Best Easy Vodka Recipes and Cocktails
Grab that dusty bottle of vodka and get ready to make some quick and easy, and totally delicious vodka recipes! These fun cocktails range from classic to unique but all can be made very quickly with no bartending skills required. Cheers to that!
Why these recipes work
These easy cocktails are perfect for people who love to make mixed drinks at home. From trying new craft methods to seeking new flavors, this list has vodka recipes that are simple to make but totally tasty.
These vodka drink recipes don’t require any legit bartending techniques (like the double strain) and are perfect for people who are just beginning to mix drinks. As a rule, I tend to only use a handful of tools so you should have everything you need in your bar to make these yummy concoctions like a cocktail shaker.
Aside from a few recipes that require freezing or cooling of a simple syrup, these recipes can be made quickly. Because the faster you make them, the faster you can enjoy them.
Vodka pairs with just about any fruit juice, works with milk-based cocktails and can be done as a shot (so I’ve heard – I would only try this in a Russian bar where I had to wear a fur coat and go into a freezer to do it.).
Vodka is a versatile cocktail ingredient and, especially when used in a mixed drink with other flavors, the flavor nuances can be harder to detect.
And you don’t need to buy an expensive bottle of vodka, but don’t buy the cheapest either.
From martinis and Moscow Mules to Vodka Soda, there are so many great vodka recipes that can be made! You won’t find a Bloody Mary on here. It’s just not my jam. Tomato juice doesn’t belong in great cocktail recipes. Ew.
Easy Vodka Recipes to Make at Home
Just 2 ingredients, this one of my favorite easy vodka recipes and is perfect for enjoying in the pool, on vacation or anywhere you want a refreshing and flavorful drink. Mix it right in a highball glass and sip away. A lemon wedge or slice is the perfect finishing touch.
Just a few ingredients is all you need to create an easy cocktail to serve at your next BBQ. Just grab a tall glass and your favorite black tea and spike it with vodka and a little bit of lemon juice.
Tart grapefruit juice and bubbly tonic water makes this cocktail light and refreshing! Sipping a Grapefruit Vodka Tonic from a rocks glass is a great way to kick back on a warm summer day.
This Blood Orange Vodka Martini has the prettiest color! The unique flavor of blood oranges, paired with orange liqueur, makes this vodka martini sweet, citrusy and a perfect happy hour drink idea. These also look pretty in a coupe glass or chilled martini glass. (You can use Triple Sec if you don’t have Cointreau!)
This vodka cocktail with blackberry and champagne is a fun twist on the classic sangria recipe. Made in a cocktail mixing glass, it has the perfect amount of fizz from champagne and soda water and flavor from fresh berries, this may just become your new favorite summer pitcher cocktail.
Another of the super simple vodka recipes has classic flavors that your taste buds already love. A Long Vodka is vodka based and lemonade to keep things super easy. A lemon twist or slice is a cool way to finish off this drink.
Pear juice is totally underrated in cocktails! This sweet drink with vodka is sure to be your new favorite! Plus it has edible flower confetti and makes the cocktail glass look awesome.
A mojito technically has rum, but I switched it out for vodka in this case. The Honeycrisp apple juice is so flavorful and muddled mint leaves adds another awesome layer of flavor. That hit of fresh mint garnish makes your nose happy. How cute would some apple slices be sticking out of the top of this? A handful of ice makes it super refreshing.
This is my most visited vodka cocktail recipe on the site! The colors are amazing and the crushed ice make this slushy, fruity drink summer ready!
I generally stay away from extra ingredients that might be harder to find but the hibiscus liquor is worth having around! It adds a delicious floral note with a touch of fruitiness and the color is delightful! (Plus I’ve used it in a variety of Hibiscus cocktails on the site!)
Need a fast drink idea? Make the classic Vodka and Orange Juice! Also known as a screwdriver, will quench your thirst like the rest of these easy vodka recipes. Add edible flowers or an orange slice for the perfect finishing touch.
A classic Vodka Gimlet is just what the doctor ordered! With a hint of Rose’s lime juice, this cocktail is more than just straight-up vodka. It’s quick, easy and more sippable than you may think!
If you love refreshing vodka recipes and don’t hate cucumber, this is your new favorite cocktail! This drink in particular is great for warmer weather!
With a sweet and fruity flavor with just a hint of floral, you’ll enjoy this unique Hibsicus Martini recipe. Plus, just look at that color!
