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35 Delicious Party Drinks Better Than Any $20 Cocktail (for Reals)

You? A mixologist? You bet.

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pink rose cocktail or mocktail with sunny summer light on white marble table and palm tree shadowspinterest
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I'm the type of gal who looks for any and every excuse to throw a party. Went a whole week without texting your ex? Boom, get the girls together. Finished a long and exhausting work week? Drinks on me! Or maybe it's your birthday, Galentine’s Day, New Year's Eve, or literally any other holiday under the sun. All I know is any success or event becomes grounds to throw a frickin' party.

IMHO, a party means any get-together where good friends and strong cocktails/mocktails are present (please stop me if I sound too Carrie Bradshaw rn). And I'll have you know that with the right ingredients and some clear instructions, there's a seasoned bartender within all of us just waiting to serve up some yummy bevs to our adoring guests. Lucky for you, we have those aforementioned instructions, below. So, if you're down to turn your next available Friday night into a party for the ages (or at least one that leads to some quality mems and IG pics), kick things off by picking a cocktail or two from the list.

1

Campari Spritz

a person pouring a drink into a glass
Campari

Pour two parts Campari, three parts prosecco, and one part soda water into an ice-filled wine glass. Garnish with a slice of fresh orange.

Recipe by Campari Spritz

2

American Mule

a bottle of alcohol on a table
Tito's

Into a copper mug, add 1.5 oz. of Tito's vodka, 3 oz. of ginger beer, and 1/2 oz. of fresh lime juice. Stir it up, and garnish with a lime wedge and (optionally) mint.

Recipe by Tito's

3

Bloody Mary Pitcher

a glass mug with a brown liquid and a plant in it
Grey Goose

In a pitcher combine 20 oz. tomato juice, 5 oz. fresh lemon juice, 4 tbsp horseradish, 1 oz. hot sauce, 1 oz. worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp. sea (or celery) salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, and fresh aromatic herbs. Make sure the pitcher is closed well and shake until mixed. Rub a lemon or lime wedge around the rim of 1o highball glasses, fill each glass with ice, add Grey Goose vodka to 1/3 of the glass, and top off with the Bloody Mary Mix. Garnish the glass with a long celery stalk, a long cucumber slice, and a lime wedge.

Recipe by Grey Goose

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4

La Rousse

gh mumm
G.H. Mumm

Stir 1 part whiskey (like The Glenlivet) and 1 part blood orange syrup over ice. Strain into a rocks glass. Top with 3 parts G.H. Mumm Grand Cordon Rosé. Garnish with dehydrated blood orange and blood orange cubes.

Recipe by G.H. Mumm

5

Affogato Martini

kahlua martini
Kahlua

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to a short glass. Separately, shake 1 part Kahlúa coffee liqueur and 2 parts espresso together with some ice. Pour the mixture over the ice cream. Sprinkle with a pinch of chocolate flakes to finish.

6

French 75

french 75
Taste of Home

Fill a cocktail shaker three-fourths full with ice. Add ¾ oz. gin, 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Cover and shake for 10 to 15 seconds, or until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker. Strain into a flute glass and top with champagne.

Recipe by Taste of Home

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7

Malibu Strawberry Spritz

malibu
Malibu Rum

Pour 25 ml. Malibu Strawberry, 100 ml. Sparkling wine, and .25 ml. of soda water into a glass with ice. Then sip!

Recipe by Malibu Rum

8

Prickled Pink

prickled pink
Milagro silver

Pour 2 parts Milagro Silver, 1 part fresh lime juice, 2 parts pink Agua de Tuna, ¾ part agave nectar into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

(To make Agua de Tuna: Peel and roughly chop 5 prickly pear fruits, add to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds and pulp.)

Recipe from MILAGRO SILVER

9

White Haute Chocolate

glenfiddich
Glenfiddtch

Heat 8 parts milk and 8 parts white chocolate in a pot until melted. Add a pinch of sea salt. Pour into a mug + add 1 part Glenfiddich 14 whisky. Garnish with star anise.

Recipe by Kevin Canchola at Glenfiddich

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10

Sweet Cherry Smash

two hands
Two Hands

Shake 5 oz. Starward Two Fold Australian Whisky, 1 oz. cherry jam, 1 oz. lime, and 1 oz. soda over ice, then strain into a wine glass of ice. Garnish with 2 strawberries on a skewer, a large mint tip, and a fun (ahem, not plastic!) straw.

Recipe by Two Hands NYC

11

Cuffing Season Cocktail

cuffing
Reyka Vodka

Combine 1.5 parts Reyka Vodka, .5 parts Cloudy Apple juice, .25 parts lemon juice, .5 parts maple syrup in a shaker with ice.

