Bartending is an awesome skill to learn to impress your friends. It also makes a great excuse to through a party or have all your friends over for cocktails, instead of going out to a bar. Vodka is one of the most basic liquors, and one of the easiest to work with, given its lack of taste compared to other hard liquors. These recipes for cocktails with vodka will make even beginner bartenders seem incredibly skilled.
Screw Driver
- 1 1/2 oz Vodka
- Orange juice
This is one of the easiest drinks to make and you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen. Just mix vodka and orange juice together, and voila you have a screw driver. You can mix these to be any consistency you want by changing the ratio of vodka to orange juice.
Vodka Cran
- 1 1/2 oz Vodka
- Cranberry juice
Vodka cranberries are the same as screw drivers, but they have cranberry juice instead of orange juice. You can mix them strong to have a wild party, or weak to have a casual drink with the girls. Plus cranberry is great for urinary tract health. So if you want to pretend like you are doing something good for your body, this is the drink for you.
Vodka Martini
- 2 oz Vodka
- 3/4 oz Dry Vermouth
- Optional: 2 dashes Bitters
Martinis are typically made with gin, but vodka is a common substitute. It is a combination of vodka vermouth and bitters. There are tons of ways to twist this classic recipe as well, plus you can add garnishes like olives. Martinis are strong drinks that you can prepare shaken or stirred.
Lemon Drop
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1/2 oz Triple Sec
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Lemon drops are a great combination of sweet and sour in your drink. They are made by combining vodka, triple sec, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Plus they are usually served with a rim of sugar around the glass, so who could resist? A lemon drop is a refreshing and delicious cocktail with vodka.
Vodka Gimlet
- 2 oz Vodka
- 3/4 oz Fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz Simple syrup
These are a simpler version of a lemon drop for those who like their drinks a little less sweet. A gimlet is simple and refreshing, but making them will make you seem like a super knowledgeable bartender. They are great for anyone looking for a sour twist in their drink.
Adios Mother Fucker (AMF)
- 3⁄4 oz Vodka
- 3⁄4 oz Gin
- 3⁄4 oz White rum
- 3⁄4 oz Tequila
- 3⁄4 oz Blue curaçao
- 2 oz Sweet & sour mix
The AMF is amply made because you will say goodbye to the memory of the night. It is a full pint glass full of the most popular clear liquors. If your goal is to get as drunk as possible, AMFs are a great way to go. Plus they taste pretty good despite the mix of liquors.
Cosmopolitan
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Cranberry juice cocktail
- 3/4 oz Lime juice
- 3/4 oz Triple sec
Cosmopolitans are a delicious and fruity way to drink. Making these will definitely impress your friends for your dinner party. Cosmos are a great combination of delicious taste and strong liquor.
Vodka Tonic
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1 splash Lime juice
- 5 shots of Tonic water
If someone at your party wants a bitter drink, vodka tonics are a great way to go. They are simple but appealing, especially to those who don’t like sweet drinks.
Jello Shots
- 1 packet Jello gelatin
- 1/2 cup Vodka
Jello shots are definitely a party drink. You follow the instructions for making jello, but before you finish add the vodka (or another alcohol of your choosing). They are a snack and a drink all at once. You can make them in ice trays, individual containers, or if you are feeling a little wild, a bowl. They are a great alcohol recipe that you can have prepped in advance.
Bloody Mary
- 2 oz Vodka
- 4 oz Tomato juice
- 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 2 tsp Prepared horseradish
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pinch Celery salt
- 1 pinch Ground black pepper
- 1 pinch smoked paprika
- 1 celery stock
Commonly thought of as a hangover cure, bloody marys are one of the few popular spicy alcohol beverages. Although you can also make them more mild if you prefer. Much like with jello shots, they are a drink and a snack.
Black Russian
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Kahlúa
Black Russians are one of the easiest cocktails with vodka you can make. They are good for people who enjoy the taste of liquor. Plus they have a nice coffee taste in them as well.
White Russian
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Kahlúa
- 1 splash Heavy cream
White russians are the same as black russians, but balanced out with cream. If you like the flavor of coffee, but don’t like the strength of a black russian, these are great. A fun alternative is putting white russians into a shot glass, topping it with whipper cream, and doing the shot without your hands (a.k.a a blowjob shot).
Shots
- vodka
Why spoil your vodka with anything else. Maybe you enjoy the taste of vodka, or maybe you just want to get drunk. Either way shots are a great way to liven up a party. If you don’t love the taste of vodka you can get flavored vodka to make the taste more bearable. Plus it is super easy to mix shots into a drinking game.
Drink Safely!