Brian Nagele
Vodka is a spirit with a diverse array of recipes and distilling traditions, using many different grains.
Whether it’s winter wheat in Europe or corn in North America, vodka is world-famous for its smooth and versatile palate. It is clean and crisp, blending well with any flavor you decide to pair it with.
To take advantage of vodka’s versatility this spring, you can try your hand at a spring vodka cocktail.
My list of cocktail recipes features refreshing spring twists on classic vodka cocktails as well as creative craft cocktails.
Read on to discover the best spring cocktails made with vodka to try at home.
Not to be confused with the classic Kentucky Derby cocktail, this Mint Tulip Cocktail is as floral and botanical as its name suggests. It’s a blend of elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, cranberry, and citrus vodka.
Not only does vodka blend with any flavor, but it is also the best flavored spirit.
Citrus-flavored vodka is the most popular type, making this fruity beverage much brighter.
This super refreshing bubbly cocktail makes four servings for a fun dinner party libation.
Each cocktail features a helping of frozen peaches and blueberries at the bottom of a highball glass to muddle with fresh ginger and basil, making a sweet, spicy, and herbaceous foundation for a shot of vodka and a splash of soda.
This spring twist on the classic vodka tonic cocktail adds rose liqueur to the mix.
If you’ve never tried rose liqueur, you’re in for a treat! It translates the delicate fragrance of roses into a concentrated taste.
The bittersweet tonic water with the floral and fragrant rose liqueur makes this cocktail really special.
This party-sized recipe can be as scratch-made or streamlined as you like.
It’s a very sweet sparkling lemonade due to the addition of pineapple juice and ginger ale. Suffice it to say, vodka will definitely go undetected - even if you opt for a budget vodka brand, it'll taste great.
I recommend making an especially tart scratch-made lemonade, letting the pineapple juice and ginger ale provide the lion's share of the sweetness.
The Lemon Drop Martini is a favorite for vodka drinkers who want the elegance of a martini in a sweeter cocktail.
This elaborate recipe has you make simple lavender syrup using edible lavender buds. It adds a floral sweetness to the burst of lemon and orange citrus.
Its golden hue is a stunning backdrop for a periwinkle lavender bud garnish.
Another citrus-forward vodka cocktail, this Grapefruit Vodka Cocktail is a vodka version of the classic Paloma.
Instead of grapefruit soda and lime juice, however, this recipe calls for fresh grapefruit juice and lemon-lime soda.
The result is a sweet, tangy cocktail with a bitter finish from the grapefruit and a crisp vodka finish.
Strawberry and grapefruit is the combination you never knew you needed, and this pretty-in-pink cocktail is proof.
It blends fresh grapefruit juice with strawberry jelly for its hot pink hue and perfectly balanced sweet, tangy, and bitter palate.
Lemon juice and club soda add a refreshing finish. I would serve this cocktail at a springtime brunch.
A novel take on the classic screwdriver, this Jalapeno orange spritzer uses homemade jalapeno-infused vodka to spike fresh OJ.
The seeds in any pepper are what provide its heat, so if you add seeded jalapeno slices to your vodka, it’ll be much spicier than just the green part.
Sweet juice with a spicy alcoholic kick gives “hair of the dog” a whole new meaning.
This Cherry Vodka Sour gets its name from its red hue, but the only cherry in this recipe is the maraschino garnish.
This is a classic vodka sour recipe that adds a splash of grenadine for color.
It is essentially a spiked lemonade, and you can add a splash of soda to make it into a Dirty Shirley.
This recipe from the famed Ketel One vodka distillery is a true taste of spring, blending fresh apple and lemon juice with citrus-flavored vodka.
Simple syrup and soda add a delicate sweetness and a refreshing bubbly finish. It also has a beautiful raspberry and mint garnish to evoke spring’s bounty in a glass.
