Easy Drinks to Make at Home

Published: April 22, 2025 | Last Updated: April 22, 2025
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No need to be a bartender to whip up something delicious. These easy drinks to make at home use simple ingredients and basic tools — perfect for happy hour, dinner parties or simply relaxing on the couch. From crisp spritzes to bold nightcaps, these recipes bring the bar to you.

A whiskey and coke garnished with a cherry and lime wheel on a metal skewer.

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Your ultimate guide to easy homemade drinks

As someone who makes cocktails for a living, I love experimenting with new recipes and techniques — but when it’s just me and my husband at home, I like to keep things simple! These are the drinks I actually make when we’re winding down after a long day or toasting the weekend.

They’re easy, unfussy, and still feel a little bit special. You don’t need fancy ingredients or bar tools to enjoy something delicious. If you’ve got a few basics on hand, you’re already halfway there.

Quick tips for hosting

Jazz things up with a garnish. These drinks might be simple, but you can always elevate them! A simple lemon twist or cocktail cherry is the perfect upgrade.
Serve a big batch for parties: When you’ve got a room full of guests, make drinks in big batches so you can mingle and not play bartender all night! You can pick a pitcher drinks, like jungle juice, that’s already batched or multiply the recipe for a single drink. One caveat: Wait to add anything bubbly until just before you serve it to keep it crisp and fizzy.
Always offer a mocktail! This ensures everyone can partake. This way the designated drivers, those under 21 and anyone who simply doesn’t want to imbibe have something other than water to enjoy.

What to serve with cocktails

Since these drinks are fit for everyone, try to create a crowd-pleasing food menu, too. Consider the occasion when you’re selecting food to pair with your sippers. A simple happy hour at home can be as fancy or as basic as you like.

For a more elegant affair, something like a charcuterie board and a cheesy spinach artichoke dip are always a hit. For something more casual, bar snacks like beer cheese dip or chips and red salsa will be enjoyed by all.

The best easy drinks to make at home

Here are some of my favorite easy-peasy drinks you can make for your next party or casual night in!

1

two dirty Shirley Temple cocktails with a jigger, a spoon and a jar of maraschino cherries.

Dirty Shirley

The Dirty Shirley is basically your favorite childhood drink with a grown-up twist — just vodka, lemon-lime soda and a splash of grenadine. Easy and nostalgic.

2

Half of a lime sits in front of vodka cocktails in copper mugs.

Classic Moscow Mule

If you’ve got vodka, ginger beer, and a lime, you’ve got a Moscow Mule. It feels fancy in a copper mug, but it's actually super simple.

3

Gold rimmed glasses contain red liquid, ice cubes and whole cranberries with a squeezed lime wedge on a toothpick as garnish. Scattered in the foreground are whole cranberries on a white surface

Cape Codder (Vodka Cranberry)

The Cape Codder is just vodka and cranberry juice — add a lime wedge if you’re feeling wild. It’s tart, refreshing, and impossible to mess up.

4

a classic mimosa with orange juice with a pitcher of orange juice and a wire bowl of oranges

Classic Mimosas

The mimosa is the easiest brunch drink ever. Just orange juice and bubbly — no measuring, no fuss.

5

Tajín seasoning on the rim of a cocktail

Ranch Water Cocktail

Ranch Water is the drink you make when it’s hot out and you want something light. Just tequila, lime juice, and sparkling water — that’s it.

6

A refreshing cocktail featuring a lime garnish served over ice in a glass and made with the zesty combination of Jack and Ginger Ale.

Jack & Ginger Ale Cocktail

This one’s for when you want a whiskey drink but don’t want to think too hard. Just Jack Daniels and ginger ale — sweet, spicy, done.

7

A pitcher of sangria next to two full glasses and the wine cork.

Red Wine Sangria

Throw some fruit into a pitcher with red wine and a splash of juice or soda. Sangria is super forgiving and perfect for using what you’ve got.

8

A martini glass filled with a clear beverage, garnished with three green olives on a toothpick. A metal jigger and a small bowl of green olives are seen in the background.

Dry Martini

A dry martini is as classic as it gets — just gin and dry vermouth. If you like your drinks strong and crisp, this one’s a no-brainer.

9

A glass of cocktail with ice, lemon peel, and chili flakes. It is placed next to a shaker and cups containing spices on a white surface.

Bee Sting Cocktail

The Bee Sting is simple but a little different — just whiskey, lemon, and honey syrup. Kind of like a whiskey sour with a mellow edge.

10

A gin and tonic in a clear rocks glass on a gray stone coaster.

Gin & Tonic

G&T is my go-to for something fast and refreshing. Two ingredients, no shaking, and it always hits the spot.

11

Close-up of a Paloma cocktail with a salted rim, garnished with a lemon wedge and mint leaves, against a white background.

