13 Three-Ingredient Drinks You Can Make Tonight
Whether you're in the mood for a spritz or a nonalcoholic cocktail, these drinks are simple and satisfying.
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
We're all for taking the time to make syrups and tinctures, but sometimes, the occasion calls for something a bit simpler. Our favorite three-ingredient cocktails include classics like the fizzy French 75 and the Hanky Panky, but also straddle spritz territory, with refreshing Italian-inspired options like the iconic Aperol Spritz and Bicicletta. Many of our go-to easy drink recipes can be made nonalcoholic, which means that guests can choose to add a shot of gin, vodka, mezcal, or tequila to their liking.
Whether you're making drinks for a dinner party or simply want to accompany weeknight dinner with a special sip, read on to learn how to make our favorite three-ingredient drinks.
Ginger-Lemon Tonic
Linda Xiao / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Inspired by a drink assistant editor Lucy Simon's grandmother made for her on sick days, this soothing, simple tonic is a nonalcoholic treat for good and bad days alike.
Tart lemon juice and bracing ginger belong together, and we're not opposed to adding a shot of botanical-forward gin.
French 75
Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele
With a name inspired by a field rifle used by the French in World War I, the French 75 is a fizzy, celebratory classic cocktail that's all about highlighting the bready, yeasty notes of Champagne.
Pineapple Jalapeño Agua Fresca
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
It's not summer without a batch of Agua Frescas, and this tart, smoky, sweet Mexican mainstay is one of our favorites.
Easy to scale up for a crowd and prepare in advance, this nonalcoholic drink is also a great complement to grilled meats and vegetables.
Mango Lassi
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
Creamy, sweet, and instantly recognizable, the Mango Lassi is one of our favorite, quick treats to make.
With roots dating as far back as 1000 BC, this traditional Indian drink can be made with fruits like mangoes, strawberries, pineapples, and bananas. For an elite Lassi, seek out kesar mango purée at your grocery store.
Aperol Spritz
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food styling by Lucy Simon
Synonymous with summer, the Aperol Spritz is eye-catching and refreshing.
First created in 1919 by brothers Silvio and Luigi Barbieri in Padua, Italy, you'd be hard-pressed to spend time in Europe or the United States without finding a menu featuring the Aperol Spritz. While the original recipe calls for a 3:1 ratio, add extra Aperol for a more bitter spritz, and soda water for a less-boozy drink.
Batched Hanky Panky
Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Props Styling by Addelyn Evans
Bartender Ada “Coley” Coleman created this recipe at the beloved American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London.
With roots that date back to the 1900s, the Hanky Panky is a classic cocktail for amaro lovers. It's easy to prepare in advance and scale for a crowd, making it one of our favorite drinks for dinner parties and gatherings.
White Port and Tonic
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
This highball is our favorite way to introduce more drinkers to white Port, a fortified wine made from white grapes in Portugal’s Douro Valley.
While white Port can be dry and sweet, you'll want to opt for a light-bodied dry style to balance the bittersweet tonic water in this drink.
Batanga
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
What's not to love about a cocktail that calls for Coca-Cola?
This sweet, tart drink has a rich, caramel-like flavor, and is easy to scale up for a crowd. Our recipe from Nacho Jimenez, owner of New York City's Superbueno, calls for a splash of Fernet-Vallet for aromatic flair.
Bicicletta
Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans
This cheerful Italian classic will appeal to Negroni fans and spritz enthusiasts alike.
Low in alcohol but full of bittersweet, crisp flavor, it's said that the Bicicletta was named after the elderly Italian gentlemen who found themselves swerving on their bicycles to get home after enjoying one too many drinks.
Sake Negroni
Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Props by Addelyn Evans
If you think sake doesn't belong in a Negroni, think again.
By swapping out gin for sake in this classic cocktail, the Negroni gains a delicate floral edge that plays especially nicely with the bittersweet notes of Campari.
Mint Lemonade
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
Tart, herbaceous, and refreshing, Mint Lemonade is one of our favorite drinks to use up bunches of mint from the farmer's market.
While this recipe is delightful as-is, we're not opposed to adding a shot of tequila, mezcal, or gin for a boozy backbone.
Hojicha Latte
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Made with milled hojicha tea leaves, this soothing latte is a great way to mix things up from your usual espresso or matcha-based morning routine.
Add a sprinkle of cinnamon to round out the earthy, subtle flavor of this latte, and top with steamed oat milk.
Desert Rain
Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco and Addelyn Evans
Although sotol is often compared to mezcal in terms of flavor, the two shouldn't be used interchangeably. Need proof? Meet the Desert Rain cocktail.
Inspired by classic, spirit-forward drinks like the Martini and Vesper, the Desert Rain is an herbaceous, slightly sweet drink from New York City's Northern Mexican hotspot Corima.
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