These Are the Best Cocktails for Mother’s Day
Bbs, Mother’s Day isn’t too far off. And this year, your mom deserves a damn treat. The list goes on and on, but we can think of a few reasons (her 36 hour birth with you, for one) why your mom could probs use a stiff drink RN.
Sure, you could get her a cute gift (we have a ton of options for you right here), but what says thank you for raising me better than a pink drink in a fancy glass? Plus, your mom has a ton of stuff already, right? The macrame ornaments you made as a kid and every single card you've ever written her... There's a box for that. Instead of adding to that collection, pick up some ingredients and give your mom a cocktail tasting. Trust us, she'll appreciate watching you make the drinks for once while she's sprawled out on the couch not having to do anything.
Tell her to sit back, relax, and let the mixologist (aka YOU) take over for the night. Here, our picks for the best Mother’s Day cocktails that are simple enough to whip up on the fly and pretty enough to impress ya mother.
1. Zacapa Daiquiri
Combine 1½ oz. Zacapa 23 Centenario Rum, 1 oz. fresh lime juice, and ½ oz. simple syrup into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
Recipe by Zacapa Rum
2. Garden Spritz
For the cocktail: Add 1½ oz. Tanqueray No.TEN and ¾ oz. hibiscus syrup to a glass. Add ice. Top with club soda and stir. Garnish with grapefruit wheel.
For the hibiscus syrup: Seep 1-2 hibiscus tea bags in 1 cup of hot water. After 5 minutes, remove tea bags. Add one cup of sugar and stir until it dissolves.
Recipe by Mixologist Lauren Davis
3. The Lady Grey
Add 1½ oz. Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka, ½ oz. Cocchi Americano, .¾ oz. of fresh lemon juice, ½ oz. of Bitterwitch Early Grey Tea Syrup, and 2 dashes lavender bitters to a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and strain into a glass to serve.
Recipe by Lentz Ison and Cathead Distillery
4. Smoky Watermelon Lemon Margarita
For the cocktail: In a cocktail shaker or glass jar, add ¼ cup watermelon juice, 2 oz. Mezcal, ½ oz. Cointreau, juice from ½ lemon, 4 fresh mint/basil leaves, and 1-2 jalapeño slices. Fill with ice and shake until combined, about 1 minute. The longer you shake, the spicier it will be.
For the watermelon juice: Blend 2 cups cubed watermelon in a blender. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For the chili lemon salt: Combine ¼ cup flaky sea salt, 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder, 1 pinch granulated sugar, and the zest from 1 lemon on a shallow plate. Rim your glass in the salt mixture.
Recipe by Half Baked Harvest
5. The First One
In a tin, add ½ oz. simple syrup, ½ oz. Saint Germain, ¾ oz. lime juice, 1½ oz. vodka, and 4 dashes absinthe. Add 1 piece of lemongrass and shake with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Recipe by Will Wyatt for Pretty Ricky’s, NYC
6. Stairway to Haven
Add 1½ oz. RumHaven, ½ oz. vanilla liqueur, 1 oz. coffee liqueur, and 2 oz. cold pressed coffee into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass.
Recipe by RumHaven
7. Lavender Lemonade Port Cocktail
Take 1 lemon and cut half into wedges. Slice remaining half to use as a garnish. In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, crush using a muddler. Add 2½ oz. Fonseca Siroco dry white port and 1¼ oz. lavender simple syrup. Add ice and cover with cocktail topper. Shake well. Pour into glass and top with 1 oz. sparkling lemonade. Garnish with lemon, edible flowers, and mint.
Recipe by Fonseca Port
8. Ginger Peach Mule
Blend 6 oz. King St. Vodka with 3 pureed ripe peaches, 1 in. fresh peeled ginger root, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, and 2 cups ginger beer soda.
Recipe by King St. Vodka
9. The Ruby
In a copper balloon cup, build the mixture of 1 part Absolut Elyx, 1 part elderflower liqueur, and 1 part ruby grapefruit juice over cubed ice. Top with 3 parts sparkling water and stir gently to combine. Garnish with a slice of ruby grapefruit and edible flowers.
Recipe by Gareth Evans for Absolut Elyx
10. Shake Your Libations
In a cocktail shaker, squeeze juice from 1 lime wedge and 1 lemon wedge. Add 2 oz. vodka, 2 oz. water, 1 oz. simple syrup, and a dash of vanilla extract. Fill with ice. Shake and strain into a glass.
