Recipes

Go Big: 39 Cocktails That Scale

Here are 43 ideas for cocktails with just a few ingredients so you can scale them as big and boozy as you want.
Image may contain Drink Cocktail Alcohol Beverage Beer and Mojito
Chris Gentile

Have you ever wanted to be the host or hostess with the most(est)? Or perhaps the very best guest? Those honors usually come with one thing: booze, and lots of it. Instead of going with a punch—though we'll never turn it down if you offer—we think it's time to scale up a cocktail that only seems complex. Here are 39 ideas for cocktails with just a few ingredients so you can scale them as big and boozy as you want.

  • Image may contain Drink Beverage Cocktail Alcohol Lemonade Plant Cream Food Dessert Ice Cream and Creme
    Craig Cutler
    1/39

    The Strawberry Muddle

    Crush a box of strawberries, throw them in a pitcher, then add water, sugar, lemon, prosecco and ice. And, voilà, you've got yourself a refined spritzer almost instantly.

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  • Image may contain Drink Lemonade Beverage Cocktail Alcohol and Mojito
    Danny Kim
    2/39

    Sparkling Tarragon Gin Lemonade

    Muddling extracts essentail oils to deliver maximum herb impact. Tarragon flavors the boozy lemonade here, but basil makes an excellent sub.

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  • A saltrimmed paloma cocktail garnished with two triangles of grapefruit.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton
    3/39

    Paloma

    The margarita's sexier cousin is also easy to make, and easier to scale.

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  • Image may contain Drink Beverage Vase Pottery Jar Alcohol Cocktail Potted Plant Plant Juice Glass and Planter
    Alex Lau
    4/39

    New-New Bloody Mary

    Our favorite Bloody Mary is an instant classic. Great-quality tomato juice, bright lemon juice, savory Worcestershire, and a tangy hot sauce deliver on all fronts.

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  • Image may contain Drink Cocktail Alcohol Beverage Food Ketchup Soda Mojito Cushion Pillow and Glass
    5/39

    Michelada

    The Mexican answer to the Bloody Mary calls for a mix of tomato juice, orange juice, and beer. Stir to combine and serve in a pitcher with lots of lime.

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  • Image may contain Plant Fruit Citrus Fruit Food Lime Drink Milk Beverage Mojito Cocktail and Alcohol
    6/39

    Gin and Tonic

    The Gin and Tonic is swinging again, thanks to new distillers who have made gin cool. And it doesn't get more classic than this recipe.

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  • Image may contain Plant Drink Juice Beverage Grapefruit Fruit Food Citrus Fruit Produce Smoothie and Seasoning
    7/39

    Rubies & Thorns

    Blood orange kicks up the vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants in this bracing cocktail. Citrus is a great way to release a little extra water weight—so you can detox (a little) while you drink.

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  • Image may contain Glass Drink Beverage Alcohol and Liquor
    8/39

    Sazerac

    Mix this New Orleans classic hours ahead of time, says Andrew Volk, of Maine's Portland Hunt & Alpine Club, and serving it is as simple as pouring a pitcher of lemonade.

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  • Image may contain Drink Lemonade Beverage Milk Creme Cream Food Dessert and Ice Cream
    Zach DeSart
    9/39

    Celery Tonic

    "The herbal notes of gin pair well with celery in this refreshing cocktail—and bonus points for the cool green color." –Claire Saffitz, associate food editor

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  • Image may contain Drink Juice Beverage Orange Juice and Glass
    Jarren Vink
    10/39

    Spicy Bourbon-Citrus Cocktail

    The ice in this spicy grapefruit cocktail dilutes the drink over time, so you can keep sipping well into the party.

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  • Image may contain Drink Lemonade Beverage Cocktail and Alcohol
    Jamie Chung
    11/39

    Agave Margarita

    The key to scaling a classic margarita is tasting as you go. Not too sweet, not too salty, not too citrusy, this agave margarita will be pitcher-ready if you keep the ratios intact.

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  • Image may contain Drink Juice Beverage Human Person Beer Alcohol Cocktail Smoothie and Glass
    12/39

    The New York Sour

    This wine-spiked whiskey sour is our pick for comeback cocktail of the year.

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  • Image may contain Plant Fruit Food Cutlery Spoon and Watermelon
    Ashley Rodriguez
    13/39

    Watermelon Sugar

    Make sure you load up the pitcher with chunks of watermelon, because those are going to be your boozy besties by the time this drink is done.

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  • Image may contain Drink Beer Glass Alcohol Glass Beer Beverage and Cocktail
    Christopher Testani
    14/39

    Extra Stormy Dark and Stormy

    Make sure to make the lemon-ginger brew in advance. This punchy take on the dark and stormy will make you, and all your drinking buddies, converts.

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  • Image may contain Glass Drink Cocktail Alcohol Beverage Goblet and Lamp
    19/39

    Old Pal

    One of the most refined scalable drinks we've had the pleasure of encountering. To work around the ice-straining, we recommend using a pitcher with a lid or built-in strainer. Or, to dilute the drink and keep you sipping through the whole party, just keep the ice.

