Tag: vodka

vodka

Vodka Gimlet | An Effortless 3-Ingredient Variation of a Timeless Classic Cocktail

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The Vodka Gimlet is a variation of the classic Gimlet using-- you guessed it-- vodka in lieu of gin. It's fresh, vibrant, and elegant. This rendition is perfect if you're looking to change things up, test drive a new vodka, or as an alternative for the imbiber who doesn't fancy the strong distinct taste of gin.

The Vodka Gimlet is a variation of the classic Gimlet using– you guessed it– vodka in lieu of gin. It’s fresh, vibrant, and elegant. This rendition is perfect if you’re looking to change things up, test drive a new vodka, or as an alternative for the imbiber who doesn’t fancy the strong distinct taste of gin.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

If you’ve been following along with me on my Instagram, receive my newsletter, or saw this Stork Club recipe post, you’ll know that I’ve been expecting a baby. Well, that baby is HERE!

While I was pregnant, I compiled a list of cocktail recipes made by my #drinkstagram friends. They all looked SO good and I was eagerly awaiting the day when I could safely enjoy them. That day has come. Technically. But the reality is that by the time evening comes around and both kids are in bed, I’m beat.

I have no physical or mental energy to spare on homemade ingredients and infusions. I don’t have the time for liquor store runs to purchase additional liqueurs and bitters, nor do I have extra cash laying around to pay for them. (Babies aren’t free– have you heard?)

I know one day I’ll be able to make all those recipes I’ve been drooling over. But for now, I’m at peace with my limitations. Limitations which are: minimal time + minimal ingredients.

Wouldn’t you know that classic cocktails are just that.

One of my all-time favorite cocktails is the gimlet. I was going to make myself one but then saw a new bottle of vodka sitting on my bar that has been waiting to be opened for months now.

Vodka is one of those spirits that I want to learn more about. I know that it can be distilled from a variety of ingredients (potatoes, wheat, grapes…) but it still mostly all tastes the same to me.

The Vodka Gimlet is a variation of the classic Gimlet using-- you guessed it-- vodka in lieu of gin. It's fresh, vibrant, and elegant. This rendition is perfect if you're looking to change things up, test drive a new vodka, or as an alternative for the imbiber who doesn't fancy the strong distinct taste of gin.

Howeverrrrr, when I opened up a bottle of vodka made from quinoa, my tune changed. The stuff tastes entirely unique. It’s got a unique earthy, mineral taste not common in vodka.

The best way to get a feel for a new-to-you spirit, after sipping it neat, is to use it in a classic cocktail. I plan on making a Lemon Drop using this quinoa vodka but thought that a Vodka Gimlet would be fun, too.

This was actually my first time trying a Vodka Gimlet and it was great. The quinoa lends some unique metallic notes to the drink while maintaining the tartness and crispness that I love in a classic Gimlet. I’ll definitely be trying out my other vodkas in a Vodka Gimlet to see how they all compare.

If you’re into the idea of a Vodka Gimlet, check out these other classic cocktail variations I’ve tried:

Have you ever made a Vodka Gimlet? Have you found that vodkas distilled from different ingredients produce a wildly different final product? Let me know in a comment– I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The Vodka Gimlet is a variation of the classic Gimlet using-- you guessed it-- vodka in lieu of gin. It's fresh, vibrant, and elegant. This rendition is perfect if you're looking to change things up, test drive a new vodka, or as an alternative for the imbiber who doesn't fancy the strong distinct taste of gin. | easy vodka recipes | classic vodka recipes

Vodka Gimlet

The Vodka Gimlet is a simple variation of the Gimlet, a classic cocktail. It's fresh, vibrant, and elegant. Since this drink only has 3 ingredients, using fresh lime juice will make all the difference.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz vodka
  • ¾ oz freshly-squeezed lime juice
  • ¾ oz simple syrup*

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker that's filled with ice.
  • Shake well, about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a coupe glass.
  • Garnish with a lime wheel.

Notes

*Making your own simple syrup is all too easy. Just add equal parts water and white sugar to a sauce pan. Heat until dissolved and let cool. 
Keyword gimlet, lime, lime juice, simple syrup, vodka, vodka gimlet

Ingredients to Make a Vodka Gimlet

  • 2 oz vodka
  • 3/4 oz freshly-squeezed lime juice (fresh makes all the difference)
  • 3/4 oz simple syrup (more or less to your liking)

How to Make a Vodka Gimlet

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker that’s filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

mocktail

Green Tea Moscow Mule | A Refreshing Cocktail or Mocktail Recipe Made with Green Tea

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This Green Tea Moscow Mule is a refreshing and unique take on the original. If you go the mocktail recipe route, you won’t even miss the alcohol thanks to the flavorful ginger, lime, and green tea juice concentrate.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

The Moscow Mule is one of the most classic–and popular– cocktails out there, and for good reason. It’s crisp, refreshing, and a breeze to make. There are a lot of Moscow Mule riffs out there. I’ve shared a few on the blog in the past. You can check them out here:

The original Moscow Mule recipe calls for 3 simple ingredients: vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer. They require no cocktail shaker or special tools and are really cost-effective to make at home since none of the ingredients are expensive or obscure.

This Green Tea Moscow Mule is just as easy and requires only one more ingredient: green tea concentrate. The one I used, which you can see in the picture below, was actually a Ginger Lime Moscow Mule tea concentrate and is part of their Mixology line. (This post is not sponsored by the way– I wish it was! hi Tazo, hmu). On the label, it says it has green tea, ginger, lime juice, and mint and it recommends serving it with seltzer. But I mean, how can you see a Moscow Mule-flavored tea and not make a Moscow Mule with it?

I bought it at Walmart but if you’re looking to order something from Amazon, I bet their green tea matcha latte concentrate would be pretty good in this recipe, too. Then you can muddle some fresh ginger and mint in it to give it all the flavors that the Moscow Mule tea has.

I made one cocktail version and one mocktail version. They were both amazing. In fact, I could hardly taste the difference between the two! But perhaps that’s because vodka typically doesn’t have a very overt flavor.

If you can find the Tazo Moscow Mule green tea concentrate at your store, buy it. And then make this Green Tea Moscow Mule recipe. I’m quite confident you’ll enjoy it.

Ingredients for a Green Tea Moscow Mule Recipe (and Mocktail Recipe Option)

  • 1 1/2 oz vodka (optional– leave out for a flavorful mocktail)
  • 2 oz Tazo Moscow Mule green tea concentrate*
  • 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
  • 3 + oz ginger beer
  • Garnish: fresh mint & lime wheel

*if you can’t find Tazo’s Moscow Mule green tea concentrate that’s part of their Mixology line, use a green tea concentrate instead and muddle a couple of slices of fresh ginger and mint before adding the ice and ginger beer to your glass.

How to Make a Green Tea Moscow Mule Recipe

Fill a copper mug with crushed ice. Add fresh lime juice, green tea concentrate, & vodka (optional). Top off the rest of the mug with ginger beer. Stir to incorporate. Garnish with fresh mint and a lime wheel.

Green Tea Moscow Mule

This Green Tea Moscow Mule is a refreshing and flavorful take on the original recipe with earthy green tea, zesty ginger, bright lime juice, and fresh mint.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz vodka (optional– leave out for a flavorful mocktail)
  • 2 oz Tazo Moscow Mule green tea concentrate*
  • ¾ oz fresh lime juice
  • 3+ oz ginger beer

Instructions
 

  • Fill a copper mug with crushed ice.
  • Add fresh lime juice, green tea concentrate, & vodka (optional).
  • Top off the rest of the mug with ginger beer.
  • Stir to incorporate.
  • Garnish with fresh mint and a lime wheel.

Notes

*if you can’t find Tazo’s Moscow Mule green tea concentrate that’s part of their Mixology line, use a green tea concentrate instead and muddle a couple of slices of fresh ginger and mint before adding the ice and ginger beer to your glass.
Keyword cucumber-infused vodka, ginger beer, green tea, green tea concentrate, green tea moscow mule, lime juice, moscow mule

If you love the taste of a Moscow Mule, try out its rum cousin, the Dark & Stormy. And if you already know you love Dark & Stormy’s check out one of my all-time favorite cocktails: the Sea Monster.

mocktail

Ocean Water Cocktail & Mocktail Recipe | A Healthy 4 or 5-Ingredient Drink Made with Spira Electric Sky Natural Blue Pigment

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This Ocean Water cocktail and mocktail recipe are based on Sonic's famous beverage with the same name.And this one is naturally-colored thanks to Spira's Electric Sky pigment. It's well-balanced between tart and sweet and is healthier than the original version. Keep reading to find out how to make Sonic's famous blue coconut-flavored drink at home.

This Ocean Water cocktail and mocktail recipe are based on Sonic’s famous beverage with the same name. And this one is naturally-colored thanks to the Spira Electric Sky pigment. It’s well-balanced between tart and sweet and is healthier than the original version. Keep reading to find out how to make Sonic’s famous blue coconut-flavored drink at home.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions of Spira are my own. Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

If you’ve ever been to Sonic, you’ve heard of (& most likely tried) their famous Ocean Water. It’s super refreshing. A little tart, a little sweet. A perfect touch of tropical coconut. But there’s one problem I have with it. It’s blue.

When I was real young– I’m talking 5 or 6– blue-colored things didn’t bother me. I wouldn’t think twice before swiping a sour blue raspberry gel while waiting in line at Blockbuster to rent the latest Mary Kate and Ashley movie. But it didn’t take me too long to realize that the vibrant blue used in various foods and beverages is NOT natural. Raspberries aren’t blue. Neither are coconuts.

Now, I know that most red dye is not natural either. But my brain can make allowances because red foods like strawberries are pretty dang red. But blue stuff? No. I just can’t. Even blueberries and blackberries don’t make stuff that color blue.

It’s an unfortunate thing that Sonic uses blue coconut in their famous drink because I love the flavor of Ocean Water. In the past, I’ve ordered it and closed my eyes while I drank it. But eventually, I stopped that because I couldn’t abide that much artificial coloring. It’s the same reason I renounce all the tropical blue cocktail drinks.

This Ocean Water cocktail and mocktail recipe are based on Sonic's famous beverage with the same name.And this one is naturally-colored thanks to Spira's Electric Sky pigment. It's well-balanced between tart and sweet and is healthier than the original version. Keep reading to find out how to make Sonic's famous blue coconut-flavored drink at home.
Photo courtesy of Spira and Sasha Fishman

But then…. then I learned that there actually IS a naturally-derived electric blue pigment. What?! A natural blue? That I can put in foods and drinks? Turns out Spira discovered how to turn spirulina algae into a bright blue. They sent me a sample of their Electric Sky pigment and I am forever grateful. Now I’ll not only have a way to make fun blue cocktails, but I can use it to safely dye my kid’s cupcakes, play doughs, homemade bath fizzies, and anything else I want!

Y’all. Spira’s Electric Sky could replace Blue Dye #1 one day. How awesome would that be? No more fake dyes in our foods. No more synthetic dye sensitivities or allergies. This stuff could revolutionize the industry. Beyond the fact that it’s free of the fake stuff, it’s also plant-based, vegan, is sustainably-produced with no petroleum-based ingredients (🙌), and even has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Yep. It looks cool and it’s good for you, too. Can’t get much better than that.

Seeing as how this is a cocktail blog, I figured I would make a boozy version of my old childhood go-to. This Ocean Water cocktail is sure to refresh you and remind you of warmer days. And if you want to keep things real refreshing, just leave out the booze. I actually made it without alcohol the first time and it was amazing.

Like I mentioned, this Ocean Water cocktail (or mocktail) is healthier than it’s namesake (I mean… minus the alcohol). Instead of using coconut flavoring, I used real coconut water. I did try making this with lime sparkling water instead of Sprite and it was alright– I definitely preferred the Sprite version. But you can use sparkling water if you want it to be healthier. And the star of the show, the Electric Sky pigment, kept me from having to use artificial blue dye #1 to get the original blue look.

This Ocean Water cocktail and mocktail recipe are based on Sonic's famous beverage with the same name.And this one is naturally-colored thanks to Spira's Electric Sky pigment. It's well-balanced between tart and sweet and is healthier than the original version. Keep reading to find out how to make Sonic's famous blue coconut-flavored drink at home.

To order your own natural blue pigment, head here to Spira’s website.

Ingredients for an Ocean Water Cocktail or Mocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz white rum or vodka (optional)
  • 2 1/2 oz sweetened coconut water
  • 3 oz Sprite or lemon-lime soda
  • juice from 1/2 a lime
  • 1/8 teaspoon Spira Electric Sky (natural blue pigment)

How to Make an Ocean Water Cocktail or Mocktail

Add all ingredients to a highball glass without ice. Stir well until the Spira Electric Sky pigment is dissolved. Slowly add ice to fill the glass. Garnish with a lime twist and a paper straw.