Recipe from Fairgrounds Chicago Fulton Market
11. G&T&Tea for Two
Brew 1 tsp. Dandelion Detox Tea in 4 oz. boiling water for 5 minutes. Fill collins glass with ice. Add 1½ oz. gin, ½ oz. simple syrup, and 1 oz. of the tea concentrate to your glass. Top with tonic water, and garnish with a lime wheel and lemongrass.
Recipe by Fairgrounds Chicago Fulton Market
12. Watermelon Moscow Mule
In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 part SKYY Infusions Sun-Ripened Watermelon Vodka, juice from half a lime, 1 part freshly pressed watermelon juice, and 1 can or bottle ginger beer. Shake and strain into a glass. Garnish with a fresh watermelon wedge.
Recipe by SKYY Vodka
13. The Berry Margarita
Add 1 oz. Cointreau, 1½ oz. Blanco Tequila, and ¼ oz. fresh lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Top with ice and shake. Strain over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with blackberries.
Recipes by Cointreau
14. The Ginger Mint Margarita
Muddle 2 slices fresh ginger root and 5 mint leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add 1 oz. Cointreau, 2 oz. Blanco Tequila, and ¾ oz. fresh lime juice. Strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Recipes from Cointreau
15. El Cencerro
In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 oz. El Buho Mezcal, ¾ oz. Ancho Reyes Poblano, ¼ oz. Giffard Peach Liquor, ¼ oz. aperol, and ¾ oz. lime juice. Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.
Recipe from Claro in New York
16. The Fizzy
Stir 1 oz. Michelberger Forest Herbal Liqueur (or use white vermouth as a substitute), ½ oz. Rondo Spritz (or use aperol as a substitute), and ½ oz. Genepy, an Italian herbal liqueur, with ice in a glass. Top with 1 oz. soda water and 2 oz. sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange slice.
Recipe from Gertie in New York
17. The Mother of Pearl
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 1½ oz. Absolut Vodka, ½ oz. yellow chartreuse, ¾ oz. coconut milk, 1 oz. lychee puree or nectar, and ¼ oz. lime juice. Shake, then strain into a cocktail glass. Optional: Garnish with pearlescent gelatin bubbles.
18. Sweet Beet Spritz
In a wine goblet, combine 2 parts prosecco, 1 part Plymouth Gin, ½ part Lillet Rosé, ½ part freshly pressed beet juice, and 1 part club soda. Add ice. Garnish with a half-wheel beet slice, a half-wheel orange slice, and a lime peel.
19. Rosé Cooler
Pour 2 oz. Hangar 1 Straight Vodka over ice in a glass. Add 1 oz. rosé wine, 1 tsp. elderflower syrup, 1½ tsp. rosewater, and the juice of half a lemon. Top with 4 oz. soda water and stir.
Recipe by Live Happy Inspired
20. Blossom Bomb Mom
In a rocks glass, add 2 parts Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay, 1 part lemonade, and 1 part iced tea over ice. Stir with a straw and garnish with a lemon peel.
21. TriStar
In a blender, add 1 dash Pernod Absinthe, 2 parts Absolut Peppar, ½ part lemon juice, ½ part green chartreuse, 1 part simple syrup, and 1 large strawberry. Add up to six ice cubes, then blend until smooth. Garnish with a strawberry rose on top of a basil stem.
22. Conquistador’s Tonic
Muddle 4-5 rosemary needles and 3 Granny Smith apple slices in the bottom of a tall collins glass. Add ice, 1½ oz. gin, and 2 oz. cranberry juice, and top with tonic water. Garnish with fanned Granny Smith apple slices, 3 or 4 fresh cranberries, and a long sprig of rosemary.
23. The Arrandas Highball
Rim a tall highball or collins glass with kosher salt. Add ice to the glass, then build your cocktail: 1 part Lillet Blanc, 1 part Altos Blanco tequila, ½ part Suze, and ¼ part freshly pressed ginger juice. Top with club soda. Garnish with a slice of fresh ginger and a lime wheel.
24. Rainbow Pixie Dust Lemonade
In a large pitcher, mix 8 parts cold water, 1 part fresh lemon juice, and 1 part simple syrup. Add ice and stir. Rim glasses with colorful sanding sugar, then pour lemonade into each glass. Add vodka (or your spirit of choice), and listen to Lemonade by Beyoncé.
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