The Ultimate Guide to Sweet Drinks to Order at a Bar

So you’re in the mood for a sweet drink. Did you know the majority of Americans consume a sweet drink on a daily basis? If nothing on the cocktail menu is striking your fancy, it’s always good to have a go-to drink order in your back pocket.

In this article, we’ll cover the most popular sweet drinks you can order at a bar, as well as the liquors, liqueurs, and cordials that give them their sweetness. And while we’re at it: Here’s a recipe for a killer bloody mary for the morning after your sugar rush:

• 2 oz vodka

• 4 oz tomato juice

• 0.5 oz lemon juice

• 2-3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

• 2-3 dashes of hot sauce (like Tabasco or Sriracha)

• 1 pinch of salt

• 1 pinch of black pepper

• 1 pinch of celery salt

• Optional garnishes: celery stalk, lime wedge, olives, bacon, pickles, or shrimp

Sweet drinks to order on your next night out

1. Margarita

A classic cocktail made with tequila, fresh lime juice, and triple sec, often served in a salt-rimmed glass. To order, simply ask for a margarita and specify if you'd like it on the rocks or frozen.

Recipe: 2 oz tequila, 1 oz lime juice, 1 oz triple sec. Shake with ice cubes and strain into a salt-rimmed glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

2. Mojito

A refreshing Cuban highball made with white rum, mint leaves, lime juice, sugar, and soda water. When ordering, specify if you'd like it sweet or less sweet.

Recipe: 2 oz white rum, 1 oz lime juice, 1 tsp sugar, mint leaves, soda water. Muddle mint with sugar and lime juice, add rum and ice, top with soda water.

3. Piña Colada

A tropical concoction made with rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice. Order it blended or on the rocks.

Recipe: 2 oz rum, 2 oz coconut cream, 2 oz pineapple juice. Blend with ice until smooth. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry.

4. Cosmopolitan

A popular cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice, often served in a martini glass. Simply ask for a Cosmo when ordering.

Recipe: 1.5 oz vodka, 0.5 oz triple sec, 0.5 oz lime juice, 1 oz cranberry juice. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

5. Sangria

A wine-based cocktail made with fruit, brandy, and sometimes seltzer. Specify if you'd like red or white sangria.

Recipe: 1 bottle of red or white wine, 1/2 cup brandy, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup sugar, sliced fruit. Mix all ingredients in a pitcher and chill before serving.

6. Daiquiri

A simple cocktail made with rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. Order it classic or with your favorite fruit juice.

Recipe: 2 oz rum, 1 oz lime juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

7. Strawberry Daiquiri

A fruity variation of the classic daiquiri, made with strawberries.

Recipe: 2 oz rum, 1 oz lime juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup, 1/2 cup strawberries. Blend with ice until smooth. Garnish with a strawberry.

8. Mai Tai

A Polynesian-style tiki cocktail made with rum, orange curaçao, lime juice, and orgeat syrup.

Recipe: 1.5 oz white rum, 0.75 oz dark rum, 0.5 oz orange curaçao, 0.75 oz lime juice, 0.5 oz orgeat syrup. Shake with ice and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and a lime wedge.

9. Tequila Sunrise

A layered cocktail made with tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup.

Recipe: 2 oz tequila, 4 oz orange juice, 1/2 oz grenadine syrup. Pour tequila and orange juice into a glass filled with ice, then slowly pour grenadine syrup down the side of the glass to create a layered effect. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.

10. Sex on the Beach

A fruity vodka cocktail made with peach schnapps, cranberry juice, and orange juice.

Recipe: 1.5 oz vodka, 0.5 oz peach schnapps, 1.5 oz cranberry juice, 1.5 oz orange juice. Build ingredients in a glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice.

11. Long Island Iced Tea

A potent combo made with vodka, gin, tequila, rum, triple sec, lemon juice, and cola.

