Make the most of your pantry with these no-buy cocktail ideas.
As someone who loves trying new things, I often find my liquor cabinet stocked with many half-full bottles that were purchased for a specific cocktail recipe I was testing out many moons ago. Staring down these miscellaneous ingredients can quickly become frustrating — I don’t want to buy anything new until I make my way through what I have currently, but what am I supposed to do with scotch, crème de violette, Cointreau, and pacharán?
If you’ve found yourself facing a similar conundrum, or are just looking to start experimenting with cocktails, here are some simple ways to get the libations flowing without making an extra trip to the store.
Choose Your Own Adventure Cocktail
- Yield: Makes 1 cocktail
Description
The building blocks of many classic cocktail recipes follow the same essential ratios. Use this basic recipe to mix and match ingredients you have on-hand!
Ingredients
2 oz. spirit (Aperol, Campari, gin, rum, mezcal, tequila, vodka, whiskey)
+
1 oz. “sweet” (simple syrup, agave, honey, maple syrup, grenadine, triple sec, maraschino liqueur, Limoncello, Amaretto)
+
1 oz. “sour” (lemon juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice, orange juice)
+
(if desired) Make it bubbly by topping with seltzer, club soda, or tonic water
Notes
Try “Make Me a Cocktail” — Here, you can upload whatever ingredients you have on hand and the site will generate cocktail recipe ideas!
Jam Jar Cocktail
- Yield: Makes 1 cocktail
Description
Have a finished jam jar that still has some sweet goodness gooped up inside? This cocktail is for you!
Ingredients
- Jam
- Spirits
- Citrus juice
- Club soda or substitutes
Instructions
- First, add a couple tablespoons of water to the jar and pop in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to loosen up the leftover jam.
- Next, add 1 to 2 oz. of your preferred alcohol (gin, rum, tequila, mezcal, vodka, whiskey).
- Add 1 oz. of citrus juice (lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange).
- Close the jar and shake to combine.
- Top with bubbles (sparkling white wine, seltzer, club soda, tonic water).
Notes
Try “Make Me a Cocktail” — Here, you can upload whatever ingredients you have on hand and the site will generate cocktail recipe ideas!
Make Me a Cocktail
Try “Make Me a Cocktail” — Here, you can upload whatever ingredients you have on hand and the site will generate cocktail recipe ideas!
Cheers!
