easy Cocktails to Make at Home
Turn your living room into your own private speakeasy with these classic drink recipes.
by Patrick JanelleThere are a few good reasons I love bars—beyond the fact that we all need a good drink now and then. For one, I am fascinated with the history of drinking culture (I even co-created a cocktail app called the Liquor Cabinet that includes stories about how various cocktails were invented). Another reason: visiting bars while traveling is essentially a fast-track route to understanding the culture and spirit (no pun intended) of the place. Most of all, bars have this anything-could-happen magic, which I feel the moment I walk in. Maybe it was (or is) a haunt favored by artists and writers—think Hemingway slinging back a few of his favorite daiquiris at The Ritz in Paris—and I can’t help but feel that inspired energy might rub off on me. Maybe I’ll serendipitously be seated next to someone who becomes a weeklong travel buddy or even a new best friend (trust me—it's happened). Or maybe I’ll just discover a new drink, thanks to the bartender.
But this story isn’t an ode to bars—it’s about bringing some of that magic into your own home, which you can do by becoming your own master bartender.
Making cocktails at home is an opportunity to experiment with your own riffs on the classics, turning your home into its own storied haunt—or at least transforming an otherwise basic night into a cozy soirée for one.
The classics are a great place to start on your journey to at-home mixology, as some of the most iconic cocktail recipes are actually quite easy to make with a well-stocked home bar. Below is a list of some of my favorite classic cocktails that anyone can make at home—no previous experience required.
At-home mixology essentials
I go into more detail about this in my article on home bar essentials, but one bottle of each of the basic six spirit types—agave (tequila or mezcal), brandy, gin, rum, whiskey, and vodka—as well as fresh citrus and herbs from your kitchen is a good place to start making some of these easy cocktails. You’ll also want a mixing glass and bar spoon, a cocktail shaker, a jigger for measuring ingredients, a cocktail strainer, and a peeler for creating garnishes.
Easy, three-ingredient cocktails
Some of the most beloved classic cocktails only require only a few ingredients.
This vibrant, reddish-orange beverage was invented as an aperitivo in Northern Italy and has since become a favorite afternoon refreshment around the world. The bitter, citrusy flavor of Aperol becomes utterly thirst-quenching when paired with sparkling white wine and soda water. Get the recipe.
Champagne Cocktail
Champagne appears alone in a flute so often, you may be surprised to see it as a cocktail base. But add a sugar cube soaked with a few dashes of Angostura bitters and a long, spiraling lemon peel, and suddenly your evening becomes an event. Get the recipe.
Daiquiri
The classic version—created by shaking rum, lime juice, and simple syrup with ice—is subtle, delicate, and surprisingly complex. It’s also worth noting that this is what a daiquiri is supposed to be, not like the frozen varieties often associated with the name. Get the recipe.
Gin and Tonic
The most famous of all gin cocktails were originally conceived of as a way to make bitter quinine, a traditional cure for malaria, more palatable. Today, gin and tonics have become a quintessential summer drink. Top two ounces of gin with high-quality tonic water (Fever Tree and Q Mixers for me), then garnish with a lime wheel, rosemary sprig, star anise, or even pink peppercorns.
Moscow Mule
A spicy-sweet combination of vodka, ginger syrup, and soda water (or simply vodka and a quality ginger beer from Q Mixers), the Moscow Mule is traditionally served in a copper mug. The signature vessel was originally a creative marketing ploy, but honestly, I love the way the copper mug circulates the temperature and keeps everything cold. Get the recipe.
Margarita
There’s almost as much contention over who invented this refreshing cocktail as there is over how to make it. I like a straightforward mixture of tequila and triple sec orange liqueur (such as Cointreau) with fragrant, freshly squeezed lime juice. Another favorite version, Tommy’s Margarita, swaps the triple sec for agave syrup. Just don’t forget to salt the rim! Get the recipe.
Manhattan
Undoubtedly one of the most iconic cocktails, the Manhattan is a sophisticated drink that is rumored to have been inspired by New York City itself. It’s made with bourbon or rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters, then garnished with a single brandied cherry (I’m partial to Luxardo Cherries). Get the recipe.
