Best Vodka Sour Recipe (2024)

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The classic Vodka Sour is simple to make and to drink! With a short and sweet ingredient list, this vodka co*cktail is made for easy sipping!!

Best Vodka Sour Recipe (1)

Vodka Sour Drink

Vodka is incredibly versatile. With it's clean, neutral flavor, it's pretty much a blank canvas! From thirst-quenching drinks like a Moscow Mule to a more sophisticated drink like the Cosmopolitan, vodka is one of my "go-to" liquors when making co*cktails!

So despite having over 12 vodka co*cktails in the archives... I didn't have a Vodka Sour recipe.

So it was definitely time to rectify that! And I'm hoping you'll be as happy about it as I am!

What's in a Vodka Sour?

Like all sour co*cktails, the formula is pretty simple - liquor+lemon or lime juice + a sweetener. So, for this drink, you'll need:

  • Vodka - since this co*cktail has such a short ingredient list, opt for a smooth vodka. Grey Goose, Sipsmith or Snow Leopard (my personal favorite!) are all good choices!
  • Fresh Lemon Juice - fresh lemon juice has a much brighter flavor than bottled so use fresh!
  • Simple syrup

TIP:

A homemade sour mix is a great substitute for lemon juice and simple syrup!

Best Vodka Sour Recipe (2)

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How to Make A Vodka Sour

Making a sour drink couldn't be easier!

  1. Combine the vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup into a co*cktail shaker.
  2. Add ice.
  3. Place the tin on top and shake for 10-15 seconds or until the outside of the shaker tin is frosty!
  4. Strain over ice into a rocks glass OR serve straight up (no ice) in a co*cktail glass!
  5. Garnish with a lemon and Luxardo cherry if desired.

If you've never shaken a co*cktail, here's my latest video to show you how!

Cherry Vodka Sour & Other Variations

If you haven't guessed by now, this basic co*cktail recipe is tailor-made for variations! You can swap lime juice for lemon, and replace the simple syrup with a flavored syrup like maple or grenadine. Or (my personal favorite!) add a liqueur - Triple Sec or Elderflower liqueur would be delicious!

Cherry Vodka Sour Recipe

One of the most popular variations of the vodka sour is the Cherry Vodka Sour. It's really just a standard vodka sour with the addition of grenadine.

How to make a Cherry Vodka Sour

To make it:

  1. Add the vodka, lemon juice, ¾ oz. of simple syrup, ¼ oz. grenadine and 3 dashes of angostura bitters to the co*cktail shaker.
  2. Add ice.
  3. Shake the co*cktail for 10 -15 seconds and then strain into a rocks glass or a coupe.
  4. Garnish with a cherry and fresh mint if desired.
Best Vodka Sour Recipe (3)

Other Sour co*cktails you may enjoy!

  • Tamarind Margarita - possibly one of the best Margarita co*cktail recipes I've ever tried!
  • The BEST Margarita on the Rocks Recipe - truly the best, classic margarita ever!
  • Gin Gimlet - this one uses Botanist gin!!

Other Vodka co*cktails for Vodka Drink Lovers!

  • Grey Goose Martini - the classic co*cktail with a little twist!
  • Vodka and Cranberry - the classic Cape Cod gets a simple update!
  • Key Lime Martini - This one is perfectly balanced!
  • White Russian - for all you Pumpkin Spice lovers!!

📖Recipe

Best Vodka Sour Recipe (4)

Vodka Sour Recipe

Simple, sweet and sour, the classic Vodka Sour is meant for easy sipping! With infinite variations, it's definitely a vodka recipe you want in your collection.

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Course: co*cktail

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1

Calories: 462kcal

Author: Nancy Buchanan

Ingredients

  • 2 oz. Vodka
  • 1 oz. Fresh lemon juice
  • 1 oz. simple syrup
  • 3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 lemon slice optional
  • 1 co*cktail cherry optional

Cherry Vodka Sour

  • 2 oz. vodka
  • 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ oz. simple syrup
  • ¼ oz. grenadine
  • 3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 co*cktail cherry optional
  • 1 sprig mint optional

Instructions

  • In a co*cktail shaker, combine the vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, and angostura bitters.

  • Add Ice to the shaker and close.

  • Shake for 10 - 15 seconds and then strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.

  • Garnish with a lemon slice and a co*cktail cherry if desired.

Cherry Vodka Sour

  • In a co*cktail shaker, combine the vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, grenadine and angostura bitters.

  • Add ice to the shaker and close.

  • Shake for 10-15 seconds and then strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.

  • Garnish with a cherry on a pick if desired.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 74mg | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 166IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

YOU KNOW I WANT TO SEE IT!Mention @Acommunaltable or tag #acommunaltable!

More Easy co*cktail Recipes

  • Apple Martini
  • Bourbon Smash co*cktail
  • Demerara Syrup
  • Dark Rum Mojito

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Emily says

    Best Vodka Sour Recipe (9)
    Love this!

    Reply

    • Nancy says

      Hi Emily,

      Thank you so much for letting me know!!!