Paloma Cocktail

A Paloma is basically tequila and grapefruit soda — or juice and soda water if you’ve got that. It’s citrusy, fizzy, and zero stress.

12

Two bowls of coffee ice cream with gold spoons.

Easy Affogato

Affogato is barely a recipe — just hot espresso poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's part dessert, part cocktail, and you don’t even need a shaker. Add a splash of coffee liqueur or Irish cream if you want a kick!

13

a lime wedge is pushed into a pink corona beer cocktail.

Corona Sunrise

If you want a fun party drink, pour a little OJ and tequila into a bottle of Corona, then add grenadine. It looks fancy but takes two seconds.

14

A grey and white straw in a glass of bourbon slushy.

Bourbon Slush

Make this in advance and stash it in the freezer — it’s sweet, citrusy, and slushy in the best way. Great for a backyard hang.

15

Two glasses of iced orange drinks garnished with orange slices. Fresh oranges and a metal jigger are in the background.

Orange Crush Cocktail

Orange Crush tastes like a creamsicle with a little kick. You just need orange juice, vodka, and some lemon-lime soda.

16

a cutting board with limes and strawberries with a berry cocktail

Strawberry Mojito

Muddle a few strawberries with mint and lime, add rum and soda water — that’s it. Super fresh and great for summer.

17

A glass of Old Fashioned cocktail with an orange peel and cherry garnish, placed on a wooden coaster. A decorative stirrer is in the glass. A small bowl of cherries is nearby.

Classic Old-Fashioned Cocktail

If you like whiskey and don’t want anything sweet, the Old-Fashioned is perfect. Just whiskey, a sugar cube, bitters, and an orange twist.

18

peaches and a peach whiskey smash and syrup

Peach Whiskey Smash

Think of this as a Southern twist on a mojito — peach, whiskey, lemon, and mint. You can muddle it right in the glass.

19

Two margarita glasses with limes and garnishes.

Classic Margaritas

Tequila, lime, triple sec and something sweet — that’s all you need for a classic margarita. You can shake it up or pour it over ice. Margarita mix makes it even easier.

20

A clear cocktail with ice, garnished with a lemon peel, served in a glass with a gold polka dot pattern. A metal jigger and another drink are in the background.

Gold Rush Cocktail

Honey, lemon, and bourbon — that’s all it takes. The Gold Rush is bright, a little sweet, and super easy to shake together.

21

A glass of orange juice with foam on top, garnished with a small green leaf, surrounded by whole oranges and a bottle on a white surface.

2-Ingredient Beermosa (Beer Mimosa)

It’s just beer and orange juice, but somehow it works. A super chill brunch option when you’re out of champagne.

22

a cuba libra in a vintage cocktail glass with a rattan casing

Rum & Coke

This is a true no-brainer. Rum, Coke, maybe a lime. You probably already have everything you need.

23

A round glass filled with an iced pink drink garnished with a sprig of rosemary and a lemon twist sits on a coaster, with another identical drink and a pink bottle in the background.

Rosé Wine Spritzer

A splash of sparkling water turns a glass of rosé into something even more refreshing. Perfect when you want something light.

24

A closeup view of a glass with gold stars containing a sparkling yellow beverages. A peach slice, blackberry and mint sprig garnish the glass.

Peach Bellini

The Bellini is just peach purée and sparkling wine. Blend up some frozen peaches or use peach nectar — either way, it’s easy.

25

Two brunch cocktails made with orange juice on gold speckled coasters.

Screwdriver Drink

Vodka and orange juice — that’s literally it. The Screwdriver is one of those drinks that’s easy to make and even easier to drink.

26

A vibrant pink cocktail in an ornate glass, garnished with a lemon slice, mint sprig, and black cherry, sits next to a gold jigger on a white surface with a flower and lemon slices.

Azalea Cocktail

The Azalea is bright and tropical — vodka, pineapple juice, lemon, and a splash of grenadine. Looks fancy, takes a minute to make.

27

Two glass jars of orange-colored drink garnished with lemon slices and mint leaves, placed on hexagonal coasters.

Summer Shandy

Mix your favorite light beer with lemonade and boom — you’ve got a Summer Shandy. It’s breezy and low-effort.

About Susannah

Susannah Brinkley Henry is the founder of Feast + West, a cocktail blog featuring creative, budget-friendly drinks and hosting ideas. A graphic designer with bartending school training, she shares cocktails, mocktails, appetizers and desserts for easy, stylish entertaining. Her work has been featured by Southern Living, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post and Mashable, and she was a finalist in the Saveur Blog Awards. Susannah is also a publisher on MSN and has appeared on local news segments sharing seasonal drinks. She lives in Charlotte, N.C., where she brings Southern charm and global inspiration to every pour. Read more.

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