Martini
While aficionados argue about the “right” way to make this drink, the truth is, that there are many roads to the perfect martini.
I prefer to stir it, but James Bond likes it shaken. Ease back on the dry vermouth to, paradoxically, make it “drier,” or swap the traditional gin for vodka. Garnish it with a lemon twist or olive, or make it a Gibson by adding a cocktail onion. Experiment to find the right martini for your palate. Personally, I love a 1:2 gin to vermouth ratio, but a 1:1 is fun, too. Get the recipe.
Negroni
Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, this balanced combination is just as appropriate for curling up next to a fireplace as it is for stretching out on a sunny patio. The Negroni has become so popular in recent years that it’s spawned its own celebratory week. I adore this classic, even if it’s on the verge of becoming a little too popular. Get the recipe.
Sidecar
This refined brandy cocktail—with fresh lemon juice, Cointreau (a type of triple sec), and a sparkling sugar rim—hails from Europe and became particularly popular right after World War II. While the beverage isn’t quite as popular as it was in the 1940s, it’s still easily in the top 10 of classic cocktail canon. Get the recipe.
White Russian
White Russians became popular during the 1950s and 1960s, but you might know them thanks to the Coen Brothers’ movie The Big Lebowski, which immortalized this concoction of vodka, heavy cream, and Kahlúa. Get the recipe.
More cocktails to make at home
For those evenings that call for something a little more special, or when you’re in the mood to try your hand at a more complicated recipe, consider one of the following cocktails. Some have longer ingredient lists or require unusual tools and liqueurs, but that's part of what makes these drinks so fun to make.
Dark ‘N’ Stormy
The official cocktail of Bermuda, the Dark ‘N’ Stormy absolutely must be made with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum (IMO).
Dark 'N' Stormy Ingredients
2 oz. Gosling's Black Seal Rum 80 Proof
0.75 oz. Fresh lime juice
0.75 oz. Ginger syrup Soda
Dark 'N' Stormy Instructions
Combine all ingredients except ice and soda in a shaker. Shake hard. Add ice and shake hard. Fine strain into a Collins glass and add ice. Top with soda and stir. Garnish with a straw and either a lime wheel or candied ginger.
Mojito
Cooling, fresh, and minty, a good Mojito is the kind of drink that can make you feel like you’re on a tropical beach, even if you’re sitting at home.
Mojito Ingredients
2 oz. El Dorado Rum 3 Year
1 oz. Fresh lime juice
1 oz. Simple syrup 10-12
Mojito Instructions
Loose mint leaves Fill a canvas Louis bag with ice and crush it with a mallet. Place mint leaves at the bottom of a Collins glass. Combine the remaining ingredients in the glass and add crushed ice. Swizzle, add ice and swizzle again. Garnish with a mint bouquet and a straw.
Mai Tai
This beloved tiki drink packs a punch—both with flavor and with the strong rums that go into the mix. And while the Mai Tai was invented stateside, its memorable name roughly translates to "very good" in Tahitian.
Mai Tai Ingredients
0.75 oz. Appleton Estate Rum Reserve
0.75 oz. Rhum J.M Gold
0.5 oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
0.5 oz. Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1 oz. Fresh lime juice
0.5 oz. Orgeat syrup
0.25 oz. Simple syrup
Mai Tai Instructions
Fill a Louis bag with ice and crush it with a mallet. Combine all ingredients in a shaker and add crushed ice. Shake hard. Pour into a tiki mug. Add crushed ice, swizzle, and add more crushed ice. Garnish with a refreshing combination of pineapple leaves, a pineapple wedge, an orange wheel, a lime wheel, a brandied cherry, orchids, and a paper umbrella.
Old Fashioned
Created in 1862, the simple and elegant Old Fashioned has withstood the test of time. For a truly sophisticated sip, skip the orange muddling you may have seen in bars; I add orange bitters instead.
Old Fashioned Ingredients
1 oz. Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey Bottled-In-Bond
1 oz. Old Overholt Rye Whiskey
4 dashes of Angostura Aromatic Bitters
4 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters #6
0.25 oz. Rich simple syrup
Old Fashioned Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice. Stir 25-35 times. Strain into a double rocks glass and add ice. Garnish with an orange twist and lemon.