This Sunday, Oct. 4, raise a cosmopolitan, martini, or bloody mary to celebrate National Vodka Day, a spirited holiday devoted to one of America’s most popular liquors. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, vodka has become the “backbone of the spirits industry, accounting for 31% of all volumes,” with 74.1 million nine-liter cases sold in the U.S. last year. Driving this growth is the popularity of flavored vodkas, which make up about 22% of all vodkas sold, according to the council.
In honor of this boozy occasion, we’ve rounded up vodka cocktail recipes from some of the country’s most popular brands, as well as some brands you might not have heard of yet. Of course, you can always sub in your vodka of choice, or opt for same-day delivery with services like Minibar or Saucey. We have classic, fruity, and even fall vodka cocktails that are perfect for the chillier weather — one is even served in a pumpkin.
Courtesy of Ciroc
More cocktails and spirits
Classic Vodka Cocktails
Grey Goose Cosmopolitan Recipe
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Grey Goose L’Orange vodka0.5 oz. Cointreau1 part cranberry juice0.5 oz. freshly squeezed lime juiceOrange zest for garnish
Directions: Combine first four ingredients in the order listed into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with orange zest.
Chase Vodka Espresso Martini
Ingredients:
2 oz. Chase Original Potato Vodka1 oz. freshly brewed espresso0.5 oz. coffee liqueur0.5 oz. simple syrup
Directions: Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Double strain into a martini or coupe glass, and garnish with a couple of coffee beans.
Cutwater Vodka Gimlet
Ingredients:
2 oz. Cutwater Vodka1 oz. fresh lime juice.75 oz. simple syrup
Directions: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Courtesy of Carbonadi Vodka
Black Diamond Martini
Ingredients:
2 oz. Carbonadi VodkaLemon twist to garnish
Directions: In a mixing glass filled with ice, add Carbonadi. Stir quickly to chill and dilute the drink properly, about 20 seconds. Strain into a well-chilled martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Seagram’s Classic Bloody Mary
Ingredients:
2 oz. Seagram’s 80 Proof Vodka4 dashes Worcestershire sauce0.5 oz. olive juice0.25 oz. balsamic vinegar1 to 2 dashes Tabasco0.5 oz. tomato juice0.5 oz. lemon juice0.5 tsp. horseradishBlack pepperGarlic powder
Directions: Rim a pint glass or mason jar with salt and fill it with ice. Combine all ingredients in the glass over the ice and stir with a cocktail spoon. Garnish with a celery stalk, skewered cocktail olives and onions, lime, and lemon rounds.
New Amsterdam Mule
2 oz. New Amsterdam Vodka0.5 oz. simple syrup0.5 oz. lime juice3 oz. ginger beer
Directions: Add ingredients into a mule mug filled with ice and stir together to combine and chill. Garnish with lime and mint.
It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere: The Fascinating History of Iconic Hotel Cocktails
Fruity Vodka Cocktails
Courtesy of Crystal Head Vodka
Viva la Piña
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Crystal Head Onyx0.5 oz. Giffard Caribbean Pineapple liqueur1 oz. fresh lemon juice1 bar spoon of caster sugarPinch of salt1 egg whiteOrange zest
Directions: Add vodka, liqueur, fresh lemon juice, caster sugar, a pinch of salt, and an egg white into a cocktail shaker. Dry shake vigorously. Add ice, and shake again. Double strain into a rocks glass over ice, and garnish with orange zest.
Dragonfruit Daydream (Created by Natalie Jacob)
Ingredients:
2 oz. Svedka Pure Infusions Dragonfruit Melon0.75 oz. lemon juice0.75 oz. dragon fruit pureeTop with sparkling water
Directions: Add vodka, lemon juice, and dragon fruit puree to a cocktail shaker. Shake with ice, and strain into a highball glass. Top with sparkling water, and garnish with dragon fruit pieces on a cocktail pick.
