10 delicious three-ingredient cocktails

By Nathalie Baylaucq 30.06.2023

Enjoy these three-ingredient cocktails that combine simplicity and great taste!

Crafting complex cocktails with carefully measured ingredients can be enjoyable, but sometimes a simple, effortless mix is more relaxing. Two-ingredient cocktails like gin and tonic or rusty nail are delicious, but there are even more great cocktails with just one more element.

10 recipes for three-ingredient cocktails

Here are some of the best three-ingredient cocktails to put your home bar to good use:

Manhattan:

Two ounces of whiskey (traditionally rye), one ounce of sweet vermouth, and a few dashes of Angostura bitters stirred together, strained, and served with a maraschino cherry. The classic three-ingredient combination is all you need.

Bee’s Knees:

A Prohibition-era cocktail made with gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup. Honey balances the lemon juice and adds floral notes that complement the gin. It’s a delightful three-ingredient mix.

Gimlet:

A classic gin drink dating back to the 19th century. Mix gin, lime juice, and simple syrup, shake, and serve. It’s a bright, tart, and fresh cocktail that gin lovers will appreciate.

Negroni:

An iconic three-ingredient cocktail created in 1919. Equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. Mix them up, and you have a straightforward yet flavorful drink.

Photo Sebastian Coman Photography –Unsplash

Americano:

The precursor to the Negroni. Mix equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth, top with soda water. It’s a bright and effervescent low-ABV cocktail, perfect as an aperitif.

Gold Rush:

A modern classic credited to a customer’s suggestion. Mix honey syrup, lemon juice, and bourbon for a rich and vibrant cocktail. It’s a reinvented version of the whiskey sour.

Sidecar:

Part of the daisy family of cocktails, the Sidecar combines cognac, lemon juice, and triple-sec. Cognac’s richness is balanced by the citrus, while triple-sec rounds out the flavors.

Moscow Mule:

A popular drink served in a copper mug. It combines vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer. The copper mug keeps the cocktail colder for longer, enhancing the flavors.

Photo de Alexandra Tran –Unsplash

Daiquiri:

A famous cocktail dating back to 1896. Mix rum, lime juice, and sugar for a simple yet satisfying drink. Experiment with different rums and sugar syrups to personalize it.

Paloma:

Mexico’s most popular cocktail, made with tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit-flavored soda. It’s a vibrant and tart highball that refreshes on a hot day. Swap tequila for mezcal for a smoky twist.