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37 Vodka Cocktails That Will Appeal to Martini Lovers and Mule Stans Alike

Vodka: We use it to polish cutlery, make pie crust impossibly flaky and, most importantly, to perfect homemade tomato sauce. But when it comes to cocktails, we usually don’t venture past the trusty vodka soda (with a spritz of lime, obvi). It’s a shame though, since vodka is distilled multiple times to get a clean, smooth flavor that can pair well with just about anything. Whether you’re shaking up an espresso martini or sangria for a crowd, here are 37 vodka cocktails to try.

41 Brunch Cocktails That Blow Basic Mimosas Out of the Water


1. Beer Bloody Mary

The addition of your favorite pale lager makes this brunch classic a million times more refreshing. But don’t worry: It still starts with two fingers of vodka.

2. Raspberry-lime Champagne Punch

Sling eight drinks faster than you can say, “cheers.” Tonic water adds just enough bitterness to cut through the fresh lime juice.

3. Cranberry-mint Holiday Punch

Hello, holiday happy hour. You’ll have plenty of free time to mingle and nosh on appetizers, since your guests will be serving their own cocktails.

4. Boozy Lemonade Granita

Summer’s official drink is all grown up, thanks to a generous dose of vodka. Bonus points for sipping it out of a hollowed-out lemon instead of a glass.

5. Portable Summer Sippers

Your annual barbecue just got a lot more exciting. Just make the big-batch cocktail of your choice, pour it into plastic drink bags and freeze until you’re ready to serve.

6. Frozen Cantaloupe Cocktail

Summer melon meets canned coconut cream, vodka and fresh citrus for a frosty bev you’ll never grow tired of. Don’t skimp on the pink peppercorn rim.

7. Sparkling Rosé Jell-o

Remember those Jell-O shots you were famous for making in college? These are just like that, only much more elegant.

8. Bloody Mango Cocktail

Mary is living her best life, thanks to mango nectar. It’s just the sweet mixer this spicy, acidic cocktail needs.

9. Aloha Screwdriver

The O.G. is nothing but orange juice and vodka, but this rendition is spiced up with pineapple juice and fresh mint.

10. Watermelon-mint Vodka Ice Pops

These pops have a secret ingredient that imparts delicate floral flavor: rose water. (BTW, if you need help cubing the watermelon, follow our handy guide.)

11. Zero-sugar Spritz, Three Ways

Starring Smirnoff Zero Sugar Infusions. Choose your fighter: cucumber-lime, strawberry-rose or watermelon-mint.

12. Cranberry Moscow Mule

This ginger beer cocktail is famous for its spicy, citrusy flavor, but just wait until you try it with sweet-tart cranberry juice in the mix.

13. Rosemary-infused Champagne Cocktail

Due to its neutral flavor, vodka can be infused with all types of fruits, vegetables and spices. Here, it’s soaked with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary overnight, then topped with bubbly.

14. Watermelon Mojito Slushies

Watermelon-mint vodka takes over for standard rum. Run your blender on the highest speed for slushies, so the ice breaks up and each drink gets a frothy head.

15. Balsamic Peach Spritz

Peach jam, white balsamic vinegar and prosecco unite for a summery cocktail that tastes even more delicious when sipped outdoors.

16. Cosmopolitans

It’s Carrie Bradshaw’s go-to for a reason. The recipe calls for usual suspects like orange liqueur, fresh lime and cranberry juice, but we urge you use quality citrus vodka (like Absolut Citron) as well if you have it.

17. Blackberry Punch

Raspberry vodka meets homemade blackberry simple syrup for a 20-serving cocktail that’s sure to be a hit at your next dinner party.

18. Tropical White Moscato Sangria

Between the mango, pineapple and coconut water, this sipper tastes like a day at the beach.

19. Espresso Martini

This caffeinated cocktail is having a bit of a renaissance at the moment. Spring for vanilla-flavored vodka if you can—it pairs beautifully with Kahlúa.

20. Pumpkin Patch Punch

Serve it at Thanksgiving dinner or a swanky Halloween party. Either way, your guests will love this apple cider-based bev, spiked with pumpkin butter and brandy.

21. Tito’s Colada

When it comes to piña coladas, we usually lean on the original recipe from the Puerto Rican hotel bar that invented it. But we can totally get down with this three-ingredient alternative too.

22. Iced Tea Cocktail

Chalk all its flavor up to steeping loose-leaf tea in vodka for a few hours. Feel free to spruce it up with peach simple syrup, fresh mint or lemon juice.

23. Limoncello

For the uninitiated, limoncello is an Italian liqueur that’s made by soaking lemon zest and sugar in alcohol. While grappa, a type of grape brandy, is a popular choice, vodka works just as well.

24. Blood Orange Champagne Mule

Does it get more wintry than fresh blood orange juice and ginger beer? We think not. These beauties have New Year’s Eve written all over them.

25. Red Pepper Martini

For those who like it spicy. Not only is the cocktail finished with a dash of hot sauce, but the recipe also calls for muddling fresh bell and jalapeño peppers.

26. Summer Fruit And Berry Sangria

Bring on the fresh stone fruit (peaches! nectarines! plums!), summer raspberries and your favorite bottle of rosé.

27. Hibiscus Cherry Vodka Spritz

Sure, we love hibiscus flowers for their signature tart flavor. But just look at the gorgeous pink color it gives the cherry syrup.

28. Lemon Drop Martini

Fresh citrus juice goes a long way in cocktails. Here, mouth-puckering lemon tames boozy vodka and a sweet sugar rim.

29. The Best Bloody Mary

Where should we start, the cocktail shrimp, bacon strips, pepperoncinis or blue cheese-stuffed olives? (Oh, and we should mention that it’s made with pickle-infused vodka to boot.)

30. Ginger Apple Moscow Mule

Fall ingredients pair brilliantly with ginger beer, and that includes apple cider, apple butter, grated ginger and cinnamon.

31. Guava Watermelon Martini

The recipe comes together in a flash, thanks to store-bought watermelon-berry juice. But feel free to purée your own fresh watermelon juice if you’re feeling ambitious.

32. Grapefruit White Wine Spritzer

Deep Eddy’s grapefruit vodka is a solid choice to have in your bar cart since it’s made with real grapefruit. But you could substitute fresh grapefruit juice and plain vodka if you’d prefer.

33. Orange Pineapple Moscow Mule

Shake it up in five minutes by using store-bought juices or take the time to squeeze your own for unbeatable flavor.

34. Apple Pie Moonshine

Just the libation to wash down all that leftover Halloween candy with. It’ll stay good for a few weeks if stored in the fridge.

35. Chocolate Pecan Cream Martini

Any cocktail that doubles as dessert is right down our alley. Think a blend of crème de cocoa, pecan liqueur and rum cream liqueur.

36. Vanilla Chai Tea White Russian

Chai-honey simple syrup + vodka + heavy cream = a decadent drink for the books. Feel free to add iced coffee for extra caffeine.

37. Boozy Blueberry Pancake Milkshake

Hey now, hey now, this is what dreams are made of. Not only does the milkshake get a few tablespoons of maple syrup, but also a dash of butter extract to nail that pancake-inspired flavor.



taryn pire

Food Editor

Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...