11 easy cocktails to make at home
You're probably used to pre-drinking on cheap wine or a few bargain beers. But how much better would it be if you made your own delicious cheap cocktails?

Credit: Serhiy Shullye (foreground) - Shutterstock
We wouldn't usually advise mixing your drinks (we all know how badly that can end!). But, cocktails are a rare exception, and knowing how to make them can be a great way to make friends at uni.
You can make cocktails at home by mixing the drinks in a glass or large bowl, although it's worth investing in a proper cocktail shaker. This should help you in conjuring up your 'shaken-not-stirred' delights without any hassle or spills.
Allow us to share a few of our favourite cheap and easy cocktail recipes.
Easy cocktail recipes for students
Best cocktail recipes
Pre-drinks shouldn't be a complicated affair, so we've put together a list of easy cocktails to make at home:
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Cheeky Vimto
An old student favourite, and with good reason! Cheeky Vimtos are ridiculously easy to make, and they're a pretty colour too. Need we say more?
Cheeky Vimto ingredients
- 1 bottle of WKD Blue (or a cheaper brand)
- 50ml of port (small bottle)
- 25ml of vodka.
Easy Cheeky Vimto recipe
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Sex On The Beach
Perfect for the summer. Or the winter. Or whenever, really.
Sex On The Beach ingredients
- 200ml of cranberry juice
- 100ml of orange juice
- 75ml of vodka
- 75ml of peach schnapps.
Easy Sex On The Beach recipe
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Jammy Dodger Shot
Granted, this one is more of a shot than a cocktail. But, the Jammy Dodger cocktail shot is the best-tasting shot that will ever grace your mouth.
Jammy Dodger Shot ingredients
- A bottle of Chambord (blackberry liquor)
- Double cream (yes, really)
- Sugar (available from all well-stocked cupboards).
Easy Jammy Dodger Shot recipe
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Piña Colada
If you haven't tried a homemade Piña Colada before, you're in for a tropical treat. It's a personal favourite of ours (we also like getting caught in the rain) and comes highly recommended.
Piña Colada ingredients
- 50ml of white rum
- 25ml of coconut cream
- 25ml of single cream
- 200ml of pineapple juice.
Easy Piña Colada recipe
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Woo Woo
Credit: Kasia - Shutterstock
Woo Woo is a Wetherspoons favourite, but you can easily make this at home too – and it's cheaper. Here's how.
Woo Woo ingredients
- 25ml of peach schnapps
- 25ml of vodka
- 50ml of cranberry juice.
Easy Woo Woo recipe
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Mojito
Mojitos have been a staple cocktail for years, and it's not hard to see why it has remained popular among students. Best of all, these easy cocktails don't take long to make.
Mojito ingredients
- Half a lime (cut into 4 pieces)
- 5 fresh mint leaves
- Tablespoon of sugar
- 50ml golden rum (Captain Morgan's spiced or Havana Club should do)
- Soda water
- A handful of strawberries or raspberries (optional, but it gives an extra burst of flavour).
Easy Mojito recipe
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Fluffy Duck
Who doesn't want to drink a cocktail with a name like 'Fluffy Duck'? And it's yellow. Who even cares what it tastes like (not bad, as it happens)?
Fluffy Duck ingredients
- 25ml of advocaat
- 25ml of white rum
- 25ml of cream
- Lemonade.
Easy Fluffy Duck recipe
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Long Island Iced Tea
Perhaps one of the most alcoholic cocktails out there, so take great care with the Long Island Iced Tea. But it does taste really good.
Long Island Iced Tea ingredients
- 25ml of light rum
- 25ml of vodka
- 25ml of gin
- 25ml of tequila
- 25ml of lime juice
- Coke.
Easy Long Island Iced Tea recipe
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Singapore Sling
Credit: Yosomono - Flickr
Anything with alliteration in the title sounds good to us. The Singapore Sling is probably the most demanding in terms of ingredients, but we promise it's easy to make and totally worth it.
Singapore Sling ingredients
- 25ml of gin
- 25ml of cherry brandy
- 50ml of pineapple juice
- 10ml of Bénédictine
- 10ml of grenadine
- 10ml of Cointreau
- Soda water.
Easy Singapore Sling recipe
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Tequila Sunrise
Zingy, refreshing and a pretty cool colour to boot – Tequila Sunrises are a great choice.
Tequila Sunrise ingredients
- 50ml of tequila
- 25ml of grenadine
- 175ml of orange juice.
Easy Tequila Sunrise recipe
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Lemon Drop
Everyone needs a bit of zest in their life every once in a while, and Lemon Drops really are delicious.
Lemon Drop ingredients
- 50ml of vodka
- 50ml of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- Lemonade.
Easy Lemon Drop recipe
- Wet the rim of a glass and roll it in the sugar.
- Mix the vodka and the lemon juice together in the glass.
- Top it up with lemonade.
We hope you enjoy these cocktails and always remember to drink responsibly!
Headed out after your homemade cocktails? Check out our guide to saving money on a night out.
Comments
Lydia Balmforth
I recently made a mixture and everyone in my flat loved it, I made a fishbowl of it but it was simple Black Cactus Jacks, blue wkd and cream soda, it kinda tastes like sherbet, but not too sweet.
Raine Screwball Eaday
.... Those arn't cheap..
Matt Arredondo
This. As much as I enjoy gin I've never made a Singapore Sling as it's so cost prohibitive.
Samson Ehiosun
MOJITOS add all the following in a glass and crush them together with a bar molar in side a long ice bulb cryster glass: Lime – cut into 4 pieces 5 Fresh MINT leaves Tablespoon of BROWN sugar Add and stir: 50ml Nice Golden Rum (Havana Club or Morgan's spiced) Top with: Soda water – For a twist, add a small handful of strawberry's or raspberry's at the start, yum!
Always serve cocktails with plenty of ice it help to save your coctaik also ganish with a holsome mint leave @the end for presentation
Leigh
Try a baileynog, pick a glass any size put ice in it pour in half advocat and top it off with baileys. Or why not a vvgb, pick a glass any size and add equal amounts of vodka, vermouth and ginger beer over ice
Phil Jarvis
We used to sell loads of these FAT FROG you need 2 pint pots with Ice, then split a Blue WkD into the 2 pints, do the same with a bottle of Orange Breezer and a Smirnoff Ice and serve taste like a Swizzels Refresher .
Michelle
Ooo I like contests! Best cocktail wins!
Here's my favourites: Pina Colada 50ml White Rum 25ml Coconut Cream 25ml Single Cream 200ml Pineapple Juice If you want to cheat, swap the first three ingredients for Malibu!
Mojito Put the following in a glass and smush them together with any utensil you can find: Half a lime - cut into 4 pieces 5 Fresh mint leaves Tablespoon of sugar Add and stir: 50ml Nice Golden Rum (Havana Club or Morgan's spiced) Top with: Soda water - For a twist, add a small handful of strawberry's or raspberry's at the start, yum!
Always serve cocktails with plenty of ice
Matt
oooohhhhh!!!! the green monster one sounds epic! What are the ingredients??? is it only the green skittles you use then?
Owen
Yeah, green skittles but not too many! There seem to be a few different versions of the drink. Think it had vodka, barcardi, cider and lager in it too, topped up with a double measure of Blue Curacao! Dangerous!
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