Recipe: 0.5 oz each of vodka, gin, tequila, rum, and triple sec, 0.75 oz lemon juice, 1 oz simple syrup, cola. Shake all ingredients except cola with ice, strain into a glass filled with ice, top with cola. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

12. Moscow Mule

A refreshing cocktail made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, traditionally served in a copper mug.

Recipe: 2 oz vodka, 0.5 oz lime juice, ginger beer. Build ingredients in a copper mug or highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

13. Aperol Spritz

An Italian aperitif cocktail made with Aperol, prosecco, and soda water.

Recipe: 2 oz Aperol, 3 oz prosecco, 1 oz soda water. Build ingredients in a wine glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice.

14. Lemon Drop

A sweet and sour vodka cocktail made with lemon juice, triple sec, and simple syrup.

Recipe: 1.5 oz vodka, 0.75 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz triple sec, 0.5 oz simple syrup. Shake with ice and strain into a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

15. Grateful Dead

A tropical tiki cocktail made with rum, tequila, vodka, gin, raspberry liqueur, and citrus juices.

Recipe: 0.5 oz each of rum, tequila, vodka, and gin, 0.5 oz raspberry liqueur, 0.5 oz orange juice, 0.5 oz grapefruit juice, 0.5 oz lime juice. Shake with ice and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge and a maraschino cherry.

16. Buttery Nipple

A sweet and creamy layered shot made with Irish cream and butterscotch schnapps.

Recipe: 0.5 oz Irish cream, 0.5 oz butterscotch schnapps. Pour Irish cream into a shot glass, then slowly pour butterscotch schnapps over the back of a spoon to layer it on top.

17. Tom Collins

A refreshing gin cocktail made with lemon juice, sugar, and club soda.

Recipe: 2 oz gin, 0.75 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup, club soda. Shake gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice, strain into a glass filled with ice, top with club soda. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry.

Cocktail recipes with sweet liquor, liqueurs, and cordials

Some of the most popular sweet liquors, liqueurs, and cordials that can make a cocktail sweet include:

- Baileys Irish Cream

- Kahlúa

- Cointreau

- Chambord

- Amaretto

- Limoncello

- Midori

- Crème de Cacao

- Peach Schnapps

- Southern Comfort

Here are 10 cocktail recipes using these sweet ingredients:

1. Mudslide

1 oz Baileys, 1 oz Kahlúa, 1 oz vodka, 1 oz heavy cream. Shake with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

2. B-52

1/3 oz Kahlúa, 1/3 oz Baileys, 1/3 oz Grand Marnier. Layer ingredients in a shot glass.

3. French 75

1 oz gin, 0.5 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup, 2 oz Champagne. Shake gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice, strain into a Champagne flute, top with Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.

4. Sidecar

2 oz cognac, 0.75 oz Cointreau, 0.75 oz lemon juice. Shake with ice and strain into a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

5. French Martini

2 oz vodka, 0.5 oz Chambord, 1.5 oz pineapple juice. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a raspberry.

6. Amaretto Sour

1.5 oz amaretto, 0.75 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup. Shake with ice and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry.

7. Limoncello Spritz

1.5 oz limoncello, 3 oz prosecco, 1 oz soda water. Build ingredients in a wine glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

8. Midori Sour

1.5 oz Midori, 0.75 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup. Shake with ice and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

9. Chocolate Martini

1.5 oz vodka, 1 oz crème de cacao, 0.5 oz heavy cream. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a chocolate rim.

10. Southern Hurricane

1 oz Southern Comfort, 1 oz light rum, 1 oz dark rum, 1 oz passion fruit juice, 1 oz orange juice, 0.5 oz grenadine. Shake with ice and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.

Sweeten up your night

There you have it, some sweet alcoholic drinks for your next night out. Not drinking tonight? We’ve got you covered. Check out our guide on mocktails and nonalcoholic beverages here. This guide is also filled with several sweet but zero-proof drinks. Cheers!