The day is finally here! It's time to celebrate your 21st birthday. Pick something juicy and sweet, spiced and fizzy, tart with a little tequila, or a shot that's actually good to get your celebration going. These are the best birthday drinks to get the party started.
Sunshine on the Beach
Juicy and sweet, the sunshine on the beach cocktail is the perfect 21st birthday drink if you don't want to have a super strong-tasting drink.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce vodka
- ¾ ounce peach liqueur
- ½ ounce raspberry liqueur
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- 2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
- Ice
- Orange wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, peach liqueur, cranberry juice, and orange juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a cocktail glass or highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with an orange wheel.
Woo Woo
The woo woo is the sunshine on the beach's little sister with similar flavors, but fewer ingredients to track down.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce peach liqueur
- Ice
- Cranberry juice to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks or highball glass, add ice, vodka, and peach liqueur.
- Top off with cranberry juice.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Screwdriver
The classic orange juice and vodka is a great place to start on your 21st birthday. Vitamin C is never a bad thing, either. You can use a flavored vodka, like vanilla, whipped cream, or citrus to give it a fun little twist.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces vodka, plain or flavored
- Ice
- Orange juice to top off
- Orange wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks or highball glass, add ice and vodka.
- Top off with orange juice.
- Garnish with an orange wedge.
Long Island Iced Tea
The infamous Long Island iced tea (LIIT for short). Maybe don't start your night with this, or end it, but it makes for a solid second drink. Welcome to 21!
Ingredients
- ½ ounce gin
- ½ ounce silver tequila
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce white rum
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Cola to top off
- Lemon wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, gin, tequila, vodka, white rum, orange liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with cola.
- Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Rum and Cola
Keep it easy, keep it classic, and keep it familiar. Well, with the cola. Because you've certainly never had rum before.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces silver rum
- Ice
- Cola to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a rocks or highball glass, add ice and rum.
- Top off with cola.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Whiskey and Ginger
You'll sometimes hear people call this a seven and seven, but at its roots, it's a whiskey ginger, and this is a reliable drink time after time. It's perfect for when you're learning the ropes on your 21st birthday.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces whiskey or bourbon
- Ice
- Ginger ale to top off
- Lime wedge
Instructions
- In a rocks or highball glass, add ice and whiskey.
- Top off with ginger ale.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Vodka Red Bull
Take it easy on the energy drinks, or else you'll be up all night - or maybe that's the idea. But these are a popular drink among the 21st-birthday crowd, anyway.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces vodka
- Ice
- Red Bull to top off
- Orange wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, add ice and vodka.
- Top off with Red Bull.
- Garnish with an orange wedge.
Cosmopolitan
The cosmo is a sweet and tart martini. It's one of the easiest martinis to drink and an excellent place to start the fruity martini journey on your 21st birthday.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces citron vodka
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce cranberry juice
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- Ice
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, citron vodka, lime juice, cranberry juice, and orange liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Tom Collins
Go the classic Collins route with gin (you might be surprised by the herbaceous, earthy flavors of gin), or swap that for a vodka instead.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin or vodka
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Lemon slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Top off with club soda.
- Stir gently to mix.
- Garnish with a lemon slice.
Margarita
Everyone knows the margarita - it practically needs no introduction. It's a sweet tequila drink with an excellent balance of citrus and sour lime. Oh, and you can choose your own adventure by using a salt or sugar rim for your best 21st birthday drink.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and salt for rim
- 1½ ounces tequila
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- ½ ounce agave syrup
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare the rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the salt on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the salt to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and agave syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Garnish with the lime wheel.
Dirty Shirley
You know the classic kiddie cocktail from your youth of being 20 years old, but now you can move on to the next stage of your life: a boozy Shirley Temple. Welcome to the big leagues, kid.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka, plain, cherry, or lime
- ¾ ounce grenadine
- 2 ounces lemon-lime soda
- Ice
- Ginger ale to top off
- Cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, vodka, grenadine, and lemon-lime soda.
- Top off with ginger ale.
- Stir gently to mix.
- Garnish with a cherry.
