21 must-try cocktail recipes, from margaritas and martinis to Negronis
21 classic cocktail recipes everyone should be sipping throughout the year
We love a good classic cocktail here at Good Housekeeping and, whatever the occasion, our ultimate guide to the world’s most iconic cocktails has you covered. Whether you’re in the mood for timeless favourites like the punchy margarita, refreshing classics like the mojito or summer staples such as the caipirinha, you’ll find all the drinks worth knowing right here.
Martini
Thanks to James Bond, it’s one of the most famous cocktails around. Using just two ingredients and garnished with an olive, it’s the perfect smooth apéritif.
Recipe: Martini
Margarita
A favourite to order at the bar but so simple to make at home, our margarita cocktail recipe is speedy to rustle up and looks impressive with a signature salt rim and thinly sliced lime.
Recipe: Margarita
Mojito
Bring the holiday vibes no matter what the season with this super refreshing cocktail. It’s full of zesty lime and soda water mix, with the white rum adding a lovely sweetness.
Recipe: Mojito
Classic negroni
A negroni is an absolute classic cocktail and a very popular choice for bars and restaurants all over the world. It’s one of our favourite cocktails and our recipe couldn’t be easier to make.
Recipe: Negroni
Espresso martini
This classic vodka-based cocktail is perfect if you love all things coffee. It makes a great drink at the beginning of a night out or the perfect end to a meal, plus it only takes five minutes to whip up.
Recipe: Espresso martini
Aperol spritz
This ‘sunshine in a glass’ orange cocktail, that uses the Italian apéritif Aperol as its base, is perfect for any summer gathering.
Recipe: Aperol spritz
Piña colada
Originating from Puerto Rico, this cocktail will transport you straight to the dreamy white sands of the beach. With its simple mix of pineapple juice, coconut cream and rum, you’ll think you’re on a tropical island, no matter the weather.
Recipe: Piña colada
Cosmopolitan
Made iconic by the hit television show Sex And The City, this vibrant pink drink is a delicious addition to any cocktail party.
Recipe: Cosmopolitan
Bloody Mary
Another one for the brunch menu or for those guest that don’t have a sweet tooth. This savoury classic hits different with spicy Tabasco and umami Worcestershire sauce flavouring the fruity tomato juice.
Recipe: Bloody Mary
White Russian
Traditionally made by marbling or stirring cream into the cocktail, we’ve topped ours with squirty cream so you sip the intense coffee mixture through it. Yum!
Recipe: White Russian
Frozen strawberry daiquiri
A boozy treat for two, this strawberry daiquiri is the ultimate feelgood cocktail and couldn’t be easier. Just whiz everything up in a food blender and enjoy.
Recipe: Frozen strawberry daiquiri
Bellini
There’s nothing like the perfect Bellini, from the ingredients, to the mixing technique, to the best type of glass to use – we have you covered and answers all the questions.
Recipe: Bellini
Sangria
Nothing gets the party started quite like a pitcher of sangria. Our recipe uses red wine, sweet sherry, lemonade and is topped off with refreshing fruit to create an easy crowd-pleaser that goes perfectly with a tapas night.
Recipe: Sangria
White wine sangria
Our white wine sangria recipe takes a tropical twist with the addition of pineapple juice, Cointreau and kiwis. It’s the perfect addition to any party you might be hosting.
Recipe: White wine sangria
The perfect Pimm’s
Pimm’s has become as synonymous with British summertime as picnics in the park, barbecued burgers and Wimbledon. This cocktail is incredibly easy to make at home and perfect when you need to quench the thirst of a crowd.
Recipe: The perfect Pimm’s
Hugo spritz
This modern classic is the cousin to the Aperol spritz. It combines elderflower liqueur, prosecco, soda water and is all topped off with refreshing mint and lime to make the ultimate apéritif.
Recipe: Hugo spritz
Negroni sbagliato
Very similar to a Negroni cocktail (which uses gin, vermouth and Campari) but a sbagliato replaces the gin with prosecco, resulting in a lighter and slightly fizzy highball drink.
Recipe: Negroni sbagliato
French martini
Try something with a little je ne sais quoi to set the mood. This vodka-based cocktail is sweet and fruity thanks to the raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice.
Recipe: French martini
Buck’s fizz
This delicious Champagne cocktail isn’t just for Christmas. It’s the perfect cocktail to start a gathering or to serve alongside your weekend brunch.
Recipe: Buck’s fizz
Caipirinha
If you’re a fan of the mojito, this is your next drink to try! As Brazil’s national cocktail, it’s a sweet, zesty drink that’s sure to transport you straight to the beach during the coldest months and only requires 3 ingredients.
Recipe: Caipirinha
Chloe is our Food Content Producer at Good Housekeeping, where she develops, tests and creates recipes that are as reliable as they are delicious. After studying Culinary Arts, she began her career as a cookery teacher before moving into recipe development. Over the past decade, she’s worked with some of the UK’s leading food brands and previously created food content for Red, Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Country Living, where you may have spotted her on their social channels. Raised in a family of chefs, Chloe’s love of food was inevitable. She’s the person friends and family turn to for recipe ideas, cooking advice and help rescuing kitchen mishaps. She believes food is so much more than fuel – it’s an experience, a way to bring people together and the maker of life’s best memories.
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