BETTERSWEETDRINKS

THE DRINKS NOTEBOOK

Vodka cocktails

Vodka's neutral flavor lets the other ingredients lead, which makes it the easiest base spirit for fruity, creamy and coffee cocktails. Every recipe below uses vodka as its main spirit and shows prep time, estimated calories and estimated ABV per serving.

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Cocktails

Halloween Witch's Brew Melon Sour

A bright green Halloween cocktail with melon liqueur, vodka, fresh lime and soda water. Shake one Witch's Brew Melon Sour in five minutes.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 198 kcal
  • ≈ 14.6% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Ghost White Russian

Make a Halloween White Russian with coffee liqueur, cream and an edible marshmallow ghost perched above the glass. One cocktail, ready in 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 349 kcal
  • ≈ 20.8% ABV

Cocktails

Black Friday Maple Espresso Martini

A maple espresso martini with fresh coffee and a cocoa dusting for a Black Friday evening gathering. Ready in five minutes.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 211 kcal
  • ≈ 17.1% ABV

Cocktails

Appletini

A classic appletini with vodka, green apple schnapps, apple juice and a little lemon, shaken and strained into a martini glass.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 147 kcal
  • ≈ 16.6% ABV

Cocktails

US Open Cocktail

The Honey Deuce, the US Open's signature drink: vodka, lemonade and raspberry liqueur over crushed ice with honeydew melon balls.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 162 kcal
  • ≈ 12% ABV

Cocktails

Lemon San Diego Cocktail

Vodka or gin with fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and a few dashes of bitters, topped with club soda. A tart, fizzy lemon cocktail.

  • 15 min
  • ≈ 188 kcal
  • ≈ 12% ABV

Shots

Vodka Jello Shots

Vodka jello shots with one 3 oz box of Jello, boiling water, cold water and half a cup of vodka. Makes about 16 shots; chill 3 hours.

  • Make ahead
  • ≈ 38 kcal
  • ≈ 10% ABV

Shots

Baileys Chocolate Pudding Shots

Chilled chocolate pudding shots with Baileys, milk and whipped cream, plus optional vodka. Allow time to chill before serving.

  • 2 hr 10 min
  • ≈ 83 kcal
  • ≈ 2.4% ABV

Cocktails

Tito's Blueberry Vodka Cocktail

A blueberry vodka cocktail with lemon, simple syrup, mint and soda water. Use Tito’s or another unflavored vodka.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 248 kcal
  • ≈ 7.3% ABV

Cocktails

Tito's Blueberry Vodka Cooler

Tito's vodka with fresh blueberries, lavender syrup and lemon juice, topped with sparkling water. A fruity vodka cooler in 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 217 kcal
  • ≈ 18.3% ABV

Cocktails

Trader Joe's Espresso Martini

Make an espresso martini with Trader Joe’s cold brew concentrate, vodka, cocoa cream liqueur and a little simple syrup.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 197 kcal
  • ≈ 10.7% ABV

Cocktails

Vodka Press

Make a Vodka Press with equal parts club soda and lemon-lime soda over ice, plus vodka and a citrus wedge.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 160 kcal
  • ≈ 11.1% ABV

Fruit Drinks

Strawberry Lemon Drop

A strawberry lemon drop with fresh strawberries, vodka, triple sec, lemon juice and simple syrup, served in a sugar-rimmed glass.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 296 kcal
  • ≈ 24% ABV

Fruit Drinks

Ina Garten's Watermelon Cosmo

A watermelon cosmo with vodka, orange liqueur and fresh lime juice, shaken with ice and garnished with watermelon.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 192 kcal
  • ≈ 10.6% ABV

Cocktails

Frozen Limoncello Cocktail

Blend limoncello, vodka, fresh lemon juice and ice into a frozen lemon cocktail. Adjust simple syrup to taste.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 278 kcal
  • ≈ 23.2% ABV

Cocktails

SKYY Vodka Citrus Fizz

A SKYY vodka citrus fizz: vodka shaken with fresh lemon and lime juice and simple syrup, topped with club soda. Ready in 5 minutes.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 220 kcal
  • ≈ 16% ABV

Shots

Prosecco Jello Shots

Prosecco jello shots with unflavored gelatin, sugar and an optional splash of vodka. Makes about 16 one-ounce shots; chill 2 hours.

  • 2 hr 10 min
  • ≈ 23 kcal
  • ≈ 5.8% ABV

Cocktails

Pistachio Martini

Shake pistachio liqueur, vodka, vanilla syrup and lime juice for a nutty pistachio martini with a crushed pistachio rim.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 276 kcal
  • ≈ 18% ABV

Cocktails

Oklahoma Martini

A citrus vodka martini with orange liqueur and a splash of orange juice, garnished with orange peel.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 226 kcal
  • ≈ 24% ABV

Cocktails

Espresso Martini: Classic Recipe and 6 Riffs

The classic espresso martini with vodka, fresh espresso, coffee liqueur and simple syrup, plus 6 flavor riffs and tips for a thick foam.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 230 kcal
  • ≈ 16% ABV

Cocktails

Lavender Martini

A lavender martini with gin or vodka, dry vermouth and homemade lavender syrup, stirred and garnished with a lavender sprig.

  • 1 hr
  • ≈ 173 kcal
  • ≈ 25.9% ABV

Cocktails

Aruba Ariba

Aruba's signature cocktail: vodka, overproof rum, Coecoei, crème de banane, fruit punch and orange juice with a dash of grenadine.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 222 kcal
  • ≈ 8.5% ABV

Cocktails

Limoncello Lemon Drop Martini

A Lemon Drop with a limoncello twist: vodka, limoncello, fresh lemon juice and a splash of syrup, shaken and served in a sugar-rimmed martini glass.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 216 kcal
  • ≈ 17.9% ABV