A cucumber cocktail is super refreshing and one of my favorite vodka recipes to drink when the weather warms up. Add a little basil and lime juice and you’ve got the perfect summer sipper. A few cucumber slices make the perfect garnish.
The fresh mint and lime make this one of the most refreshing vodka recipes out there! It’s easy to make and the thing you want to be sipping in warm weather.
I LOVE to play around with wine cocktails and this one is delicious with my favorite Sauvignon Blanc, vodka and strawberries! YUM!
Apple juice isn’t just for playdates! Add a little vodka and a few fresh herbs and you’ve got a tasty cocktail with just a handful of ingredients!
An original Moscow Mule is always a good idea! With just a few ingredients, you get a ginger-y, minty drink best served in a cute copper mug! If you love ginger beer, you’ll love this classic cocktail idea.
Don’t forget to check out more classic Moscow Mules made with vodka:
- Strawberry Mint Moscow Mule
- Pineapple Moscow Mule
- Green Moscow Mule (this one is great for St. Patrick’s Day!)
- Lemon Blueberry Moscow Mule
- Kombucha Mule
- Pumpkin Spice Mule
- Holiday Mule
- Spiced Pear Mule
- Halloween Mule
Vodka recipes aren’t just for summer! This flavorful Cranberry Vodka Slush is a great holiday cocktail idea for all your winter entertaining. A homemade spiced cranberry juice is the perfect base and cinnamon sticks are the best garnish.
This hot Green Tea with Vodka is just what the doctor ordered. It’s perfect for sipping on a chilly evening.
The cool black color comes from activated charcoal. It’s perfect for Halloween but just skip that one ingredient and you’ve got a delicious vodka punch to serve all year long!
Lavender and lemon is one of my favorite flavor pairings! They make this Moscow Mule extra refreshing and full of unique flavor. It’s one of the vodka recipes I know you haven’t tried yet! Learn more about Haus here.
If you love a fruity cocktail, this yummy, citrusy cocktail with fruit punch and vodka is sure to please your tastebuds!
The flavor of this Oak by Absolut Vodka is aged like whiskey. It gives this Oak Mule a deeper taste that is unusual in most vodka recipes. It’s a must try!
This super simple Vodka and Coke recipe is one of the most visited on the site! It’s quick and refreshing and easy to add even more flavors too. Top it with a lime slice and you’re good to go. Try adding a little salt to the rim of the glass for an even more delicious cocktail experience.
Best you didn’t think cupcakes would end up on this list of vodka recipes but here they are! These Moscow Mule Cupcakes are infused with vodka! It’s a fun dessert to make for any celebration.
Another boozy treat! These White Russian Cupcakes with vodka are flavorful and perfect for sharing with friends.
Flavored Vodkas
You can make all of these drinks even more flavorful by using flavored vodkas, like vanilla vodka. You can use store-bought or make your own DIY Flavored Vodka.
Vodka Recipe Lists
Don’t forget to check out my seasonal lists of vodka recipes for even more tasty ideas.
- Refreshing Summer Vodka Drinks
- Vodka Drinks with Pineapple Juice
- Watermelon Recipes with Vodka
- Winter Vodka Cocktails
I’m sure you’ll find something that looks tasty on this list! These popular cocktails with vodka are so easy to make and are perfect for sharing with friends!
Top tips
- To make the best vodka cocktails, start with chilled vodka whenever possible.
- If you don’t like the taste of alcohol use around 1 ounce. It will blend better with the other flavors. Also don’t make something like a gimlet where it’s mostly vodka.
- If you like your cocktails on the strong side, use 1 1/2 – 2 ounces of vodka.
- Vodka can be made from a variety of things like potato, and flavor will vary slightly but can all be used in these vodka recipes.
This is personal preference but there are tons of great brands out there. I prefer Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Prairie Organic. I also like to chat with bartenders and ask them about their favorites.
And also, you can do online research to see what the experts have to say like in this Town and Country article on 10 Great Vodka Brands to check out.
There are about 64 calories for every 1 ounce of vodka (this can vary by proof and a few other factors) according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Vodka can be served neat (which means on it’s own – should be chilled), as a shot or in a cocktail.
Vodka should be stored at room temperature. It doesn’t need to be kept in the freezer but you can and it won’t damage it. It is best served chilled so you can put it in the freezer for an hour before serving and that will chill it enough.
Related recipes
Whether it is for tinctures or mixed drinks, I always have vodka on hand. I look forward to trying some of your best cocktails with vodka recipes. They do look delicious!