Cocktails at home – make your own cocktails at home

Would you like to enjoy cocktails at home without spending hours hunting for ingredients? With these simple cocktails, you’ll be able to make the perfect drink. Whether it’s simple DIY cocktails or a cocktail kit for home, here you’ll find the best cocktail recipes to mix yourself. For those who want to build a solid foundation, learning the right home bar essentials is key.

What do you need to mix cocktails at home?

A mixing glass

A mixing glass is ideal for simple cocktails at home that are served cold and don’t require foam. Simply add ice cubes and spirits, stir gently, and strain the drink through a bar strainer. If you are exploring a list of classic cocktails, many of them are simply stirred in a mixing glass.

A jigger

A jigger is an essential tool for cocktail mixing. With this small, double-sided measuring cup, you can measure spirits precisely – perfect for anyone who wants to follow cocktail recipes to the letter.

Bar pestle

Typically, a bar pestle (also known as a muddler) is used – a tool made of wood, stainless steel or plastic with a ribbed or smooth underside. Muddling is not about crushing the ingredients, but gently pressing them to release essential oils, juices or flavours.

A shaker

A cocktail shaker is the most important tool if you want to make cocktails at home. It ensures the perfect mix, particularly for simple cocktails with few ingredients that contain syrup or liqueur. If you are unsure how to use a cocktail shaker, simply fill it with ice, add your ingredients, seal it tightly, and shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds.

A blender

A blender is used for home cocktails whenever you want to use semi-liquid ingredients:

• Crushed ice
• Fruit
• Whipped cream
• Ice cream

Ice

Ice plays a crucial role. Not only does it ensure the right temperature, but it also affects the taste and texture of your delicious cocktail. There are different types of ice you can use for cocktails at home:

• Ice cubes: The classic choice – ideal for long drinks and for mixing in a shaker.
• Crushed ice: Perfect for mojitos, caipirinhas and other summer drinks.
• Ball or block ice: Often used in premium spirits or short drinks, as it melts more slowly.

>Tip: Use ice cubes that are as large and solid as possible – they melt more slowly and dilute the drink less than hollow ice cubes.

A well-stocked ice compartment is therefore essential if you want to make cocktails at home. This way, every cocktail is guaranteed to turn out perfectly.

Decorations for your cocktail ideas:

Do you want to not only make your own cocktails at home, but also make them look stunning? Then try out a few creative decorations that will turn your drink into an eye-catcher. Whether you’re enjoying a cocktail at home on your own or want to impress at a house party, these cocktail garnish ideas will make every drink a highlight:

• Different glass shapes – if you check out a guide to cocktail glasses, you will find that a long drink glass, tumbler, mule glass, or highball glass all serve distinct purposes.
• Delicious fruit skewers – strawberry + mint, lime + orange, pineapple + cocktail cherry, mixed melon
• Stylish straws – reusable or sustainable paper straws
• Colourful ice cubes – made from fruit juice or with frozen berries

What are the most popular cocktails to make at home?

Here are 7 popular cocktails that you can easily mix at home – ideal simple cocktails for beginners. Enjoy exploring the cocktail trends.

1. Cocktail for at home: Classic Martini

The Martini is the epitome of a stylish cocktail, and that with just four ingredients. This definitely makes it one of the simplest cocktails with few ingredients that can be easily mixed at home. Ideal if you want to mix a delicious cocktail yourself and are into pure elegance.

Ingredients:

• 6 cl gin
• 1 cl dry vermouth
• Ice cubes
• Lemon zest or olive (garnish)

Preparation::

1. Place ice cubes in a mixing glass.
2. Add the gin and vermouth.
3. Stir for 30 seconds; do not shake.
4. Strain through a bar strainer into a chilled martini glass.
5. Garnish with lemon zest or an olive.

If you enjoy this, there are countless other gin cocktail recipes you can experiment with at home!

2. Cocktail for at home: Mojito

With fresh mint, lime and rum, the Mojito brings the perfect summer cocktail into your living room. It is one of the most popular cocktail recipes to mix yourself and belongs on every list of great classic rum cocktails.

Ingredients:

• 5 cl white rum
• 2 tsp cane sugar
• 6–8 mint leaves
• 3 cl lime juice
• Soda water (to top up)
• Ice cubes

Preparation::

1. Muddle the mint, sugar and lime juice in a glass.
2. Add the ice cubes and rum.
3. Top up with soda water and stir gently.
4. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

(If you are into making mocktails, simply skip the rum and add a bit more soda and lime for a refreshing virgin mojito – perfect when looking for non alcoholic cocktail recipes!)

3. Cocktail for at home: Mango Mule

The Mango Mule is a wonderfully simple drink that surprises with sweet mango juice and spicy ginger beer. Ideal for warm evenings or impromptu cocktail parties.

Ingredients:

• 5 cl vodka
• 10 cl mango nectar (preferably chilled)
• 8 cl ginger beer
• 1 cl lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• Ice cubes
• Fresh mint & a slice of lime for garnish

Preparation:

1. Fill a long drink glass with ice cubes.
2. Add the vodka, mango nectar and lime juice.
3. Top up with ginger beer.
4. Stir briefly.
5. Garnish with mint and a slice of lime.

4. Cocktail for at home: Aperol Spritz

Whether it’s a summer evening or brunch with friends, the Aperol Spritz is one of the best cocktail ideas for at home. With just five ingredients, it’s a prime example of a simple cocktail you can mix yourself.

Ingredients:

• 6 cl Prosecco
• 4 cl Aperol
• A splash of soda water
• Ice cubes
• A slice of orange

Preparation:

1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
2. Pour in the Prosecco and Aperol.
3. Top up with soda water and stir gently.
4. Garnish with a slice of orange.

5. Cocktail for at home – Blackberry Fizz

This fruity cocktail with blackberries and gin brings colour and freshness to your glass.

Ingredients:

• 4 cl gin
• 2 tsp blackberry jam or a handful of fresh blackberries (if you enjoy making syrup for cocktails, you could also use a homemade blackberry syrup here!)
• 1 cl lemon juice
• 8 cl tonic water
• Ice cubes
• A sprig of rosemary or a slice of lemon for garnish

Preparation:

1. Pour the gin, lemon juice and blackberry jam into a glass.
2. Stir well with a spoon or bar spoon until the jam dissolves.
3. Fill the glass with ice cubes.
4. Top up with tonic water and stir again
5. Garnish with rosemary or lemon.

6. Cocktail for at home – Caipirinha

Made with lime, sugar and cachaça, the Caipi is a refreshing drink with just a few ingredients. The drink is hugely popular with DIY enthusiasts, as the Caipi tastes just like something from a beach bar.

Ingredients:

• 5 cl cachaça
• 1 lime (cut into quarters)
• 2 tsp cane sugar
• Crushed ice

Preparation:

1. Muddle the lime quarters and sugar in a glass.
2. Add the cachaça.
3. Fill the glass with crushed ice.
4. Stir well.

7. Cocktail for at home – Cosmopolitan

The Cosmopolitan is impressive not only in the glass, but also because of how easy it is to make. A real eye-catcher at your house party and therefore a favourite among cocktails for at home.

Ingredients:

• 4 cl vodka
• 2 cl Cointreau
• 2 cl lime juice
• 4 cl cranberry juice
• Ice cubes
• Lime zest

Preparation:

1. Shake the ingredients vigorously with ice in a shaker.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with lime zest.