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Learn a dozen classic cocktails and you can make something for almost any guest or occasion. Most of these drinks have been around for a century or more because they’re simple and balanced, and they’re built on a few patterns you can reuse: spirit plus sweet plus sour, or spirit plus a modifier, stirred.
Each recipe below gives a standard spec, whether to shake or stir, and a zero-proof swap so everyone at the table gets a great drink. Cocktails are for adults of legal drinking age (21 in the US). Measure with a jigger: 1 oz is about 30 ml.
Shake or stir?
Shake drinks that contain citrus, juice, syrup, dairy or egg white. Fill the shaker with ice and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds. Stir drinks made only of spirits and modifiers, such as a Martini or Manhattan. Stir with ice for about 20 to 30 seconds until well chilled. If you need the gear, see our list of home bar essentials.
Stirred classics
1. Old Fashioned
2 oz bourbon or rye, 1/4 oz simple syrup, 2 dashes aromatic bitters. Stir with ice, strain over a large cube and express an orange peel over the top.
Zero-proof swap: strong brewed black tea with a touch of demerara syrup and an orange peel. Aromatic bitters are usually high-proof, so leave them out for a true zero-proof drink.
2. Manhattan
2 oz rye, 1 oz sweet vermouth, 2 dashes aromatic bitters. Stir and strain into a chilled coupe; garnish with a cherry.
Zero-proof swap: a non-alcoholic red aperitif with a splash of cold-brew tea.
3. Martini
2 1/2 oz gin, 1/2 oz dry vermouth. Stir and strain into a chilled glass; garnish with a lemon twist or olive.
Zero-proof swap: a non-alcoholic gin alternative, very cold, with a few drops of olive brine.
4. Negroni
1 oz gin, 1 oz Campari, 1 oz sweet vermouth. Stir and strain over ice; garnish with an orange slice.
Zero-proof swap: a non-alcoholic bitter aperitivo with soda water and an orange slice.
Shaken sours
5. Daiquiri
2 oz white rum, 1 oz fresh lime juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe.
Zero-proof swap: lime, simple syrup and a splash of coconut water, shaken hard.
6. Margarita
2 oz blanco tequila, 1 oz lime juice, 3/4 oz orange liqueur. Shake and strain over ice, with a salt rim if you like.
Zero-proof swap: lime, fresh orange juice and a little agave syrup, topped with soda water.
7. Whiskey Sour
2 oz bourbon, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup, optional egg white. Shake without ice first if using egg white, then shake again with ice.
Zero-proof swap: cold black tea, lemon and syrup, with aquafaba (chickpea water) for foam.
Tall and sparkling
8. Tom Collins
2 oz gin, 1 oz lemon juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup. Shake, strain into a tall glass over ice and top with soda.
Zero-proof swap: the same, without the gin, plus cucumber slices.
9. Mojito
2 oz white rum, 3/4 oz lime juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup, 6 to 8 mint leaves. Press the mint gently, add ice and rum, and top with soda.
Zero-proof swap: a “Nojito”: skip the rum and add more soda.
10. Moscow Mule
2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz lime juice, about 4 oz ginger beer. Build over ice in a mug or highball.
Zero-proof swap: ginger beer and lime, which is delicious on its own.
11. French 75
1 oz gin, 1/2 oz lemon juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup. Shake, strain into a flute and top with about 3 oz Champagne.
Zero-proof swap: non-alcoholic sparkling wine over lemon and syrup.
12. Paloma
2 oz blanco tequila, 1/2 oz lime juice, a pinch of salt, topped with grapefruit soda over ice.
Zero-proof swap: grapefruit soda, lime and salt.
A note on strength
Many classic specs use 2 oz of spirit. A US standard drink is 1.5 oz of 80-proof spirit, so a drink like a Manhattan or Margarita is more than one standard drink. Smaller pours, a glass of water between drinks and a good zero-proof option make for a better evening for everyone.
Batching classics for guests
Stirred drinks such as the Negroni and Manhattan batch beautifully. Multiply the recipe by the number of servings, add about 20 percent water to stand in for the dilution you’d get from stirring, and chill the bottle in the fridge. Pour over ice or into chilled glasses when guests arrive. For shaken drinks, mix the spirit and syrup ahead but add fresh citrus no more than a few hours before serving, and shake to order. Make a zero-proof batch at the same time so non-drinkers have something just as good to pour. Our guide to holiday party bartending has more batching tips.
Our picks
For brighter citrus drinks
C&S Oleo Saccharum is an alcohol-free citrus syrup made with lemon and orange oils, lemongrass, cardamom and ginger. Use it in place of simple syrup in a Tom Collins, Daiquiri or French 75, or in their zero-proof versions.
For your next hundred classics
The Madrusan Cocktail Companion by Michael and Zara Madrusan collects more than 2,800 drinks with contributions from bartenders around the world. It’s a reference to grow into once you’ve mastered these twelve.
For accurate pours
The Cocktail Measuring Rocks Glass is a 10.25 oz rocks glass etched with ounce and metric lines, handy for building an Old Fashioned or Negroni right in the glass.
Shop the gear
Heads up: NicheStuff is our own shop, so we earn from purchases made through these links. Please drink responsibly; alcohol is for adults 21 and over.
FAQ
What are the easiest classic cocktails for beginners?
The Daiquiri, Tom Collins and Moscow Mule. Each uses a few ingredients and a simple technique.
Which glass should I use for each drink?
Coupes for shaken drinks served up, rocks glasses for drinks over a large cube, and tall glasses for anything topped with soda. Our bar glassware guide has the details.
Where can I learn more classic recipes?
Start with a beginner book; our list of bartending books for beginners has three picks.
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