12 Best Vodka Cocktails (Easy Recipes You'll Actually Make)

Vodka is clean and neutral, so it lets other flavors shine: ginger, coffee, cranberry, tomato, citrus. That makes it one of the easiest spirits to mix with. Here are 12 vodka cocktails that are easy to make and loved everywhere.

Tall and Refreshing

1. Moscow Mule

Vodka, ginger beer and lime. Spicy, cold and fizzy. Build 45 ml vodka, 10 ml lime and 120 ml ginger beer over ice. A copper mug is classic. Moscow Mule recipe.

2. Sea Breeze

Vodka, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice. Fruity, tart and light. Perfect for summer. Sea Breeze recipe.

3. Bloody Mary

Vodka, tomato juice, lemon, Worcestershire, hot sauce and spices. Savory and spicy. The king of brunch drinks. Bloody Mary recipe.

Shaken and Fruity

4. Cosmopolitan

Citrus vodka, orange liqueur, lime and cranberry. Pink, tart and stylish. Made famous by 1990s TV. Cosmopolitan recipe.

5. Lemon Drop

Vodka, triple sec and fresh lemon, often with a sugar rim. Sweet-tart like a lemon candy. Lemon Drop recipe.

6. French Martini

Vodka, raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice. Fruity with a light foam on top. French Martini recipe.

7. Passion Fruit Martini (Porn Star Martini)

Vanilla vodka, passion fruit liqueur, passion fruit purée and vanilla sugar, with a shot of Champagne on the side. Tropical, sweet and fun. A modern London classic. Recipe.

Rich and Creamy

8. Espresso Martini

Vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and syrup. Rich, cold and foamy. How to get the perfect foam.

9. White Russian

Vodka, coffee liqueur and cream. Like an iced coffee milkshake for adults. White Russian recipe.

10. Black Russian

Vodka and coffee liqueur over ice. The White Russian without cream. Simple and strong. Black Russian recipe.

Strong and Sparkling

11. Vesper

Gin, vodka and a French aperitif wine. James Bond's drink from the first Bond novel. Strong and crisp. Vesper recipe.

12. Russian Spring Punch

Vodka, lemon, crème de cassis and sugar, topped with sparkling wine. Berry-flavored and bubbly. Great for parties. Russian Spring Punch recipe.

Choosing a Vodka for Cocktails

Mid-range is fine. Vodka's job in most cocktails is to add alcohol without harsh flavors. A clean, smooth mid-priced bottle is all you need.
Keep it in the freezer for martini-style drinks. It pours thick and cold.
Flavored vodkas (citrus, vanilla) work in specific recipes like the Cosmopolitan and Passion Fruit Martini. Buy them only when you need them.