Ocean Water Cocktail or Mocktail

A healthier version of Sonic's famous Ocean Water drink made with Spira's Electric Sky all-natural blue pigment. Make it boozy by adding alcohol or enjoy it without.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz white rum or vodka (optional)
  • 2½ oz coconut water, sweetened
  • 3 oz Sprite or lemon-lime soda
  • â…› teaspoon 1/8 teaspoon Spira Electric Sky (powdered natural blue dye)

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a highball glass without ice.
  • Stir well until the Spira Electric Sky pigment is dissolved.
  • Slowly add ice to fill the glass.
  • Garnish with a lime twist and a paper straw.
Keyword lemon-lime soda, lime, lime juice, natural blue dye, natural blue pigment, ocean water, ocean water cocktail, sparkling coconut water, Spira, Spira Electric Blue, Sprite
This Ocean Water cocktail and mocktail recipe are based on Sonic's famous beverage with the same name.And this one is naturally-colored thanks to Spira's Electric Sky pigment. It's well-balanced between tart and sweet and is healthier than the original version. Keep reading to find out how to make Sonic's famous blue coconut-flavored drink at home.

If you’re looking for another easy mocktail recipe, check out my Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer.

vodka

Christmas in Cape Cod – A Cape Codder Holiday Cocktail Recipe with Mocktail Option

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Christmas in Cape Cod is a holiday cocktail recipe that's a take on an old classic-- the Cape Codder. It's a delicious cocktail to make with vodka, cranberry juice, a cranberry red wine reduction syrup, and lime juice. See the mocktail version to learn how to make this recipe alcohol-free.

Christmas in Cape Cod is a holiday cocktail recipe that’s a take on an old classic– the Cape Codder. It’s a delicious cocktail to make with vodka, cranberry juice, a cranberry red wine reduction syrup, and lime juice. See the mocktail version to learn how to make this recipe alcohol-free.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

We’re well into the holiday season and I’ve yet to make a Christmas-y drink. I know. I’ve been wasting precious days. But I’m gonna try to make up for it. While a Cape Codder is not traditionally a holiday cocktail recipe, adding some cranberry red wine reduction syrup gives it that feel.

I’d been looking for ways to use up the last 1/2 oz of my cranberry red wine reduction syrup for several days before I thought of this Christmas in Cape Cod idea. The syrup is so good, y’all. So good. It was fantastic in The Bride Wore Red and in this mocktail recipe. But I wanted to really highlight the cranberry flavor in the syrup. There’s no more classic cranberry cocktail recipe than a Cape Codder.

The Cape Codder was also previously called the Red Devil. Apparently, the name change came about in the 60s because Cape Cod, Massachusetts is pretty well-known for its cranberries. My Instagram friend, @risajamesphotography, has a better theory. She said her guess is that’s because the drink was created during the Cold War, and Red Devil had too much of a Communist slant to it. I can’t help but think there could be some truth in that, too!

Risa is also the reason I served this cocktail in the glassware that I did. She told me that she loved my peacock glasses so much that she’d plan recipes around them. And then she proceeded to send me the link to a Cape Codder recipe saying “Make this drink in the peacock glass!” Well Risa, done & done. Thanks for the suggestion!

If you want to make a traditional Cape Codder, just leave out the lemon-lime soda and the cranberry red wine reduction syrup.

I also made a mocktail version of this. I’ve included both recipes below.

Ingredients for a Christmas in Cape Cod – Mocktail Version

  • 2 oz cranberry juice
  • 1/2 oz lime juice
  • 2 heaping bar spoons of cranberry sauce
  • 2+ oz lime sparkling water

How to Make a Christmas in Cape Cod – Mocktail Version

Add the cranberry juice, cranberry sauce, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a highball glass that’s filled with ice. Top off the glass with the lime sparkling water.

Ingredients for a Christmas in Cape Cod

  • 2 oz vodka
  • 3 oz cranberry juice
  • 1/2 oz lime juice
  • 1/4 oz cranberry red wine reduction syrup (or 2 heaping bar spoons of cranberry sauce)

How to Make a Christmas in Cape Cod

Add the vodka, cranberry juice, cranberry red wine reduction syrup, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a highball glass that’s filled with ice.

Christmas in Cape Cod is a holiday cocktail recipe that's a take on an old classic-- the Cape Codder. It's a delicious cocktail to make with vodka, cranberry juice, a cranberry red wine reduction syrup, and lime juice. See the mocktail version to learn how to make this recipe alcohol-free.

Christmas in Cape Cod

A holiday twist on a classic Cape Codder recipe. See notes for a mocktail verison.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz vodka
  • 3 oz cranberry juice
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • ¼ oz cranberry red wine reduction syrup*

Instructions
 

  • Add the vodka, cranberry juice, cranberry red wine reduction syrup, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well, about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a highball glass that's filled with ice.