Pear of Thieves
Ingredients:
1 oz. Crystal Head Vodka0.5 oz. St-Germain elderflower liqueur0.25 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice1 oz. fresh pear juice1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
Directions: Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Ginger Lime Oasis (Created by Natalie Jacob)
Ingredients:
2 oz. Svedka Pure Infusions Ginger Lime1 oz. pineapple juice1 oz. coconut cream0.5 oz. lime juice0.5 oz. ginger syrup
Directions: This can be made shaken or frozen. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker (or blender), and shake (or blend) with ice. Serve in a hollowed-out pineapple or glass. Garnish with pineapple leaves and coconut flakes.
11 Cocktails That Will Take You Around the World While You’re Stuck at Home
Fall Vodka Cocktails
Courtesy of New Amsterdam Vodka
New Amsterdam Pumpkin Cider
Ingredients:
2 parts New Amsterdam Vodka 80 Proof0.5 part lemon sours0.5 part Real Pumpkin SyrupEqual parts apple cider and ginger beer to fill
Batch Directions: Add ingredients into a punch bowl filled with ice, and stir together to combine and chill. Pour into glasses (or hollowed-out mini pumpkins) filled with ice, and garnish with blood orange wheels and apple slices as desired.
Cranberry Martini
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Ciroc White Grape0.75 oz. fino sherry3 dashes cranberry bitters
Directions: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, and fill with ice and stir 20 to 25 times. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with three cranberries on a cocktail pick.
Ketel One Winter Mule
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Ketel One Vodka3.5 oz. ginger beer1.5 oz. freshly squeezed apple juice1/4 lime juice1/8 oz. local honey
Directions: Add all ingredients to a glass filled with ice. Stir and garnish.
Courtesy of Grey Goose
Grey Goose Hot Apple Pie
Ingredients:
1 oz. Grey Goose La Poire vodka0.75 oz. B&B0.5 oz. maple syrup0.5 oz. lemon juice4 oz. unfiltered apple cider1 cinnamon stick
Directions: Stir and strain into your favorite old-fashioned glass full of ice or serve hot. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and lemon wheel.
Ketel One Winter Mary
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Ketel One Vodka3.5 equal parts carrot and apple juice1 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice1 pinch of rock salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and dried chili flakes1/2 tsp. tamarind1/2 tsp. ginger paste
Directions: Build over ice, stir, and garnish.
This Sunday, Oct. 4, raise a cosmopolitan, martini, or bloody mary to celebrate National Vodka Day, a spirited holiday devoted to one of America’s most popular liquors. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, vodka has become the “backbone of the spirits industry, accounting for 31% of all volumes,” with 74.1 million nine-liter cases sold in the U.S. last year. Driving this growth is the popularity of flavored vodkas, which make up about 22% of all vodkas sold, according to the council.
In honor of this boozy occasion, we’ve rounded up vodka cocktail recipes from some of the country’s most popular brands, as well as some brands you might not have heard of yet. Of course, you can always sub in your vodka of choice, or opt for same-day delivery with services like Minibar or Saucey. We have classic, fruity, and even fall vodka cocktails that are perfect for the chillier weather — one is even served in a pumpkin.
More cocktails and spirits
Classic Vodka Cocktails
Grey Goose Cosmopolitan Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Grey Goose L’Orange vodka0.5 oz. Cointreau1 part cranberry juice0.5 oz. freshly squeezed lime juiceOrange zest for garnish
Directions: Combine first four ingredients in the order listed into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with orange zest.
Chase Vodka Espresso Martini
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Chase Original Potato Vodka1 oz. freshly brewed espresso0.5 oz. coffee liqueur0.5 oz. simple syrup
Directions: Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Double strain into a martini or coupe glass, and garnish with a couple of coffee beans.
Cutwater Vodka Gimlet
- 2 oz. Cutwater Vodka1 oz. fresh lime juice.75 oz. simple syrup
Directions: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Black Diamond Martini
- 2 oz. Carbonadi VodkaLemon twist to garnish
Directions: In a mixing glass filled with ice, add Carbonadi. Stir quickly to chill and dilute the drink properly, about 20 seconds. Strain into a well-chilled martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Seagram’s Classic Bloody Mary
- 2 oz. Seagram’s 80 Proof Vodka4 dashes Worcestershire sauce0.5 oz. olive juice0.25 oz. balsamic vinegar1 to 2 dashes Tabasco0.5 oz. tomato juice0.5 oz. lemon juice0.5 tsp. horseradishBlack pepperGarlic powder
Directions: Rim a pint glass or mason jar with salt and fill it with ice. Combine all ingredients in the glass over the ice and stir with a cocktail spoon. Garnish with a celery stalk, skewered cocktail olives and onions, lime, and lemon rounds.