      Reply

  2. GrannyK says

    I’ve never made a vodka sour with angostura bitters before so I gave it a try. Way too much bitters. I may try it again with one dash but most likely I’ll go back to leaving them out. I also found it it to be too sweet but maybe my lemons weren’t vey sour this time around.

    Reply

  3. garry cucci says

    Best Vodka Sour Recipe (10)
    Just a wonderful site to visit

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Best Vodka Sour Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is vodka sour made of? ›

How to make:
60 mlKetel One Vodka
30 mlLemon juice (freshly squeezed)
15 mlMonin Pure Cane sugar syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2 sugar to 1 water)
2 dashAngostura Aromatic Bitters
15 mlPasteurised egg white or Aquafaba (chickpea water) or 3 dashes Fee Brothers Fee Foam co*cktail foamer
1 more row

What can you make with vodka and sweet and sour mix? ›

Directions
  1. Fill a tall glass and a co*cktail shaker with ice. Add sweet and sour and vodka to the co*cktail shaker. Shake well, then strain into the prepared glass. ...
  2. Spear cherry on a co*cktail sword, then spear orange slices through the peel. Hang the sword from the rim of the glass so the fruit is in the drink.
Apr 27, 2023

Can you order a vodka sour? ›

In some areas, straight up is used interchangeably with 'neat'. Sour – the term 'sour' refers to the sourness of sour bar mix, bar lime mix, lime bar mix or margarita mix. If someone orders a Vodka Sour, they want vodka and bar lime mix.

What is a vodka slime made of? ›

Instructions. Fill glass with ice. Add vodka, 7-up then finish with the lime juice.

What is the difference between vodka sour and vodka Collins? ›

A basic sour is made up of a base spirit plus a sour ingredient, either simple syrup with lemon or a pre-mixed sour. If those components are served in a tall glass with ice and topped with soda, then they create a collins.

Is vodka sour a normal drink? ›

The Vodka Sour is a classic co*cktail that has been enjoyed for decades. It is a simple yet versatile drink that has a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors. ... more. It is a simple yet versatile drink that has a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors.

What not to mix with vodka? ›

Wine and Vodka

It will give you the wildest hangover in your life, especially if you choose red wine. The tannins in red wine irritate your stomach and literally drain the water out of your organism. And the vodka acts pretty much the same, leaving you drunk, sick and dehydrated.

Is Triple Sec a sour mix? ›

It can be drunk on its own (over ice) or used as an ingredient in co*cktails. Triple sec - Wikipedia is possibly the single most common co*cktail ingredient after sugar or simple syrup. Probably the most common co*cktail recipe(1) is Strong plus Sour Plus Sweet (1), and Triple Sec (which is sweet) fits the bill.

Is Smirnoff bottom shelf vodka? ›

What Is Considered A Standard Vodka? These are the types of vodka you would expect to find in your local supermarket or corner shop and is also commonly referred to as 'bottom shelf vodka', with Russian vodka such as Smirnoff being a classic example.

Is a lemon drop a vodka sour? ›

A lemon drop is a vodka-based co*cktail that contains triple sec, simple syrup, and lemon juice. The combination of flavors creates a sweet and sour flavor that packs a lemony punch.

What is bottom shelf vodka? ›

In American liquor stores, the least expensive booze is displayed on the bottom shelves throughout the store. In medium and larger stores, the types of liquor are grouped together. So for example, in the vodka area, the bottom shelf will have Takka, Rusky, Gordon's vodka, and similar brands.

What is jigger vodka? ›

How Many Ounces Are in a Jigger? Typically, the larger end of the jigger is 1.5 ounces and the smaller end is 0.75 ounces. In most cases when people refer to a “jigger” or a “jigger shot” they are referring to the standard jigger size of 1.5 ounces.

What are the floaty bits in vodka? ›

Real vodka is totally clear, and has no sediment at the bottom of the bottle or particles floating in it. If you can see tiny particles floating in a bottle, it probably means the alcohol has been watered down with tap water.

Is a vodka slime a highball? ›

A Vodka Slime is best served in a highball glass, which showcases its clarity and effervescence.

What makes an alcoholic drink a sour? ›

Sours are mixed drinks containing a base liquor, lemon or lime juice, and a sweetener (simple syrup or orgeat syrup). Egg whites are also included in some sours.

Is vodka just fermented potatoes? ›

Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavourings. Traditionally, it is made by distilling liquid from fermented cereal grains and potatoes since the latter was introduced in Europe in the 18th century.

What are sour shots made of? ›

A wine-spiked whiskey sour, the New York Sour is a potent combination of bourbon, lemon, sugar and sometimes egg whites. Top each of these shots with dry red wine for a more classic experience — both in looks and in taste — or swap out the wine entirely for sweet red vermouth.

What is sour made of alcohol? ›

Base spirit

However, Sours can and are made with any spirit base, be that whisk(e)y, gin, vodka, brandy, rum or even a liqueur - as is the case in the popular Amaretto Sour, where amaretto liqueur replaces the spirit and sweet components.

References

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