The Southern Girl’s Favorite Cocktails
Let me paint you a picture of a Southern girl and her favorite cocktail.
In the heart of the South, there's a charm that exudes from every porch swing and magnolia tree. And amidst the warm hospitality and sweet as tea accents, there's often a signature cocktail that captures the essence of Southern living.
For a Southern girl, selecting her favorite cocktail isn't just about the drink itself; it's about the experience, the memories, and the tradition that comes with it. It's a reflection of her personality, her roots, and the moments she holds dear.
Now, close your eyes and imagine this blonde belle. She's graceful, with a smile that could light up a room, and she knows how to make you feel right at home. When it comes to her favorite cocktail, it's not just a drink—it's a piece of her identity.
Picture her sitting on her front porch swing and in her hand, she holds a tall glass filled with a classic Mint Julep. The scent of fresh mint mingles with the breeze, and with every sip, she's transported to a memory of watching the horses outside with her grandaddy.
Or perhaps she's at a backyard barbecue, surrounded by friends and family, laughter filling the air. In this setting, her go-to drink might be a refreshing glass of sweet tea spiked with a generous splash of bourbon—a concoction known affectionately as the Southern Sweet Tea Bourbon Cocktail. It's the perfect blend of Southern hospitality and a little bit of sass, just as any Southern woman is herself.
So y’all, here’s a list of our favorite Southern women cocktails and their recipes!
Mint Julep
Ingredients:
2 oz (60ml) bourbon whiskey
1/2 oz (15ml) simple syrup (you can adjust the sweetness to your liking)
8-10 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
Crushed ice
Instructions:
In a julep cup or old-fashioned glass, gently muddle the mint leaves and simple syrup together. Be careful not to over-muddle, as it can make the mint taste bitter.
Fill the glass with crushed ice, packing it down gently.
Pour the bourbon over the ice.
Stir gently to mix the ingredients and chill the drink.
Top off the glass with more crushed ice, forming a small mound on top.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Optionally, you can add a straw for sipping.
Ranch Water
Ingredients:
2 oz (60ml) tequila blanco
1 oz (30ml) fresh lime juice
Top off with Topo Chico (a popular sparkling mineral water from Texas)
Ice
Optional: lime wedge for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.
Pour the tequila blanco and fresh lime juice over the ice.
Top off the glass with Topo Chico sparkling water.
Give it a gentle stir to mix the ingredients.
Optionally, garnish with a lime wedge on the rim of the glass.
Serve and enjoy your refreshing Ranch Water!
Spicy Bloody Mary
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz (45ml) vodka
3 oz (90ml) tomato juice
1/2 oz (15ml) fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz (15ml) fresh lime juice
2-3 dashes hot sauce (adjust to taste)
2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of celery salt
Pinch of black pepper
Pinch of smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper (adjust to desired spice level)
Ice
Garnishes: Celery stalk, lemon or lime wedge, olives, pickles, bacon, jalapeño slices, etc.
Instructions:
In a shaker, combine vodka, tomato juice, fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Add ice to the shaker and shake well to combine and chill the mixture.
Strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with ice.
Garnish with your choice of celery stalk, lemon or lime wedge, olives, pickles, bacon, jalapeño slices, or any other desired garnishes.
Optionally, rim the glass with celery salt or a mixture of salt and spices for extra flavor.
Serve and enjoy your spicy Bloody Mary!
Hurricane
Ingredients:
2 oz (60 ml) light rum
2 oz (60 ml) dark rum
1 oz (30 ml) passion fruit juice
3/4 oz (22 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz (30 ml) orange juice
1/4 oz (7 ml) grenadine syrup
Ice
Orange slice and cherry, for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a shaker with ice.
Pour in the light rum, dark rum, passion fruit juice, lime juice, orange juice, and grenadine syrup.
Shake well until the mixture is chilled.
Strain the mixture into a hurricane glass filled with ice.
Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.
Serve and enjoy your refreshing Hurricane cocktail!
Transfusion
Ingredients:
2 oz (60 ml) vodka
3 oz (90 ml) ginger ale
1 1/2 oz (45 ml) grape juice
Ice
Lime wedge, for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a highball glass with ice.
Pour in the vodka.
Add the ginger ale and grape juice.
Stir gently to combine.
Garnish with a lime wedge on the rim of the glass.
Serve and enjoy your refreshing Transfusion cocktail!
Southern Sweet Tea
Ingredients:
2 oz (60 ml) bourbon whiskey
4 oz (120 ml) sweet tea (chilled)
1/2 oz (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon slices, for garnish
Mint sprigs, for garnish
Ice cubes
Instructions:
Prepare the sweet tea by brewing your favorite black tea and adding sugar while it's still warm. Let it cool to room temperature, then chill it in the refrigerator until cold.
Fill a glass with ice cubes.
Pour the bourbon whiskey over the ice.
Add the chilled sweet tea to the glass.
Squeeze in the fresh lemon juice.
Stir gently to combine the ingredients.
Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs.
Serve and enjoy your Southern Sweet Tea Bourbon Cocktail!
Fuzzy Navel
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz (45 ml) peach schnapps
4 oz (120 ml) orange juice
Ice cubes
Orange slice, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.
Pour the peach schnapps into the glass.
Top with orange juice.
Stir gently to combine the ingredients.
Garnish with an orange slice if desired.
Serve and enjoy your delicious Fuzzy Navel cocktail!
Aperol Spritz
Ingredients:
3 parts Prosecco (about 90ml)
2 parts Aperol (about 60ml)
1 splash of soda water
Ice cubes
Orange slice, for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a wine glass (or a large glass) with ice cubes.
Pour the Prosecco over the ice.
Add the Aperol.
Give it a gentle stir to mix the Aperol and Prosecco together.
Top it off with a splash of soda water.
Garnish with an orange slice.
Serve and enjoy!
Spicy Watermelon Margarita
Ingredients:
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
2 oz (60ml) silver tequila
1 oz (30ml) triple sec or orange liqueur
1 oz (30ml) fresh lime juice
1-2 teaspoons agave nectar or simple syrup (adjust to taste)
2-3 slices of fresh jalapeño (adjust to desired spice level)
Ice cubes
Salt or sugar for rimming the glasses (optional)
Lime wedges and watermelon slices for garnish
Instructions:
If desired, rim the glasses with salt or sugar.
In a blender, combine cubed watermelon, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, agave nectar or simple syrup, and slices of fresh jalapeño.
Blend until smooth. Taste the mixture and adjust sweetness or spiciness if needed by adding more agave nectar, lime juice, or jalapeño.
Fill the rimmed glasses with ice cubes.
Pour the spicy watermelon margarita mixture over the ice in each glass.
Garnish with lime wedges and watermelon slices.
Serve immediately and enjoy your spicy watermelon margaritas!
No matter the occasion, one thing is certain: for a Southern girl, her favorite cocktail isn't just a drink—it's a taste of home, a nod to tradition, and a celebration of the Southern way of life. So, whether she's sipping her drink of choice on a lazy afternoon or raising a glass at her best friend’s wedding, you can bet that her favorite cocktail is as timeless and beloved as the Southern charm that flows through her veins. Cheers, y'all!
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