Simple Cocktails to Make at Home: Step-by-Step Recipes

For some, homemade cocktails evoke images from American teen movies — parties filled with energy, sweet drinks in hand, smoke in the air, and unspoken promises. For others, it’s the image of calm summer evenings on the porch with friends, chatting about everything and nothing, enjoying a quiet sense of peace.
There’s no single perfect way to describe the atmosphere that comes with mixing drinks at home — it depends on your experience, your mood, and even your worldview. For some, a Mojito is an overplayed classic; for others, it’s the refreshing taste of summer by the sea.
Most homemade cocktails are built around vodka, mainly because it’s the most accessible spirit. Other excellent bases include whisky, rum, tequila, and gin. With just a little preparation — picking up a couple of these spirits and some basic mixers — you can turn an ordinary evening with friends into something memorable. The trick lies in combining alcohol with simple extras that transform it into a cocktail worth savoring.

Examples of such cocktails include the well-known Gin and Tonic, Cuba Libre, Aperol Spritz, Whiskey and Cola, and Vodka with Cranberry Juice.

For instance, adding tonic and lemon to gin creates a refreshing drink, while mixing rum with cola and lime transforms it into the classic and intriguing Cuba Libre. To make an Aperol Spritz, you’ll need Aperol itself, Prosecco, sparkling water, and an orange slice. Whiskey and cola require just the two ingredients mentioned in the cocktail’s name. As for Vodka with Cranberry Juice, simply add a splash of lime juice to the mix for a balanced flavor.

Another popular choice among such cocktails is the famous Mojito, which is made with lime, brown sugar, mint, white rum, and sparkling water.

A girls’ night out is a little different from a casual evening with friends, and statistics show that it often calls for lighter, fruitier cocktails.
One of the most popular choices is the Mimosa — a simple mix of Prosecco and orange juice that has quickly become a go-to option for such gatherings.

Warto, poza tym, odejść od przyzwyczajeń i spróbować zrobić jeden z wymienionych niżej drinków. Bellini jest bardzo prostym drinkiem, zawierającym tylko 2 składniki, ale jeden z tych składników rzadko można spotkać „w każdej lodówce”. Warto jednak zaznaczyć, że połączenie musu brzoskwiniowego z Prosecco jest na tyle pyszne, że aż chce się pójść do sklepu po ten mus i zrobić ten koktajl samodzielnie.

Gotowane są też na kobiecych spotkaniach Hugo, Sangria z owocami i Cydr z grenadyną. Chociaż wiodące pozycje wśród listy koktajlów zajmują Martini, Sex on the Beach, Margarita. Przepisy na te drinki znajdują się niżej, razem z innymi dobrymi koktajlami.

Perfect for an evening at a table full of meat dishes and salads, Dry Martini is actually a universal cocktail suitable for any occasion. Made with gin and vermouth, this light drink offers notes of bitterness and a spicy undertone that pair perfectly with the freshness of citrus.

Preparing this cocktail is quite simple: for 60 ml of gin, add 10 ml of vermouth, pour it into a glass with ice, and garnish with a slice of lime. The classic Dry Martini is ready to serve!

Despite its intriguing name, the history of this cocktail isn’t particularly remarkable — though it does have a few interesting facts. First of all, Sex on the Beach appeared in the 1980s and became one of the symbols of the emerging nightclub culture. As this culture grew, so did the bar scene, shifting from classic cocktails to more exotic and colorful drinks — like Sex on the Beach.

The original recipe includes four key ingredients: vodka, peach liqueur, orange juice, and cranberry juice. To prepare it, pour 40 ml of cranberry juice into a glass with ice. Then, in a shaker (or a simple jar if you don’t have one), mix 40 ml of vodka, 20 ml of peach liqueur, and 40 ml of orange juice. Carefully pour the mixture from the shaker into the glass to keep it from blending too much with the cranberry juice. Garnish your cocktail with a flower or a slice of orange — and it’s ready to serve!

This Mexican cocktail, created in the 1930s, is not only still popular today but has also earned a place among the classic cocktails served in nearly every bar. Refreshing, vibrant, and full of energy, it perfectly combines tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice for a bold, invigorating flavor.

To prepare a classic Margarita, simply mix crushed ice, 40 ml of tequila, 20 ml of orange liqueur, and 20 ml of fresh lime juice in a shaker. And that’s it — quick, simple, and full of zest!

Made iconic by the TV series Sex and the City, the Cosmopolitan is often regarded as the epitome of elegance and femininity. While traditionally popular among women, it’s now enjoyed by anyone who appreciates a balanced sweet-and-sour cocktail.
Ingredients:

• 40 ml lemon vodka
• 15 ml orange liqueur
• 15 ml fresh lime juice
• 30 ml cranberry juice
• Ice

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a large cocktail glass. Add a garnish, and your Cosmopolitan is ready to serve.

A tropical, coconut-flavored cocktail that’s as eye-catching as it is sweet. The Malibu Sunrise became popular alongside Sex on the Beach, thanks to its striking gradient “sunrise” effect and refreshing flavor. Its simplicity has made it a favorite for at-home mixing.
Ingredients:

• 60 ml Malibu rum
• 90 ml pineapple juice
• 30 ml orange juice
• 30 ml grenadine syrup
• Cherry for garnish

Preparation:
Fill a glass with ice. Pour in Malibu first, then carefully layer the orange juice, followed by the pineapple juice. Slowly add grenadine so it settles at the bottom and creates the sunrise effect. Garnish with a cherry, and the Malibu Sunrise is ready!