Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 25 Classic Cocktail Recipes Everyone Should Know Brush up on your bartending skills with these classic recipes. By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 23, 2024 Close Photo: Stephen DeVries We love a fancy, complicated craft cocktail just as much as the next person. But who has all the unusual ingredients they tend to require? (What even is Yuzu?) Frankly, there's just something about unfussy classics that keep us coming back time and again. Whether you've got company coming over or you're just craving something basic and boozy, one of these classic cocktail recipes will do the trick. Classic Cocktail Recipes Try these classic cocktail recipes. We made the instructions and ingredients as pared down as possible so you can keep them in your back pocket for future entertaining endeavors. 01 of 25 Margarita Dana Gallagher In a medium pitcher, combine tequila, fresh lime juice, Triple Sec or Cointreau, and water. If desired, rub the rims of 4 glasses with a lime slice and dip in salt to coat. Serve the margaritas in the prepared glasses over ice and garnish with the lime slices. Makes 4 drinks. GET THE RECIPE 02 of 25 Negroni Brie Passano Combine gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth in a large pitcher. Divide the mixture among 3 4-ounce glasses. Place a strip of orange peel in each. Makes 3 drinks. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 25 Mint Julep Greg DuPree In a mint julep cup or thick glass, mix the sugar with the water until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Clap the mint leaves in your palms to release the herbs' oils, then add them to the simple syrup. Pack the glass with crushed ice and top with the bourbon. Serve garnished with mint sprigs. Makes 1 drink. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 25 Amaretto Sour Charles Masters Pour Amaretto liqueur, simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry. Makes 1 drink. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 25 Sangria Maura McEvoy Combine a bottle of red wine (we recommend Rioja or other light- or medium-bodied red wine) with sugar, and brandy in a large pitcher and stir to dissolve sugar. Add 1 thinly sliced navel orange, blackberries, and club soda. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more before serving to allow the fruit to macerate and sweeten sangria. Serve this wine cocktail in tall glasses filled with ice. Makes 6 drinks. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 25 Moscow Mule wmaster890 Fill a Moscow mule mug with ice. Add lime juice and vodka. Top with ginger beer and stir. Garnish with a slice of lime. Makes 1 drink. GET THE RECIPE 07 of 25 Old Fashioned Sarah Karnasiewicz Saturate a sugar cube with Angostura bitters. Place the cube in an old-fashioned glass, add water, and muddle the sugar until it dissolves. Fill the glass with ice, pour in rye whiskey, and stir. Garnish with a slice of orange. Makes 1 drink. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 25 Cherry Manhattan Sarah Karnasiewicz Combine bourbon or rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and a dash of orange bitters in an ice-filled bar glass. Stir until very cold. Serve up, strained into a cocktail glass, or on the rocks, in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Makes 1 drink. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 25 Martini Sarah Karnasiewicz Combine vodka or gin and dry vermouth in an ice-filled bar glass. Stir until very cold. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an olive. Makes 1 drink. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 25 White Russian Getty Images Fill a cocktail glass with ice. Pour the vodka and Kahlúa over the ice. Add heavy cream and mix. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 25 Cranberry-Lemon Spritz Greg DuPree Add cranberries, lemon juice, and sugar to a tall glass. Mash the cranberries with the end of a wooden spoon. Pour in vodka and cranberry juice. Mix, add ice, and top with club soda. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 25 Eggnog Tom Schierlitz Simmer the heavy cream, nutmeg, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Blend the eggs on low for 1 minute. Gradually add the hot cream mixture. Blend the mixture until it's frothy, and then about 30 seconds more. Add brandy to combine. Serve warm. GET THE RECIPE 13 of 25 Tequila Sunrise Bhofack2/Getty Images Fill up a highball glass with ice, and pour in your favorite tequila. Top it with the orange juice, and let it settle. Slowly add in some grenadine and garnish your cocktail. GET THE RECIPE 14 of 25 Espresso Martini Getty Images Mix up vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain it into a martini glass and sprinkle some cocoa or cinnamon on top. GET THE RECIPE 15 of 25 Pineapple Punch Fred Hardy Blend pineapple and sugar into a creamy mix and pour it into a pitcher. Stir in some mango juice and both gold and coconut rum. Garnish your cocktail with pineapple slices or cherries. GET THE RECIPE 16 of 25 Paloma With Fresh Grapefruit Juice Greg DuPree Rub lime on the rims of an old-fashioned glass, and dip it into a mix of salt and chili powder. Juice the rest of the lime and mix it up with ice, grapefruit juice, agave or simple syrup, and tequila or mezcal. GET THE RECIPE 17 of 25 Tom Collins Getty Images Mix leom soda (like Sanpellegrino Limonata) and gin in a large pitcher. Serve it over ice and lemon- or basil-garnished glasses. GET THE RECIPE 18 of 25 Dirty Shirley Dudits/Getty Images Combine vodka, grenadine, and lemon-lime soda (like a Sprite or 7Up). Stir it up and add a cherry to bring back all that childhood nostalgia. GET THE RECIPE 19 of 25 Pineapple Mai Tai Cocktail Antonis Achilleos Mix pineapple, lime, and cherry juice with rum, Curaçao, and orgeat in a cocktail shaker. Shake it up together with ice and top your cocktail with more dark rum. Garnish it with your choice of a cherry, pineapple slices, or mint (or all three). GET THE RECIPE 20 of 25 Bloody Mary Getty Images Blend vodka together with tomato and lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, celery salt, black pepper, and pepperoncini brine. Serve the Bloody Mary over ice and garnish it with celery stalks. Sprinkle the top with pepperoncini. GET THE RECIPE 21 of 25 Irish Iced Coffee Getty Images Mix coffee and whiskey with simple syrup and cream in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain the mixture into a pint glass with ice and top it off with whipped cream for a traditional (but icy) Irish coffee. GET THE RECIPE 22 of 25 Sex on the Beach bhofack2/Getty Images The Sex on the Beach is a classic cocktail that calls for just four ingredients: vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice (or grenadine). You can garnish it with an orange slice and cherry for an extra fruity flavor. GET THE RECIPE 23 of 25 Long Island Iced Tea bhofack2 For a Long Island Iced Tea, you'll need five types of alcohol: gin, tequila, rum, vodka, and triple sec. You'll combine them with simple syrup, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and cola. You can garnish it with a lemon slice for an extra touch of refreshing flavor. GET THE RECIPE 24 of 25 Red Wine Spritz Greg DuPree With just 1/4 cup of sweet vermouth, 1/4 cup of dry sparkling red wine (like Lambrusco), and 1/4 cup of club soda, you can easily mix up a red wine spritz. Add peach slices or another fruit for garnish. GET THE RECIPE 25 of 25 Limoncello Spritz Greg DuPree Limoncello is an Italian classic. To make it a spritz, just add dry sparkling wine, club soda, and fresh lemon juice. You can add a rosemary sprig and lemon peel for garnish, too. GET THE RECIPE 37 Easy Cocktail Recipes, Each With 5 Ingredients or Less Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit