Sweet Cocktails

73 recipes

Sweet cocktails get dismissed as beginner drinks, but dessert-style mixing is its own craft: cream liqueurs, amaretto, chocolate and fruit syrups need balancing just like citrus does. These 73 recipes score highest for sweetness in our catalog, from the Alabama Slammer to after-dinner drinks like the Amaretto and Cream.

One thing worth knowing: sugar hides alcohol. Some of the sweetest drinks on this list are also among the strongest, so the ABV shown on every recipe is worth a glance before the second round.

RumBiscoff & Cream Boozy MilkshakeVanilla ice cream blended with a dozen Biscoff cookies, bourbon cream liqueur, white rum, coconut milk and spice, crowned with whipped cream. An…Easy8 ingredientsOtherBoozy Snickers MilkshakeCrushed Snickers bars blended with vanilla ice cream, milk, caramel, chocolate sauce and Godiva liqueur, topped with whipped cream. Maximum candy-bar…Easy7 ingredientsOtherPort And StarboardGreen creme de menthe floated carefully over grenadine so the layers glow like a ship's running lights. A tiny, sweet showpiece of steady-handed…Medium2 ingredientsOtherBruce's PuceGrenadine, Kahlua and Baileys layered carefully in a shot glass. Goes down smooth and, improbably, tastes like chocolate milk.Medium3 ingredientsVodkaChocolate Black RussianChocolate ice cream blended briefly with Kahlua and vodka and poured into a flute. A boozy milkshake that leans firmly into dessert territory.Easy3 ingredientsOtherChocolate MonkeyCreme de cacao and banana liqueur blended with chocolate ice cream, chocolate milk and syrup, topped with whipped cream, banana and cherry. Peak…Easy8 ingredientsVodkaCreamy biscoff cocktailMelted Biscoff cookie butter shaken with Baileys Almande, rum, vodka, milk and warm spices over ice. Speculoos spread turned fully drinkable.Medium9 ingredientsOtherCreme de MentheA homemade mint liqueur of sugar syrup, peppermint extract and grain alcohol, ripened for a month. Cool, sweet and vividly green.Medium5 ingredientsVodkaOreo MudslideVodka, Kahlua and Baileys blended with vanilla ice cream and an Oreo, crowned with whipped cream and a cherry. Milkshake decadence with a grown-up…Easy5 ingredientsOtherAlmond JoyAmaretto and white creme de cacao folded into cream for a shaken, candy-bar dessert drink. Tastes exactly like its chocolate-almond namesake.Easy3 ingredientsOtherAmaretto MistAmaretto poured neat over crushed ice with a wedge of lime to cut the sweetness. The simplest way to enjoy the liqueur's toasted-almond character.Easy2 ingredientsBrandyAmaretto ShakeBrandy and amaretto blended with chocolate ice cream and finished with chocolate shavings. A grown-up milkshake with real backbone.Easy3 ingredientsOtherBailey's Dream ShakeBaileys blended thirty seconds with vanilla ice cream and cream. A cool, spoonable dream for hot afternoons.Easy3 ingredientsOtherBlind RussianGodiva, Kahlua, Baileys and butterscotch schnapps shaken with milk into a liquid candy bar. A White Russian that lost sight of moderation.Easy5 ingredientsWhiskeyBrandon and Will's Coke FloatVanilla ice cream in a frosted mug with two ounces of bourbon and a can of Coke poured over. The childhood float, permanently upgraded.Easy3 ingredientsVodkaButter BabyVodka and butterscotch schnapps blended with vanilla ice cream and milk, served in a chilled mug with blueberries and caramel. A butterscotch sundae…Easy4 ingredientsOtherFoxy LadyAmaretto and creme de cacao shaken with a generous pour of cream into a chocolate-almond confection. Smooth, plush and unabashedly sweet.Easy3 ingredientsOtherGrasshopperEqual parts green creme de menthe, white creme de cacao and fresh cream shaken frosty. The mint-chocolate classic in its signature shade of green.Easy4 ingredientsOtherJam DonutChambord under a layer of Baileys in a sugar-rimmed shot glass. Tastes astonishingly like its namesake pastry.Medium4 ingredientsAperitifOatmeal CookieButterscotch schnapps, Baileys, Kahlua, Jagermeister and a touch of Goldschlager mixed into an improbably accurate liquid cookie. Works as a shot or…Easy5 ingredientsOtherQuick F**KKahlua, Midori and Baileys layered in thirds in a shot glass. Coffee, melon and cream stacked into one cheeky slam.Medium3 ingredientsOtherSweet ToothTwo shots of Godiva chocolate liqueur with as much or as little milk as you like. Dessert reduced to two decisions.Easy2 ingredientsOtherAfter FivePeppermint schnapps slid beneath Kahlua, then capped with Baileys in three careful layers. Tastes like an after-dinner mint with an agenda.Medium3 ingredientsOtherAlabama SlammerSouthern Comfort, amaretto and sloe gin poured over ice with a dash of lemon — a Southern party staple. Juicy, almondy and much stronger than its…Easy4 ingredientsOtherAmaretto And CreamEqual parts amaretto and light cream shaken over cracked ice into a smooth, marzipan-sweet sipper. Two ingredients, instant dessert.Easy2 ingredientsBrandyAmaretto LiqueurA homemade amaretto built from brandy, grain alcohol, apricots and almond extract over a cooled sugar syrup, then aged. Toasted-almond sweetness you…Hard11 ingredientsOtherAmaretto StingerA minty twist on the stinger that pairs amaretto with white creme de menthe, shaken frosty over cracked ice. Sweet almond warmth chased by a cool…Easy2 ingredientsOtherAmaretto SunsetThree shots of amaretto shaken briefly with triple sec and cider, served with an orange slice. Almond and apple in a mellow amber glow.Easy4 ingredientsVodkaBlack Forest ShakeVodka and cherry brandy blended with chocolate syrup, milk and ice. The famous cake reimagined as a frosty shake.Easy5 ingredientsOtherChocolate MilkMilk under chocolate liqueur with a dash of amaretto, left unmixed and slammed in one. Exactly what the name promises, with a wink.Easy3 ingredientsVodkaHomemade KahluaSugar, corn syrup and instant coffee dissolved into syrup, married with a fifth of vodka and vanilla, then matured for a month. Patience in a gallon…Medium6 ingredientsWhiskeyIrish CreamScotch blended with condensed milk, half-and-half and hints of chocolate and coconut. A quick homemade take on the beloved cream liqueur.Easy5 ingredientsVodkaJello shotsJello dissolved in boiling water, spiked with two cups of vodka and set firm in plastic shot cups. The chewable party classic — make them ahead.Medium3 ingredientsOtherMidnight MintBaileys, white creme de menthe and double cream shaken and strained into a chocolate-rimmed glass. A cool, silky after-dinner mint in cocktail form.Medium3 ingredientsOtherMother's MilkButterscotch schnapps and Goldschlager shaken with milk and strained for two. Cinnamon-butterscotch comfort with a hidden burn.Easy3 ingredientsVodkaOrgasmAmaretto, triple sec, vodka and creme de cacao shaken with cream into a notorious dessert cocktail. Silky, nutty and sweet enough to earn its…Easy5 ingredientsRumThe Evil Blue ThingBlue curacao, light rum and creme de cacao poured together into a curiously tasty turquoise sipper. The gummy whale garnish is optional but…Easy3 ingredientsOtherZingerPeach schnapps and citrus soda in equal heavy measure, downed fast. A sugary, fizzy chug with peach-ring energy.Easy2 ingredientsRumZippy's RevengeRum and amaretto shaken into grape Kool-Aid until the sugar dissolves. Childhood flavors weaponized for grown-ups.Easy3 ingredientsVodkaA.D.M. (After Dinner Mint)Vodka, white creme de menthe and Southern Comfort shaken into hot chocolate. Dessert and digestif in one steaming mug.Easy4 ingredientsOtherAfter Supper CocktailA compact nightcap of apricot brandy and triple sec with just a bar-spoon of lemon to keep the sweetness honest. Simple, fruity and satisfying after…Easy3 ingredientsOtherAmaretto SourAmaretto shaken with sour mix and dressed with cherry and orange. Almond candy meets lemon bite in an enduring favorite.Easy2 ingredientsOtherAmaretto Sweet & SourAmaretto and Midori blended to a slush with sweet-and-sour and pineapple over a blender of ice. A frozen crowd-pleaser in margarita clothing.Easy4 ingredientsVodkaArctic FishVodka, grape soda and orange juice poured unstirred over ice with a candy fish swimming in it. Silly, sweet and served very cold.Easy5 ingredientsOtherArctic MouthwashBlue Maui schnapps and Mountain Dew blended to a fine slush. Electric blue, icy and exactly as loud as it sounds.Easy3 ingredientsOtherB-52Kahlua, Baileys and Grand Marnier layered in the canonical order, served with a stirrer. The most famous layered shot ever built.Medium3 ingredientsOtherBaby GuinnessKahlua nearly filling the glass with Baileys floated as a creamy head — a perfect miniature pint of stout. The most beloved of novelty shots.Medium2 ingredientsRumBanana Cream PiMalibu and banana liqueur topped with pineapple