New Amsterdam Mule
- 2 oz. New Amsterdam Vodka0.5 oz. simple syrup0.5 oz. lime juice3 oz. ginger beer
Directions: Add ingredients into a mule mug filled with ice and stir together to combine and chill. Garnish with lime and mint.
It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere: The Fascinating History of Iconic Hotel Cocktails
Fruity Vodka Cocktails
Viva la Piña
- 1.5 oz. Crystal Head Onyx0.5 oz. Giffard Caribbean Pineapple liqueur1 oz. fresh lemon juice1 bar spoon of caster sugarPinch of salt1 egg whiteOrange zest
Directions: Add vodka, liqueur, fresh lemon juice, caster sugar, a pinch of salt, and an egg white into a cocktail shaker. Dry shake vigorously. Add ice, and shake again. Double strain into a rocks glass over ice, and garnish with orange zest.
Dragonfruit Daydream (Created by Natalie Jacob)
- 2 oz. Svedka Pure Infusions Dragonfruit Melon0.75 oz. lemon juice0.75 oz. dragon fruit pureeTop with sparkling water
Directions: Add vodka, lemon juice, and dragon fruit puree to a cocktail shaker. Shake with ice, and strain into a highball glass. Top with sparkling water, and garnish with dragon fruit pieces on a cocktail pick.
Pear of Thieves
- 1 oz. Crystal Head Vodka0.5 oz. St-Germain elderflower liqueur0.25 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice1 oz. fresh pear juice1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
Directions: Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Ginger Lime Oasis (Created by Natalie Jacob)
- 2 oz. Svedka Pure Infusions Ginger Lime1 oz. pineapple juice1 oz. coconut cream0.5 oz. lime juice0.5 oz. ginger syrup
Directions: This can be made shaken or frozen. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker (or blender), and shake (or blend) with ice. Serve in a hollowed-out pineapple or glass. Garnish with pineapple leaves and coconut flakes.
11 Cocktails That Will Take You Around the World While You’re Stuck at Home
Fall Vodka Cocktails
New Amsterdam Pumpkin Cider
- 2 parts New Amsterdam Vodka 80 Proof0.5 part lemon sours0.5 part Real Pumpkin SyrupEqual parts apple cider and ginger beer to fill
Batch Directions: Add ingredients into a punch bowl filled with ice, and stir together to combine and chill. Pour into glasses (or hollowed-out mini pumpkins) filled with ice, and garnish with blood orange wheels and apple slices as desired.
Cranberry Martini
- 1.5 oz. Ciroc White Grape0.75 oz. fino sherry3 dashes cranberry bitters
Directions: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, and fill with ice and stir 20 to 25 times. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with three cranberries on a cocktail pick.
Ketel One Winter Mule
- 1.5 oz. Ketel One Vodka3.5 oz. ginger beer1.5 oz. freshly squeezed apple juice1/4 lime juice1/8 oz. local honey
Directions: Add all ingredients to a glass filled with ice. Stir and garnish.
Grey Goose Hot Apple Pie
- 1 oz. Grey Goose La Poire vodka0.75 oz. B&B0.5 oz. maple syrup0.5 oz. lemon juice4 oz. unfiltered apple cider1 cinnamon stick
Directions: Stir and strain into your favorite old-fashioned glass full of ice or serve hot. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and lemon wheel.
Ketel One Winter Mary
- 1.5 oz. Ketel One Vodka3.5 equal parts carrot and apple juice1 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice1 pinch of rock salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and dried chili flakes1/2 tsp. tamarind1/2 tsp. ginger paste
Directions: Build over ice, stir, and garnish.