Tequila Sunrise
Marry your screwdriver with tequila and grenadine for a sweet and juicy drink. Perfect for a 21st birthday brunch drink.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces tequila
- 3 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- ¾ ounce grenadine
- Orange wheel and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, tequila, orange juice, and pineapple juice.
- Stir to mix.
- Slowly add grenadine, allowing it to sink to the bottom.
- Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.
Mind Eraser
The name of this drink is far more intimidating than the cocktail itself. It's a coffee liqueur drink with some club soda for bubbles. The mind eraser is an easy (and tasty) introduction to the coffee cocktail world. Make the drink a little sweeter by using a vanilla, whipped cream, or another similar vodka instead of plain.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces coffee liqueur
- 1½ ounces vodka
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, add ice, coffee liqueur, and vodka.
- Top off with club soda.
- Stir gently to mix.
21st Birthday Cake Cocktail
Have a liquid dessert for your 21st birthday. Think of this as an alternative to chocolate-covered raspberries. Or, better yet, pair it with your dessert. It is your birthday, after all.
Ingredients
- Honey and chocolate shavings for rim
- 1½ ounces chocolate or raspberry vodka
- 1½ ounces heavy cream
- ¾ ounce chocolate liqueur
- ½ ounce rasberry liqueur
- Ice
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- To prepare the rim, dip the rim of the glass in honey.
- With the chocolate shavings on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the chocolate to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, heavy cream, chocolate liqueur, and raspberry liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
Dark and Stormy
Go for a spiced drink on your birthday. This ginger-forward dark rum drink is a great alternative to sweeter 21st birthday drinks.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces dark rum
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Ginger beer to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks or highball glass, add ice, dark rum, and lime juice.
- Top off with ginger beer.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Amaretto Sour
The amaretto sour is hands down the most approachable sour-style cocktail. This recipe skips the egg whites, and the sweet amaretto makes it more accessible than the usual whiskey you find in these drinks.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces amaretto
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Cherry and orange slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, amaretto, lemon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.
Daiquiri Highball
A twist on the classic daiquiri you find in stemmed glassware, this is a fruity highball version. No one wants to navigate their 21st birthday trying not to spill fancy glassware.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces light rum
- 2 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice
- 1½ ounces strawberry puree
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Grapefruit slice for a garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, grapefruit juice, strawberry puree, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a grapefruit slice.
Vodka Cranberry
Otherwise known as a Cape Cod or Cape Codder, this is an easy recipe to fall back on if you're not sure what you want for your next drink on your birthday.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces lime vodka
- Ice
- Cranberry juice to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish
Ingredients
- In a highball glass, add ice and vodka.
- Top off with cranberry juice.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Rum Punch
At first sip, you may not realize how boozy this rum punch is since the tropical flavors mix so well with the rum. Take it easy, or use less rum to keep your 21st birthday celebration going longer.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces light rum
- ¾ ounce dark rum
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- 1½ ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
- ½ ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce grenadine
- Ice
- Orange wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice, and grenadine.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a highball or hurricane glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with an orange wedge.
Chocolate Cake Shot
A bite-size dessert, your chocolate cake fits right into a shot glass for your 21st birthday shot. Make a wish!
Ingredients
- Lemon wedge and sugar for rim
- ¾ ounce hazelnut liqueur
- ¾ ounce vanilla vodka
- ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Lemon slice for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare the rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, hazelnut liqueur, vanilla vodka, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Garnish with a lemon slice.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Shot
Shots shouldn't make you pull a face, especially today. This pineapple upside-down cake shot is perfect for kicking off your birthday.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce vanilla vodka
- ¾ ounce pineapple juice
- ¼ ounce grenadine
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add vanilla vodka and pineapple juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a shot glass.
- Slowly add grenadine, pouring it down the inside the shot glass, allowing it to sink to the bottom.
- Take a photo for your Instagram as you have your the first shot of your 21st year.
21st Birthday Drinks and Shots for the Perfect Day
As you adventure out the door or into the liquor cabinet to celebrate your 21st birthday, don't forget some water along the way. That being said, have fun, and remember that the best cocktail is the one you like. So start learning!