juice over ice. Dessert-island math that always checks out.Easy3 ingredientsOtherBerry DeadlyTropical berry Kool-Aid, orange juice and strawberry wine spiked with two pints of Everclear. Tastes like a juice box, lands like its name.Easy4 ingredientsOtherBig RedGoldschlager and Irish cream share a shot glass — cinnamon fire meets cool cream, gold flakes included. Short, sweet and spicy.Easy2 ingredientsVodkaBubble GumPeach schnapps, vodka, banana liqueur and orange juice layered in quarters. Together they land uncannily close to pink bubble gum.Medium4 ingredientsOtherBumble BeeBaileys, Kahlua and Sambuca layered with an inverted spoon into black-and-gold stripes. A steady hand earns you the bee.Medium3 ingredientsVodkaCoffee LiqueurInstant coffee simmered with sugar for an hour, then blended with vodka and vanilla and aged in a sealed jar. A patient project that pays off in…Medium5 ingredientsVodkaCoffee-VodkaA vanilla-bean coffee cordial of sugar syrup, instant coffee and vodka, shaken daily for three weeks before filtering. Sweet, roasty and worth the…Medium6 ingredientsRumCranberry CordialChopped cranberries, sugar and light rum sealed in a jar and turned daily for six weeks, then bottled. A jewel-red holiday cordial made almost…Medium3 ingredientsOtherDirty NippleSambuca and Kahlua layered under a cap of Baileys. Anise, coffee and cream in one slow-built shot.Medium3 ingredientsVodkaGodchildVodka, amaretto and heavy cream shaken over cracked ice and strained into a flute. A silky almond-cream treat from the Godfather family.Easy3 ingredientsOtherGolden dreamGalliano and triple sec shaken with orange juice and cream into a golden, orange-vanilla dream. A disco-era dessert classic.Easy4 ingredientsRumGrand BlueMalibu, peach schnapps and blue curacao over sweet-and-sour in an old fashioned glass. Teal-colored, beachy and sweet.Easy4 ingredientsVodkaKool-Aid ShotVodka, amaretto, triple sec and sloe gin stirred with cranberry over ice. Tastes uncannily like the childhood drink it's named for — with none of the…Easy5 ingredientsRumLava FlowA strawberry daiquiri poured first, then a pina colada blend added so the red erupts up the glass like lava. Two blenders of work for one volcanic…Hard7 ingredientsRumMiami ViceFrozen pina colada and strawberry daiquiri each blended with a heavy pour of 151, then layered unmixed in one glass. Half white, half red, all…Hard3 ingredientsOtherNutty IrishmanFrangelico and Baileys softened with milk over ice. Hazelnut and Irish cream in easy, dessert-like harmony.Easy3 ingredientsRumPina ColadaWhite rum blended with pineapple juice and coconut cream into Puerto Rico's creamy national cocktail. Garnish with pineapple, add straw, exhale.Medium6 ingredientsVodkaPink Panty PulldownsTwo cups of vodka shaken into a liter of Sprite and pink lemonade. A notorious party pitcher that tastes far more innocent than it is.Easy3 ingredientsOtherQueen CharlotteRed wine and grenadine lengthened with lemon-lime soda over ice. A light, fizzy quaff that drinks like a casual sangria.Easy3 ingredientsOtherRed Wine FloatChilled red wine poured slowly over scoops of vanilla ice cream, served with a straw and spoon. An unlikely pairing that eats like dessert sangria.Easy3 ingredientsVodkaRum ChataRumChata shaken with vanilla vodka and strained over ice under a dusting of cinnamon. Horchata's boozy, dessert-ready double.Easy4 ingredientsGinSalted Toffee MartiniToffee gin shaken with chocolate liqueur and amaretto, served in a glass rimmed with chocolate sauce and grated salted chocolate. Dessert-counter…Medium5 ingredientsVodkaScreaming OrgasmVodka, Baileys and Kahlua stirred over crushed ice — richer and louder than its namesake. Quality vodka matters here to keep the cream from curdling.Easy3 ingredientsOtherSlippery NippleIrish cream floated over Sambuca in a shot glass, the two layers kept carefully apart. Anise below, cream above, gone in a second.Medium2 ingredientsRumTexas SlingKahlua, Irish cream, amaretto and 151 blended smooth with cream and ice, topped with whipped cream. A frozen dessert sling with a Texan swagger.Easy5 ingredientsRumTia-MariaCoffee and brown sugar boiled down, then blended with rum and vanilla and rested for a week. A homemade coffee liqueur with dark caramel depth.Medium5 ingredients

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