National Vodka Day Is Oct. 4 — Here Are 15 co*cktail Recipes to Celebrate (2024)

This Sunday, Oct. 4, raise a cosmopolitan, martini, or bloody mary to celebrate National Vodka Day, a spirited holiday devoted to one of America's most popular liquors. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, vodka has become the "backbone of the spirits industry, accounting for 31% of all volumes," with 74.1 million nine-liter cases sold in the U.S. last year. Driving this growth is the popularity of flavored vodkas, which make up about 22% of all vodkas sold, according to the council.

In honor of this boozy occasion, we've rounded up vodka co*cktail recipes from some of the country's most popular brands, as well as some brands you might not have heard of yet. Of course, you can always sub in your vodka of choice, or opt for same-day delivery with services like Minibar or Saucey. We have classic, fruity, and even fall vodka co*cktails that are perfect for the chillier weather — one is even served in a pumpkin.

Classic Vodka co*cktails

Grey Goose Cosmopolitan Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Grey Goose L'Orange vodka
• 0.5 oz. Cointreau
• 1 part cranberry juice
• 0.5 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• Orange zest for garnish

Directions: Combine first four ingredients in the order listed into a co*cktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with orange zest.

Chase Vodka Espresso Martini

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Chase Original Potato Vodka
• 1 oz. freshly brewed espresso
• 0.5 oz. coffee liqueur
• 0.5 oz. simple syrup

Directions: Add all of the ingredients into a co*cktail shaker with ice and shake well. Double strain into a martini or coupe glass, and garnish with a couple of coffee beans.

Cutwater Vodka Gimlet

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Cutwater Vodka
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice
• .75 oz. simple syrup

Directions: Combine all ingredients into a co*cktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Black Diamond Martini

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Carbonadi Vodka
• Lemon twist to garnish

Directions: In a mixing glass filled with ice, add Carbonadi. Stir quickly to chill and dilute the drink properly, about 20 seconds. Strain into a well-chilled martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Seagram’s Classic Bloody Mary

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Seagram's 80 Proof Vodka
• 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 0.5 oz. olive juice
• 0.25 oz. balsamic vinegar
• 1 to 2 dashes Tabasco
• 0.5 oz. tomato juice
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 0.5 tsp. horseradish
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder

Directions: Rim a pint glass or mason jar with salt and fill it with ice. Combine all ingredients in the glass over the ice and stir with a co*cktail spoon. Garnish with a celery stalk, skewered co*cktail olives and onions, lime, and lemon rounds.

New Amsterdam Mule

• 2 oz. New Amsterdam Vodka
• 0.5 oz. simple syrup
• 0.5 oz. lime juice
• 3 oz. ginger beer

Directions: Add ingredients into a mule mug filled with ice and stir together to combine and chill. Garnish with lime and mint.

Fruity Vodka co*cktails

Viva la Piña

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Crystal Head Onyx
• 0.5 oz. Giffard Caribbean Pineapple liqueur
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 bar spoon of caster sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg white
• Orange zest

Directions: Add vodka, liqueur, fresh lemon juice, caster sugar, a pinch of salt, and an egg white into a co*cktail shaker. Dry shake vigorously. Add ice, and shake again. Double strain into a rocks glass over ice, and garnish with orange zest.

Dragonfruit Daydream (Created by Natalie Jacob)

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Svedka Pure Infusions Dragonfruit Melon
• 0.75 oz. lemon juice
• 0.75 oz. dragon fruit puree
• Top with sparkling water

Directions: Add vodka, lemon juice, and dragon fruit puree to a co*cktail shaker. Shake with ice, and strain into a highball glass. Top with sparkling water, and garnish with dragon fruit pieces on a co*cktail pick.

Pear of Thieves

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Crystal Head Vodka
• 0.5 oz. St-Germain elderflower liqueur
• 0.25 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 oz. fresh pear juice
• 1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice

Directions: Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then pour into a co*cktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

Ginger Lime Oasis (Created by Natalie Jacob)

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Svedka Pure Infusions Ginger Lime
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 oz. coconut cream
• 0.5 oz. lime juice
• 0.5 oz. ginger syrup

Directions: This can be made shaken or frozen. Add all ingredients to a co*cktail shaker (or blender), and shake (or blend) with ice. Serve in a hollowed-out pineapple or glass. Garnish with pineapple leaves and coconut flakes.

Fall Vodka co*cktails

New Amsterdam Pumpkin Cider

Ingredients:

• 2 parts New Amsterdam Vodka 80 Proof
• 0.5 part lemon sours
• 0.5 part Real Pumpkin Syrup
• Equal parts apple cider and ginger beer to fill

Batch Directions: Add ingredients into a punch bowl filled with ice, and stir together to combine and chill. Pour into glasses (or hollowed-out mini pumpkins) filled with ice, and garnish with blood orange wheels and apple slices as desired.

Cranberry Martini

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Ciroc White Grape
• 0.75 oz. fino sherry
• 3 dashes cranberry bitters

Directions: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, and fill with ice and stir 20 to 25 times. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with three cranberries on a co*cktail pick.

Ketel One Winter Mule

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Ketel One Vodka
• 3.5 oz. ginger beer
• 1.5 oz. freshly squeezed apple juice
• 1/4 lime juice
• 1/8 oz. local honey

Directions: Add all ingredients to a glass filled with ice. Stir and garnish.

Grey Goose Hot Apple Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Grey Goose La Poire vodka
• 0.75 oz. B&B
• 0.5 oz. maple syrup
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 4 oz. unfiltered apple cider
• 1 cinnamon stick

Directions: Stir and strain into your favorite old-fashioned glass full of ice or serve hot. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and lemon wheel.

Ketel One Winter Mary

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Ketel One Vodka
• 3.5 equal parts carrot and apple juice
• 1 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 pinch of rock salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and dried chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind
• 1/2 tsp. ginger paste

Directions: Build over ice, stir, and garnish.