Drinks Cocktails 27 Classic Cocktails You Should Know How to Make From a flawless French 75 to a "no notes" Negroni, these classic cocktails never go out of style. By Oset Babür-Winter Oset Babür-Winter Title: Senior Drinks Editor, Food & WineLocation: New York CityExperience: Oset Babür-Winter has completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust's (WSET) Level 3 Award in wines and was previously the magazine's associate culture editor, where she edited Obsessions. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 19, 2022 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon With so many trends in the food and beverage spaces seemingly materializing and disappearing at the speed of a sped up TikTok tune, there's something incredibly comforting about walking into your neighborhood watering hole and ordering a Negroni or an Old Fashioned. Even if the bartender wants to get a bit creative with garnishes or glassware, you'll generally know what to expect — stability, perfectly harmonious flavors that have stood the test of time, and, well, booze. Once you've stocked up a basic home bar with some of your favorite spirits, a good vermouth or two, and a bottle of bitters, you've got everything you need to nail the classic cocktail at home — read on for 27 iconic recipes that every bartender wants you to add to your repertoire. 01 of 27 Gin & Tonic Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter The herbaceous, juniper-forward flavor of botanical London Dry Gin is perfectly carried by tonic water's sweetness. Get the Recipe 02 of 27 White Russian Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon While a White Russian can be made with milk or half and half, heavy cream adds unmatched flavor and texture in this simple cocktail. Get the Recipe 03 of 27 Paper Plane Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter The Paper Plane has just enough sweetness to counteract its bitter and sour notes, and its signature orange hue comes from Aperol. Get the Recipe 04 of 27 Aviation Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon This gorgeous, light-purple-hued gin cocktail actually tastes as good as it looks. Served in an elegant coupe glass, this cocktail dates all the way back to the early 20th century, where it was first mentioned in Recipes for Mixed Drinks, a book written by Hugo Ensslin, the head bartender of the Hotel Wallick in New York City. Get the Recipe 05 of 27 Vieux Carré Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Channel the decadence and debauchery of Prohibition-era New Orleans with a classic Vieux Carré recipe from Neal Bodenheimer. Get the Recipe 06 of 27 Negroni Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Despite the Negroni's endless capacity for shape-shifting, this recipe is for the most classic version of the cocktail — think of it an ode to its comforting simplicity. Made with vibrant red Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin, the drink is balanced with a combination earthy, bitter, and botanical flavors. Get the Recipe 07 of 27 Aperol Spritz Matt Taylor-Gross / Food styling by Lucy Simon Typically served in a stemmed wine glass filled with ice along with an orange wedge garnish, it's best to use brut (or dry) prosecco for this drink, which already has plenty of sweetness from its eponymous ingredient. Get the Recipe 08 of 27 Moscow Mule Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Since a Moscow Mule contains just a few ingredients, it's important to reach for the highest quality when you can. Use sharp, spicy ginger beer for a full-flavored experience. And, as with nearly all cocktails, use lime juice from fresh, whole limes in lieu of the bottled stuff. Get the Recipe 09 of 27 Espresso Martini Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter This recipe from Simon Sebbah, beverage director at NYC's American Bar, gets you a perfectly frothy, caffeinated cocktail every time. Get the recipe 10 of 27 Mai Tai Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon If the only Mai Tai you've ever had was pink, then you've never had a Mai Tai. Get the recipe 11 of 27 Pimm's Cup Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon This low-alcohol cocktail with show-stopping garnishes is a delicious summer staple for a reason. Get the recipe 12 of 27 Last Word Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon This Prohibition-era cocktail comes together with just a few ingredients and manages to pack a seriously boozy punch while maintaining balance. Get the recipe 13 of 27 Spicy Margarita Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon How do you make a great classic cocktail even better? Add a jalapeño pepper. Get the recipe 14 of 27 Milk Punch Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Grab your spirit of choice and make this classic, creamy milk punch. Get the recipe 15 of 27 Grasshopper Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Lucy Simon Bright green, boozy, and creamy, it's impossible to miss a bright green Grasshopper cocktail. Get the recipe 16 of 27 Manhattan Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver The Manhattan is one of the most popular whiskey cocktails, and has been enjoyed for over a century. The drink is traditionally made with rye whiskey, but some bartenders prefer to use bourbon. You can add a splash of juice from the jar of maraschino cherries if you'd like to add fruity sweetness to the drink, or alternatively, garnish with a lemon peel. Get the recipe 17 of 27 Penicillin Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Smoky Scotch meets bracing ginger and sweet honey in a classic Penicillin cocktail. Get the recipe 18 of 27 Tom Collins Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Served in a vessel aptly named after the inventor of the cocktail, the Tom Collins is a towering, icy drink served in a thin-walled Collins glass. With likeness to a Gin Sling or Gin Fizz, the Tom Collins is a refreshing cocktail made with gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, a bit of sugar, and carbonated water. It's thirst-quenching and refreshing, with balanced sweet and sour flavors along with an enticing, fizzy finish. Get the Recipe 19 of 27 Bee's Knees This honey-sweetened Prohibition-era cocktail makes Lynnette Marrero think of spring: “It’s simple, clean and refreshing — like a winter toddy that’s gotten a spring makeover,” she says. Get the recipe 20 of 27 Old Fashioned Gin Old Fashioned. Mpak ART studio / Ilarion Ananiev / Getty Images Don't be fooled by the inherent simplicity of the drink — there is room for creativity and personalization when it comes to making an Old Fashioned. Get the recipe 21 of 27 Long Island Iced Tea Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon With four spirits and one liqeuer, the Long Island Iced Tea is not a cocktail for the faint of heart. Get the recipe 22 of 27 Mint Julep Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis The Mint Julep has been the iconic drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1939, but references to the cocktail go as far back as the year 900, when it was sipped for medicinal purposes. When New Orleans bartender Chris McMillian was at Bar UnCommon, he recited an ode while mixing Mint Juleps, written in the 1890s by a Kentucky newspaperman, that calls the bourbon and mint cocktail "the very dream of drinks." Get the recipe 23 of 27 French 75 Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter This luxurious, delicious combination of gin and Champagne can be easily scaled up for a crowd. Get the Recipe 24 of 27 Irish Coffee Brent Hofacker / Getty Images Irish Coffee, like so many St. Patrick's Day culinary standbys, is more Irish-American than Irish. The original cocktail features aged, frothed cream, two sugar cubes, hot coffee, and Irish whiskey, but as the drink spread, different formulations took hold. Our recipe calls for strong, freshly brewed coffee, Irish whiskey, a little sweetener, and whipped cream. Get the recipe 25 of 27 Corpse Reviver Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Like many Prohibition and pre-Prohibition cocktails, the Corpse Reviver is composed of mostly spirits that are artfully paired together in harmony. While just a dash is used, absinthe gives this cocktail an extra hit of herbaceous aroma. Get the recipe 26 of 27 Daiquiri Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Lucy Simon What makes the three-ingredient classic Daiquiri so delicious and enduring is ultimately its simplicity. Get the Recipe 27 of 27 Mojito Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter The simplicity of the Mojito allows high-quality ingredients to shine. Choose a high quality rum and pair it with freshly squeezed lime juice, and all-natural simple syrup to elevate this drink. Plus, a splash of bubbly water to top off the drink helps keep this highball a bit less boozy, making it a great contender for an afternoon sipping. Get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit