Two Ingredient Cocktails: Refreshing Drinks with Minimum Effort

Sometimes, simplicity is the key to perfection. When it comes to cocktails, having just two ingredients can create a delightful and satisfying drink. Maybe you don’t have all the ingredients for something more complicated, or maybe you just don’t wanna mess about with simplicity.

So we’ve pulled together some of our favourite two ingredient cocktails for you to pull out and impress your guests.

Not only are these cocktails easy to make, but they also allow the flavors of the ingredients to shine through without any distractions.

So, whether you’re looking to impress your friends at a party or enjoy a refreshing drink after a long day, these two-ingredient cocktails are sure to hit the spot.

1. Screwdriver

AKA Vodka and orange juice. The customisation is in elements such as a splash of grenadine or bitters – but you can keep it simple with the OG and OJ.

• Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Vodka
  • 150 ml Orange Juice
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Add the vodka and orange juice.
  3. Stir gently and garnish with an orange slice.

2. Gin and Tonic

What is more refreshing on a hot day than a G&T? The ultimate two ingredient cocktail. The customisation here is in the quality of both your gin and your tonic. We like Plymouth gin, or go for something like Hendricks.

• Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Gin
  • 150 ml Tonic Water
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Pour the gin over the ice.
  3. Top it up with tonic water and give it a quick stir.
  4. Garnish with a slice of lime.

3. Aperol Spritz

Live your Dolce Vita with this two ingredient cocktail classic. A taste of Italian sunsets and warm summer evenings in a glass. If you prefer, sub Aperol for Campari or Martini Fiero.

• Ingredients:
  • 75 ml Aperol
  • 100 ml Prosecco
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Pour in the Aperol.
  3. Top it up with Prosecco.
  4. Add a splash of soda water if desired.
  5. Gently stir and garnish with an orange slice.

4. Whiskey Coke

Although this is a great cocktail, it’s strictly for your budget range whiskies. Don’t try and flex with a 15 year Dalwhinnie in this one cos you’ll just ruin the whisky. Johnnie Walker black is a great one for this simple cocktail.

• Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Whiskey
  • 150 ml Coca-Cola
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Add the whiskey over the ice.
  3. Pour in the Coca-Cola.
  4. Stir gently to combine.

5. Rum and Coke

Another classic, and one that can be supped on the beach or the club easily. We like stronger rums in this one to add depth of flavour to the coke. Try Old Salt rum, or stick with a Captain Morgans.

• Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Rum
  • 150 ml Coca-Cola
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Pour the rum over the ice.
  3. Add the Coca-Cola.
  4. Give it a quick stir and enjoy.
  5. Add a slice of lime for garnish

6. Moscow Mule

This two ingredient cocktail is a winner for the spicy notes of the ginger beer. The zestiness of the lime adds an extra dimension to this very quaffable classic drink.

• Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Vodka
  • 150 ml Ginger Beer
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a copper mug or glass with ice cubes.
  2. Squeeze in the juice of half a lime.
  3. Pour in the vodka and ginger beer.
  4. Stir gently and garnish with a lime wedge.

7. Tequila Sunrise

Another beach hut cocktail, and one that has fuelled plenty of parties. The flavour of the tequila blends perfectly with the OJ.

• Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Tequila
  • 150 ml Orange Juice
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Pour in the tequila.
  3. Slowly pour the orange juice over a bar spoon to create a layered effect.
  4. Stir gently before drinking.

8. Dark ‘n Stormy

The trick with this one is to pour the dark rum over a spoon for the stormy element. A two ingredient cocktail with a twist…

• Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Dark Rum
  • 150 ml Ginger Beer
• Recipe:
  1. Squeeze half a lime into a tall glass.
  2. Fill the glass with ice cubes.
  3. Pour in the ginger beer
  4. Gently pour the dark rum on top to create the ‘stormy’
  5. Garnish with a lime wedge. Make sure to stir before drinking.

9. Martini

A proper cocktail and one that only uses two ingredients. If you like your martini dirty, add a dash of olive brine to the mix before stirring. Quick note here – real martinis are made with gin, NOT vodka.

• Ingredients:
  • 60 ml Gin
  • 15 ml Dry Vermouth
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes.
  2. Add the gin and dry vermouth.
  3. Stir gently for about 30 seconds.
  4. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
  5. Garnish with a lemon twist or olive.

10. Negroni

Although the negroni is technically a three ingredient cocktail, you can drop the vermouth to create a deeper more flavourful cocktail.

• Ingredients:
  • 30 ml Gin
  • 30 ml Campari
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Add the gin and Campari.
  3. Stir gently until well combined.
  4. Garnish with an orange twist.

11. Black Russian

This one goes down great as an after dinner cocktail, or to enjoy over cigars on the deck of your yacht. Delicious and moreish.

• Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Vodka
  • 30 ml Coffee Liqueur
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Pour the vodka over the ice.
  3. Add the coffee liqueur.
  4. Stir gently and enjoy.

12. Mimosa

If you want to impress a lady, break out the mimosas. Great for romantic picnics in the park or brunch dates.

• Ingredients:
  • 100 ml Orange Juice
  • 100 ml Champagne
• Recipe:
  1. Chill a champagne flute in the freezer for a few minutes.
  2. Pour in the orange juice.
  3. Top it up with champagne.
  4. Stir gently and serve immediately.

13. Kir Royale

A two ingredient French classic, best served with champagne but can also work with cava, procecco or sparkling white wine.

• Ingredients:
  • 100 ml Sparkling Wine
  • 15 ml Crème de Cassis
• Recipe:
  1. Chill a champagne flute in the freezer for a few minutes.
  2. Pour in the crème de cassis.
  3. Top it up with sparkling wine.
  4. Stir gently and savor the flavors.

14. Pimm’s Cup

A British summer favourite. This two ingredient cocktail also goes great with strawberries as a garnish. Enjoy whilst watching Wimbeldon in the rain.

• Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Pimm’s No. 1
  • 150 ml Lemonade
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Pour the Pimm’s No. 1 over the ice.
  3. Top it up with lemonade.
  4. Stir gently and garnish with a slice of cucumber.

15. Classic Daiquiri

OK, so the ingredients list includes a simple syrup, or sugar. But you can stretch to that right? If you don’t have sugar syrup, add a teaspoon of sugar to the shaker before your add the ingredients.

• Ingredients:
  • 60 ml White Rum
  • 30 ml Fresh Lime Juice
  • 15 ml Simple Syrup (1:1 ratio of water and sugar)
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a shaker with ice cubes.
  2. Add the white rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup.
  3. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds to chill the drink and mix the ingredients.
  4. Strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe glass.
  5. Garnish with a lime wheel, if desired.

16. Whisky and Soda

This refreshing classic two ingredient cocktail is a great way to enjoy whisky.

• Ingredients:
  • 60 ml whisky
  • Soda water to taste
• Recipe:
  1. Pour your whisky into a tumbler glass
  2. Add ice
  3. Top with soda water
  4. Serve with a wedge of lemon or lime to taste

17. Hard Seltzer

Watching your weight? Or just want a refreshing alcoholic drink with minimal sugar or added ingredients? The Hard seltzer has become a go to for many and can easily be customised to taste. Play with flavours such as fresh berries, rosemary and lime, or use flavoured water.

• Ingredients:
  • 1 can of plain or flavored sparkling water
  • 1 shot (1 1/2 oz) of your favorite vodka or tequila
  • 1 lemon or lime wedge (for garnish)
  • Ice
• Recipe:
  1. Fill a glass with ice.
  2. Pour the shot of vodka or tequila over the ice.
  3. Fill the glass with the can of sparkling water.
  4. Stir gently to mix the ingredients.
  5. Squeeze the lemon or lime wedge over the drink and drop it in for garnish.

These two-ingredient cocktails demonstrate that simplicity can indeed be the best. Explore these recipes, experiment with different flavors, and cheers to the joys of easy yet satisfying cocktail creations!

If you’re looking for more cocktail recipes, check out our guide to cocktails for men.

Wanna be a cocktail maestro? Get your copy of the Savoy Cocktail Book, which contains all of the best cocktails you’ll ever need to know.