Notes

*For the cranberry red wine reduction syrup recipe, click here. 

For a mocktail version:

Ingredients
  • 2 oz cranberry juice
  • 1/2 oz lime juice
  • 2 heaping bar spoons of cranberry sauce
  • 2+ oz lime sparkling water
Instructions 
Add the cranberry juice, cranberry sauce, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a highball glass that’s filled with ice. Top off the glass with the lime sparkling water.
Keyword Cape Cod, Cape Codder, cranberry juice, cranberry red wine reduction syrup, cranberry sauce, lime, vodka
vodka

Spiced Pear Cocktail | The Best Fall Cocktail Recipe with 5 Simple Ingredients

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This simple spiced pear cocktail is an easy fall cocktail made with vodka, fresh pear, cinnamon simple syrup, and a splash of ginger beer.

This simple spiced pear cocktail is made with vodka, fresh pear, cinnamon simple syrup, and a splash of ginger beer. It’s sweet and warming–the perfect cocktail to sip on a crisp autumn evening.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

More days than not, it’s feeling like fall here in Texas. Finally. I mean, we’re already halfway through season and I wore boots for the first time this morning. Granted, it’ll be too warm for me to wear this afternoon when I do my grocery pick-up but it was a momentous occasion nonetheless.

Few things embody the flavor of fall to me the way cinnamon does. I recently made some cinnamon simple syrup to put in a spiced pomegranate cocktail and I’ve been itching to use it in another cocktail recipe ever since. Pears and cinnamon are a match made in heaven. After making this spiced pear cocktail I can’t stop thinking about how it tastes like a spiced poached pear in liquid form. I think I’ll be making this easy recipe soon because now I’m dying to have one in, well, edible form.

This spiced pear cocktail recipe would be a great cocktail to serve on Thanksgiving. It’s also easy to make ahead of time so you can spend less time mixing drinks and more time mixing it up with your guests (see what I did there?). Simply multiply the ingredients by the number of guests you’ll be serving and add all of the ingredients except for the ginger beer to a large pitcher. When you’re ready to serve the cocktail, pour into a lowball glass and add about an inch of ginger beer into each glass.

This simple spiced pear cocktail is an easy fall cocktail made with vodka, fresh pear, cinnamon simple syrup, and a splash of ginger beer.

Alternatively, you can serve this cocktail on a coupe glass without ice and add only a splash of ginger beer. This cocktail is honestly delicious both ways!

If you make this spiced pear cocktail, be sure to tag me on Instagram and let me know in a comment down below!

Cheers!

This simple spiced pear cocktail is an easy fall cocktail made with vodka, fresh pear, cinnamon simple syrup, and a splash of ginger beer.

Ingredients for a Spiced Pear Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz vodka
  • 3/4 oz fresh pear juice*
  • 1/4 oz lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz cinnamon simple syrup
  • splash of ginger beer

*If you don’t have a juicer, store-bought will work. If it’s not in your store’s juice aisle, check the baby section. If you can’t find it, apple cider will taste great, too!

How to Make a Spiced Pear Cocktail

Add the vodka, pear juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon simple syrup to a cocktail shaker that’s filled with ice. Shake well, about 15-20 seconds. Strain the cocktail into a coupe glass. Add a splash of ginger beer. Garnish with a dehydrated pear.

Spiced Pear Cocktail Recipe

An easy vodka cocktail made with pear juice, cinnamon simple syrup, and ginger beer.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz vodka
  • ¾ oz fresh pear juice*
  • ¼ oz fresh lemon juice
  • ½ oz cinnamon simple syrup**
  • 1 oz ginger beer

Instructions
 

  • Add the vodka, pear juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon simple syrup to a cocktail shaker that's filled with ice.
  • Shake well, about 15-20 seconds.
  • Strain the cocktail into a lowball glass.
  • Top off the glass with ginger beer.
  • Garnish with a dehydrated pear or a slice of fresh pear.

Notes

*If you don’t have a juicer, store-bought will work. If it’s not in your store’s juice aisle, check the baby section. If you can’t find it, apple cider will taste great, too!
**Making cinnamon simple syrup at home is very easy. Find the 2 ingredient recipe here. 
Keyword cinnamon, cinnamon simple syrup, ginger beer, lemon, lemon juice, pear, pear juice, spiced pear cocktail, vodka