Recipe from Reyka Vodka

12

La Valoma

la valoma
Volcan

Combine 2 oz. Volcan Blanco, ¾ oz. fresh lime juince, .5 oz. of grapefruit juice, a pinch of salt, and ¾ oz. agave syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain over ice in a highball glass. Top with soda water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

Recipe from Volcan Blanco Tequila

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13

Los Arango Rose

los
Los Arango Anejo

Combine 2 oz. Los Arango Añejo, ¾ oz. lime juice, ½ oz. agave syrup, and ½ oz. grenadine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to chill and combine ingredients. Fine strain into a coupe glass. Garnish & Enjoy!

Recipe by Los Arango Añejo

14

White Negroni

hendrick's gin
Hendrick's

Stir 1 part Hendrick’s Gin, 1 part Dolin Blanc Vermouth, and 1 part Suze with ice and strain onto fresh ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish by pressing a thin slice of lemon peel over the drink.


Recipe from Hendrick’s Gin

15

White Winter Cosmopolitan

drink
MoodyMixologist.com

Add 1 oz. white cranberry juice, ½ oz. lime juice, and ½ oz. Cointreau to a cocktail shaker. Fill ¾ of the shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, about 12 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

Recipe from Moody Mixologist

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16

Espresso Martini

drink
Absolut Vodka

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add 1⅓ parts Absolut Vodka, ⅔ part Kahlúa, and ⅔ part espresso to the shaker. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with 3 whole coffee beans.

Recipe from Absolut Vodka

17

Love Your Neighbor

ilegal mezcal joven
Ilegal Mezcal Joven

Pour 5 oz. Ilegal Mezcal, .5oz. fresh grapefruit Juice, .5 oz. fresh Lime, and 4 oz. of tonic over fresh ice in a highball glass and stir. Salt half the rim and garnish with a grapefruit slice. ​


Recipe by Ilegal Mezcal

18

Apples to Apples

drink
Don Papa Rum

Combine 1 ½ oz. Don Papa rum, 1 oz. apple juice, ½ oz. spiced maple syrup, ½ oz. lemon juice, and ½ oz. egg white with ice and shake vigorously. Finely strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with pink peppercorn and rosemary sprig.

Recipe from Ben Rojo

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19

Spiced Bourbon Cocktail With Pomegranate Syrup

drink
Elliott Clark

For the cocktail:

Combine 1/2 parts Basil Hayden's® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 1/2 part cinnamon-pomegranate syrup, 1/2 part fresh-squeezed lime juice, 1 part fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, and 2 dashes black walnut bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold. Strain into a double rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a sprig of rosemary.

For the cinnamon pomegranate syrup:

Combine 1 cup pomegranate juice and 5 cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan on the stove. Bring to a light simmer to release the flavor from the cinnamon sticks. Add 1 cup granulated sugar, and gently stir to dissolve (do not bring to a boil). Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat and allow it to cool. Strain out the cinnamon sticks and store the syrup in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe from Elliot Clark, Apartment Bartender

20

The Painkiller

drink
The Cocktail Snob

Combine 2 oz. dark rum, 4 oz. pineapple juice, 1 oz. orange juice, and 1 oz. cream of coconut (e.g. Coco Lopez) in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10 seconds until cold. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Recipe from The Cocktail Snob

Headshot of Siena Gagliano
Siena Gagliano
Associate Editor

Siena Gagliano is the associate editor at Cosmopolitan, where she primarily covers beauty, fashion, travel, and lifestyle. Wanna know how to get the best brows of your life? Gotchu. What about how to find the best fashion deals of the season, the softest sheets on the market, or exactly how to use retinol without irritating your skin? Check, check, and check. Before joining Cosmopolitan, Siena was a writer at Bustle and several other media outlets. As her 2024 goal, she has vowed to find the best (extra) dirty martini NYC has to offer—and yes, that means ~attempting~ to try every cute cocktail spot in the city (hit her up with some recs, pls). Follow Siena on Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look at that magazine life.

Headshot of Annabel Iwegbue

Annabel Iwegbue is an assistant editor at Cosmopolitan where she primarily covers lifestyle and fashion. Before joining Cosmo, she covered entertainment at Harper's Bazaar, The Knockturnal, and Black Film. She's originally from Charleston, South Carolina, and is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Cinema Studies from New York University. You can check out some of Annabel’s work here and also find her on Instagram and Twitter.

Headshot of Hannah Chubb
Hannah Chubb
Lifestyle Editor

Hannah Chubb is the lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.


 

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