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Craft Cocktail Recipes To Make At Home

Craft Cocktail Recipes To Make At Home

Cocktails for all seasons and all reasons can be prepared quickly and with just a few ingredients.Β A few liquor cabinet standards includeΒ vodka, rum, whiskey, and tequila as well as champagne, a bottle of each red and white wine.Β With these core staples in stock and a few mixersΒ with one or two specialty items and boom, you’re a boss home bartender.

BeforeΒ crafting any cocktails at home, it is often helpful to have some simple syrup on hand. This easy-to-make flavor enhancer is often used in cocktails.

How To Make Simple Syrup

Mix equal parts of sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. That’s it.Β Start with one cupΒ of each for just a few cocktails or make 2 cups of each when preparingΒ large batches of punch or a pitcher of drinks.

Minutes to Mojito

Here is where the simple syrup comes in! With aΒ cocktail muddler, muddle a few mint leaves (mash them in the bottom of a glass or pitcher). Add ice, pour inΒ 1 ounce each of simple syrup and lime juice,Β 2 ounces of rum, and 2 ounces of club sodaΒ or soda water.

To make a large batch in a pitcher, use cups in place of ounces: 1 cup of simple syrup, 1 cup of lime juice, 2 cups of rum and 2 cups of club soda or soda water.

Whip up aΒ WhiskeyΒ Sour

This cocktail does require a few extra ingredients, but the frothy goodness is well worth it.

Gather your favorite whiskey (bourbon), simple syrup, lemonΒ juice, an egg white (yes, an egg white!), and maraschinoΒ cherries and orange slices for garnish.Β 

Pour two ounces of bourbon, 1 ounce of fresh lemon juice, ΒΎ ounce of simple syrup and one egg whiteΒ into a cocktail shaker and mix well. Add ice and shake again until the shaker is cold to the touch.Β Pour into an on the rocks glass and garnish with cherry and/or orange slices and enjoy.

Mint Julep

Combine 2-3 mint leaves withΒ 2 ounces of simple syrupΒ and muddle in the bottom of a tall glass. AddΒ 2 ounces of bourbon,Β a splash of soda water if desired, andΒ stir with a long spoonΒ then fill with iceΒ and start sipping.

1-2-3 Margarita

Combine 1 ounce of fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons of Cointreau, andΒ 3 tablespoons of tequila in a cocktail shaker with ice.Β Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass then dip it in kosher salt, fill glass with ice and pour contents of shaker in the glass.Β Enjoy!

Consider adding a bit of simple syrup to reduce the feel and taste of the alcohol. When making a large pitcherΒ ofΒ margaritas, tryΒ one cup of simple syrup with Β½ cup of fresh lime juice, one cup of Cointreau and two cups of tequila.

Swap out lime juice for your favorite fruit juice: watermelon, pineapple,Β blueberryΒ or strawberry!

Celebrate FallΒ With Spiked Cider

Rub a slice of apple around the rim of a tall glass then dip in cinnamon sugar (1 teaspoon of sugar and ΒΌ teaspoon of cinnamon), then fill the glass with ice. Pour in 2 ounces of caramel vodka or whiskey then fill with apple cider.Β Save this cocktail recipe andΒ serve by the pitcher for Thanksgiving!

Seasonal Sangria

Sangria is madeΒ by the pitcher and perfect for a group. Ingredients can be seasonally adjusted but for fall try this recipe!

2 bottles of red wine,Β 1 cup of CointreauΒ or other orange flavored liqueur,Β Β½ cup of apple cider,Β 2 apples cut into chunks, 2 oranges slicedΒ then cut in half or quarters,Β 1 pear cut into bite-sized pieces. Stir all ingredients in a large pitcher filled with ice.

3Β Cocktails Featuring Vodka

Using aΒ 1:3 ratioΒ of vodka to juice, you can make individual drinksΒ by measuring one shotΒ or one ounce to every three ounces of juiceΒ over iceΒ in a glassΒ or one cup of vodka to every three cups of juice for popular vodka based cocktails.

Cape Cod

Mix vodka with cranberry juice and either muddle inΒ a wedge or several wedges of cut lime, orΒ squeeze in some fresh lime juiceΒ and garnish with a slice of lime wedge.

Moscow Mule

Fine tune the proportions to your personal taste but try 1 ounce of vodka to 3 ounces of ginger beerΒ in a copper cupΒ andΒ add the juice of a lime wedge. Also garnish with a lime wedge if desired.

Screwdriver

The classic combination of vodka and orange juice has been served with brunch for decades.Β Try whipped cream flavored vodka to create aΒ creamsicleΒ flavored version, addΒ some fresh fruitΒ including oranges orΒ peaches, orΒ substitute one ounce of vodka withΒ peach liqueurΒ for aΒ fun, fuzzy flavor.

Champagne Cocktails

Simply pour any one of the following ingredients in aΒ champagne glassΒ then top with your favorite chilled bubbly! So easy! If you’re having a party, make a champagne cocktail buffet by having a few bottles on ice with a selection ofΒ fruit juices, fresh fruits,Β and mixers. Juices may be cranberry, orange, pineapple or whatever you wishΒ +Β Champagne or Sparkling Wine or Prosecco

  • French Mimosa: 1 ounce of Chambord +Β Champagne or Sparkling Wine or ProseccoΒ (add a raspberry to the bottom of the glass too!)
  • KirΒ Royale: 1/2Β ounce CrΓ¨me deΒ CasisΒ +Β Champagne or Sparkling Wine or Prosecco
  • Bellini: 1 ounce of Peach Schnapps +Β Champagne or Sparkling Wine or ProseccoΒ ChampagneΒ 
  • 1 ounce of Cointreau +Β Champagne or Sparkling Wine or Prosecco
  • 1 ounce of Limoncello +Β Champagne or Sparkling Wine or Prosecco

Whatever the reason for the celebration, orΒ to simply toast being together, enjoy creating your own cocktails with this easy to makeΒ and simple cocktails with ingredients you probably already have at home! Adjust amounts and flavors to customize to your tastes andΒ salut!

Cheers!

Zulily Food and Wine Shop

About The Author

Sharon MacGregor

Writing from her desk in New York, Sharon MacGregor is a contributing reporter, freelance writer, and blogger with a passion for human interest stories as well as meals shared with friends and family. Her blog, Fed Well includes recipes with upcoming tips to prepare foods for infants and toddlers, simple and seasonal cocktails, and easy modifications to create dishes respecting dietary restrictions including dairy and gluten intolerances. She loves entertaining for the ones she loves including her new grandbabies!

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