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Vodka Cocktails: Learn How to Make These 10 Drinks

Vodka may be the most mixable and used liquor in the bar. It is impossible to fit all vodka-based cocktails in one article, as there are hundreds of cocktail recipes that vary in nature, ingredients, and style. One thing is sure. There is a vodka cocktail for every drinker and every occasion.

Espresso Martini Vodka Cocktail

With that said, we show you 10 of the most well-known vodka cocktails that you can make at home in minutes. As stated in other articles, you don’t need any fancy equipment for the cocktails – even a jam jar will do as a shaker. It’s all about the love and creativity you put into the preparation.

1. Screwdriver

Vodka Cocktails: Screwdriver with Orange Wheel Garnish
Screwdriver Cocktail with Orange Garnish

Ingredients:

  • Handful of Ice
  • 1dl Orange Juice
  • 0.5dl Vodka
  • Orange Wheel (Optionally)

Prep: 3 mins

Directions:

Put the ice in the glass, then pour the vodka and orange juice. Start with vodka so the strength will be well-balanced. The last step is to stir it. You can put an Orange Wheel on top if you’d like to.

2. Cosmopolitan

Vodka Cocktail: Cosmopolitan (Cosmo)
Cosmopolitan Cocktail with Lemon Garnish

Ingredients:

  • 45ml Vodka
  • 15ml Triple Sec
  • 30ml Cranberry Juice
  • 10ml Lime Juice
  • Handful of Ice
  • Orange Zest (For Garnish)

Prep: 5 mins

Directions:

  • Shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain them into a cocktail glass.
  • Hold the orange zest close to the glass and squeeze the oils into the cocktail, then drop the zest on top.

3. Black Russian

10 Must Known Vodka Cocktails: Black Russian Cocktail

Ingredients:

  • 45ml Coffee Liqueur
  • 45ml Vodka
  • Handful of Ice

Prep: 1 min

Directions:

  • You can make this cocktail two ways. Shaken or stirred, the texture of the shaken version is a bit different since it is slightly foamy. Put the ice in the glass, pour the coffee liqueur then the vodka. Lastly, stir together.
  • Or, if you’d like to make the shaken version, put ice in the glass, then put another handful of ice in the shaker, pour the coffee liqueur and vodka into the shaker. Shake it until it gets slightly foamy, then strain over the ice.

4. White Russian

Obviously, it is on the list after the previous cocktail. The White Russian is based on the Black Russian, only with a slight difference, Heavy Cream.

10 Must Known Vodka Cocktails: White Russian Cocktail

Ingredients:

  • 45ml Coffee Liqueur
  • 45ml Vodka
  • 1 Splash Heavy Cream
  • Handful of Ice

Prep: 1 min

Directions:

Put the handful of ice in a rocks glass, pour the coffee liqueur and vodka, top it with the heavy cream, then stir it.

5. Vodka Martini

The Martini is one of the most well-known cocktails out there. We mentioned it previously in the article about the five cocktails every gentleman needs to know. This time we cover the Vodka version. The Vodka Martini can be made in many ways. In this article, we cover the Classic Vodka Martini only.

10 Must Known Vodka Cocktails: Vodka Martini
Photo by Aditya Saxena on Unsplash

Ingredients:

  • Handful of Ice
  • 50ml Vodka
  • 10ml Dry Vermouth
  • Lemon Zest

Prep: 5 mins

Directions:

  • You need two glasses, one regular, and one cocktail glass. Chill the cocktail glass either with ice or by putting it in the freezer. 
  • Put a handful of ice in the regular glass pour the Vermouth and Vodka in it, then give it a good stir. Stir it until the glass becomes cold from the ice. 
  • Strain it into the cocktail glass. The last step is to hold the lemon zest close to the glass and squeeze the oils into the cocktail, then drop the zest on top.

6. Vodka Tonic

10 Must Known Vodka Cocktails: Vodka Tonic

Ingredients:

  • Handful of Ice
  • 60ml Vodka
  • 1dl Tonic Water
  • Lime Wedge (Optional)

Prep: 2 mins

Directions:

Put the handful of ice in the glass, pour the vodka first, then the tonic water, and give it a good stir. The last step is to squeeze some of the lime juice then drop it in the cocktail.

7. Harvey Wallbanger

The fame of the cocktail comes from a clever advertising approach. In the late sixties, at a surfing competition, a guy called Harvey celebrated his victory with a unique version of the well-known Screwdriver cocktail. Harvey added one part of Galliano Liqueur to the cocktail. After a few excessive drinks, Harvey earned the iconic nickname, Wallbanger. The company saw the opportunity in the story, so they started to produce merchandise for Harvey Wallbanger, and the iconic cocktail was born.

10 Must Known Vodka Cocktails: Harvey Wallbanger Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1dl Orange Juice
  • 0.5dl Vodka
  • 50ml Galliano Liqueur
  • Slice of Orange (Optional)
  • Handful of Ice

Prep: 3 mins

Directions:

Put the handful of ice in the bottle, pour the vodka and orange juice, then top it with the Galliano. Start with vodka so the strength will be well balanced. The last step is to stir it. Optionally you can put a slice of orange in the glass.

8. Sex On The Beach

10 Must Known Vodka Cocktails: Sex on the Beach Cocktails

Ingredients:

  • Handful of Ice
  • 45ml Vodka
  • 50ml Peach Liqueur
  • 45ml Orange Juice
  • 45ml Cranberry Juice
  • Slice of Orange (For garnish)

Prep: 5 mins

Directions:

Fill a glass with ice and add vodka, peach schnapps, and orange juice. Pour cranberry juice over. As a garnish, put a slice of orange on a toothpick and place it on top of the cocktail.

9. Espresso Martini

10 Must Known Vodka Cocktails: Espresso Martini

Ingredients:

  • Coffee Liqueur – 30ml
  • Vodka – 30ml
  • Espresso (Cold) – 30ml
  • Handful of Ice 
  • 3 pieces of Coffee Beans

Prep: 5 mins

Directions:

This recipe will require a shaker and a strainer. Put the ice, coffee liqueur, vodka, and espresso in the shaker. Shake well until it gets foamy. Strain it into a cocktail glass, then drop the three coffee beans on top.

10. Bloody Mary

We’ve already covered this cocktail in our previous article about ‘Five Alcoholic Drinks Every Real Man Should Know‘. Bloody Mary is the last one on the list because it is one of the most time-consuming to make right. The Bloody Mary is one of the world’s best-known cocktails, prized for its ability to jumpstart even the dizziest of mornings.

10 Must Known Vodka Cocktails: Bloody Mary
Photo by: Johann Trasch

Ingredients:

  • 50 ml Vodka
  • 250 ml Tomato juice
  • 0.5 tbsp Lemon juice
  • Few shakes of Worcestershire sauce
  • Few shakes of Tabasco sauce
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Pinch of Pepper
  • 1 celery stick to serve

Prep: 8 mins

Directions:

  1. Place the ice in a large container. Measure the vodka, tomato juice, and lemon juice and pour them straight onto the ice.
  2. Add three shakes of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco (or more if you like it spicy) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until the outside of the container feels cold, then strain the cocktail into a tall glass.
  3. Top up with fresh ice, add a celery stick and enjoy.

Keep on reading: 11 Classic Rum Cocktails You Can Make At Home