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I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of the same old cocktail recipes. I’ve had enough Moscow Mules, mimosas and margaritas for a lifetime, and now I’m ready to go all out with more creative cocktail recipes.
Creative cocktails can be as easy as a fun spin on an old classic, like adding a fruity flavor to a mojito, or something entirely new altogether, with ingredients you might have never thought to pair together. With the below recipes, you’ll be able to create something truly impressive, whether you decide to go for it with a big batch or a single serving for your own private happy hour. You’re the bartender here, you call the shots!
Sometimes, a detail as simple as adding a muddled herb or a floral garnish can bring your cocktail from boring to brilliant. Other times, you might feel like you need a more notable wow-factor ingredient, like a color-changing elixir to really get you excited (more on that below). Whether you’re a gin drinker or a bourbon lover, there’s an out-of-the-box cocktail recipe out there perfect for you and your taste buds.
The best part about making a fun cocktail at home is being able to manipulate the ingredients to your liking. Want to avoid added sugar? Forget the simple syrup. Do you like your drink a little fizzy? Top it off with some club soda. There’s no wrong way to make a cocktail, the world is truly your oyster. Or, should I say, your bar!
Ahead, you’ll find some of the most creative cocktail recipes we’ve ever seen, perfect for your next backyard BBQ, girls night in, or Friday happy hour. Just don’t forget to post the final product on Instagram! You’ll be raking in likes by the dozens with any of the below cocktail recipes, guaranteed. Cheers!
1. Champs de Violette
Posh Little Designs
I don’t even care what’s in this champagne cocktail, it’s so pretty I’d make 12. But, for the record, ingredients include Creme de Violette, champagne, lemon and an edible floral for garnish. A simple recipe with major wow factor—plus it’ll look great on your Instagram feed.
2. Galaxy Magic Mule
The Flavor Bender
It doesn’t get much more creative than this color-changing galaxy mule. This recipe uses a vodka infused with butterfly pea flower to get the blue and purple color-changing effect. Plus, you can use tonic ice (aka frozen tonic water) to add a glow-in-the-dark element. Consider your classic Moscow Mule officially leveled-up.
3. Firecracker Cocktail
Creative Culinary
Watermelon, lime, and cucumber isn’t necessarily an unexpected flavor combo, but busting out a fancy drink like this at home is sure to surprise and impress your guests. It’s all about the garnish! Not to mention that the sweetness of the watermelon combined with tangy lime and fresh cucumber creates the ultimate flavor experience.
4. Coconut Mojito
Sweet & Savory by Shinee
Mojitos typically use mint, lime and rum, but we’re loving this equally-tropical coconut rendition of the classic drink. Coconut adds a freshness and a sweetness that works perfectly with the other traditional ingredients. Make this recipe in a big batch or for just a few in a cocktail shaker.
5. Spiked Peach Tea
We love a good peach iced tea moment, and the drink is even better when it’s spiked with a little extra fun. Just boil water for tea, let the tea bags steep, add your muddled mint, lemonade peach vodka, and ice and you’re good to go!
6. Homemade Hard Seltzer
Fit Foodie Finds
Why go out searching for your favorite hard seltzer (sorry, White Claws!) when you can make your own at home? This hard seltzer recipe is truly everything we didn’t know we needed. We’re partial to the orange ginger flavor, but you can also find recipes for lime and mint as well as grapefruit.
7. Paloma With a Twist
Smitten Kitchen
Level up the classic Paloma with this recipe that includes a splash of pomegranate juice for extra flavor. Combine your typical Paloma ingredients of tequila, grapefruit juice and agave with the pomegranate, top off with club soda and garnish with a few pomegranate arils.
8. Celery Cilantro Cocktail
Skinny Taste.
If celery juice is the latest health fad taking over the wellness space, then this celery cocktail is definitely healthy, right? Either way, it looks delicious and tastes refreshing, so it’s the perfect cocktail to have when you don’t want anything too heavy. Top off this drink with a little seltzer or keep it bubble-free, whichever you prefer.
9. Watermelon Coconut Lemonade
Big Oven
Another recipe perfect for making in big batches, there’s so much to love about this beachy cocktail. Watermelon vodka combined with coconut rum creates a deliciously sweet flavor. Mix with pink lemonade for a touch of tang and strawberries for a gorgeous garnish. Voila!
10. Frozen Lemonade With A Twist
What Should I Make For
This frozen cucumber lemonade cocktail isn’t your average green juice. Tangy lemon and fresh cucumber pair perfectly with cilantro and vodka in this easy-to-make drink. The recipe even shows you how to make your own lemonade, so you can play with the level of sweetness and ensure it’s just to your liking.
11. Strawberry Mojito
Aimee Broussard
This mojito recipe leans towards the fruitier side thanks to the homemade strawberry syrup. Again, feel free to play with the sweetness levels if you want something more or less sugary than what the recipe calls for, but we’re inclined to go all in. Mint and lime round out the flavor profile for the perfect blend of fresh, zesty, and sweet.
12. Spiked Kombucha
Posh Little Designs
It may seem like this blueberry ginger kombucha cocktail has a lot going on, but trust us, all the flavors blend together perfectly. This recipe doesn’t call for you to make your own kombucha (thank goodness), but lets you add your favorite fermented tea of choice to the drink. Make sure to stock up, because you’ll be making this one a lot.
13. Cantaloupe Raspberry Cocktail
A Magical Mess
Using just four ingredients, this spicy raspberry cantaloupe cocktail recipe calls for two different flavored liquors, grapefruit jalapeño vodka and a citrusy rum, so you don’t have to do too much muddling and juicing yourself. Combine the rum and vodka with raspberry simple syrup and grapefruit juice, top it off with a cantaloupe slice and you’re good to go!
14. Ruby Red & Rosemary Honey Cocktail
Cookie and Kate
Elegant and tasty, this ruby red and rosemary honey drink is the perfect cocktail to serve at your next party to impress all of your guests. Using just four ingredients, including honey syrup, grapefruit juice, lemon and vodka, finish off the drink with a sprig of rosemary and a pinch of salt.