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  • Image may contain Drink Juice Beverage Smoothie Glass Alcohol and Beer
    Christina Holmes
    20/39

    Peach, Ginger, and Bourbon Frozen Cocktail

    For best flavor, head to the farmers' market for peak-season fruit. Freeze in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet until solid.

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  • Image may contain Drink Tea Beverage and Plant
    21/39

    Honey-Bourbon Toddy

    A hot toddy is the perfect drink to serve at a more subdued gathering among close friends. In the winter, sip by the fire after dinner; in the summer; this might be the drink you'll want by a bonfire for those instances when a warm day becomes a chilly night.

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  • Image may contain Drink Cocktail Alcohol Beverage and Glass
    22/39

    White Sangria

    Sangria is the definition of a drink that scales. This version is a little lighter, brighter, and more tart than the traditional take, but we're ready to sip this by any pool or on any beach we can.

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  • Image may contain Drink Cocktail Alcohol Beverage and Glass
    Alex Lau
    23/39

    Tepache Highball

    You can make your own tepache—the fermented pineapple drink—or buy it, but you'll never go without it as a cocktail booster again.

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  • Image may contain Plant Fruit Food Citrus Fruit Drink Lemonade Beverage and Orange
    Ashley Rodriguez
    24/39

    Rosé, Bourbon, and Blue

    We'll never say no to a drink with both rosé and bourbon. Your guests won't either.

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  • Image may contain Drink Soda and Beverage
    Matt Duckor
    25/39

    El Diablo

    Dark in color and complex in flavor, the combination of ginger beer, tequila, and black-currant liqueur will be your new go-to for anytime you want to consider yourself a mixologist, rather than a bartender.

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  • Image may contain Drink Milk Beverage Plant Grapefruit Fruit Citrus Fruit Food and Produce
    Matt Duckor
    26/39

    Picante Pigeon

    Be sure to taste your jalapeños before you muddle them. They range far and wide on the heat scale.

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  • Image may contain Drink Juice Beverage Orange Juice Beer and Alcohol
    Max Kelly
    27/39

    The Elvis

    Bitter notes from grapefruit and ale balance the floral sweetness of the liqueur in this gin cocktail recipe—one sip and it will all make sense.

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  • Image may contain Vase Plant Pottery Potted Plant Jar Mint Planter Herbs Drink Cocktail Alcohol and Beverage
    Alex Lau
    28/39

    Rum Sparkler

    You’ll have enough honey syrup that you can easily scale up this cocktail for a crowd. Created in partnership with Chef Watson.

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  • Image may contain Drink Lemonade Beverage Cocktail and Alcohol
    29/39

    Pineapple-Mint Mojito

    Pineapple adds sweetness and a tropical twist to this classic cocktail. Make sure to choose a ripe one: It should be very fragrant, with no soft spots or bruises. Or use fresh precut pineapple.

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  • Image may contain Drink Beverage Cocktail Alcohol and Lemonade
    30/39

    Piñata

    Muddle in a pitcher then dump in a whole lot of rum to make this drink party-ready.

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  • A punch bowl and matching glasses filled with eggnog with a cloudy meringue top and dusting of grated nutmeg.
    Photo by Laura Murray
    31/39

    Eggnog

    Fluffy beaten egg whites make this holiday favorite lighter and easier to drink than a cup of cream and booze has any right to be.

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  • Image may contain Drink Lemonade Beverage Jar and Plant
    32/39

    Kaimuki Daiquiri

    This drink is named for the Honolulu neighborhood where Town, Chef Kenney's restaurant, is located.

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  • Image may contain Drink Beer Alcohol Beverage Glass and Cocktail
    33/39

    Dark Moon

    Sorenson uses locally made House Spirits coffee liqueur, made with Stumptown beans, in this cold-brew cocktail. It’s delicious, but hard to find outside of Oregon. In its place, use any other coffee liqueur.

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  • Image may contain Drink Cocktail Alcohol Beverage Mojito and Beer
    Chris Gentile
    34/39

    Rosemary-Tangerine Cooler

    This drink is as refreshing as it is dangerous. We think the whole crowd will agree.

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  • Image may contain Potted Plant Vase Plant Pottery Jar Mint Herbs Planter Jug Drink Lemonade and Beverage
    35/39

    Lemon Balm Honeysuckle

    So light, fresh, and invigorating that you might consider serving without vodka or white rum on the weekdays to your kids.

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  • Image may contain Vase Potted Plant Plant Pottery Jar Planter Herbs Mint Drink Cocktail Alcohol and Beverage
    Michael Depasquale
    36/39

    Wake County Cooler

    Black tea makes it moody but the club soda and copious amounts of vodka make this begging to be served at a weekend brunch.

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  • Image may contain Drink Cocktail Alcohol Beverage Mojito Milk and Plant
    Zach DeSart
    39/39

    Bramble Smash

    We're particularly into muddling because it's a foolproof way of adding sweetness to drinks. And there's always fruit on the bottom that we can nosh on once we've downed our drinks.

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Associate Web Editor. When she’s not posted up at a café, reading and praying that sipping her cappuccino won’t mean sacrificing a night’s sleep, Elyssa writes about food culture and restaurant trends for bonappetit.com. The team’s unrelenting sweet tooth and beverage nerd, Elyssa can also be found refreshing the Wait-or-Buy ... Read More
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