These stiff cocktail recipes, including a breakfast martini, dark and stormy, Manhattan, and an old-fashioned, are our favorite boozy (and we DO mean boozy!) beverages. Here’s how to make them.

A breakfast martini with orange zest next to a plate with buttered toast and marmalade, a pair of reading glasses, and a newspaper.
Jason Varney
1 of 10

Breakfast Martini

Although we're not necessarily suggesting that you consume this for breakfast, you'll think of it every time you look at your jar of marmalade. Hence, a breakfast martini.
Recipe
A highball glass filled with classic old-fashioned cocktail and large ice cubes.
William Lingwood
2 of 10

Classic Old-Fashioned Cocktail

This classic old-fashioned cocktail recipe, made of sugar, water, whiskey or bourbon, and a splash of bitters, is an American classic.
Recipe
A classic Manhattan cocktail in a coupe glass with a lemon garnish.
John Kernick
3 of 10

Classic Manhattan Cocktail

A classic Manhattan cocktail is incredibly sassy. Made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, Grand Marnier, bitters, and a lemon twist, it's a classic for a reason.
Recipe
A Sazerac cocktail garnished with a twist, sitting on a bar beside a spoon and a bottle of rye whiskey.
William Lingwood
4 of 10

Sazerac Cocktail

The Sazerac cocktail is making a comeback revisiting the charm of old-school cocktails. Rye whiskey, absinthe, bitters, simple syrup, and a classic twist are all it takes.
Recipe
A tall aperitif glass filled with hanky panky cocktail and an orange twist on the rim of the glass.
Daniel Krieger
5 of 10

Hanky Panky Cocktail

This hanky panky cocktail recipe is similar to a martini, with a slightly sweet edge. Perfect for Valentine's Day or date night.
Recipe
A tall glass filled with dark and stormy cocktail with ginger beer being poured in.
Lulu Powers
6 of 10

Dark and Stormy Cocktail

The dark and stormy cocktail is a simple concoction of smooth rum, spicy ginger beer, and a wedge of lime. Sorta like a grown up soda.
Recipe
A coupe glass filled with a revolver cocktail, garnished with orange peel.
Alanna Hale
7 of 10

The Revolver Cocktail

This revolver cocktail recipe is made with bourbon, coffee liquor, and orange bitters. An alternative to the Manhattan cocktail.
Recipe
Fatty Daddy Cocktail
David Leite
8 of 10

Fatty Daddy Cocktail

The David Leite cocktail recipe, made from bourbon, bacon, maple syrup, port, and Amarena cherries, is also known as The Fatty Daddy. Guess why.
Recipe
A high ball glass partially filled with an amber Sazerac cocktail without absinthe and an oversized ice cube.
Clare Barboza and Mark Bitterman
9 of 10

Sazerac Cocktail Without Absinthe

This Sazerac cocktail skips the traditional absinthe but still contains a little anise zip from anise bitters plus additional flavorings for a modern twist on a classic cocktail.
Recipe
Four aperitif glasses filled with little hot after dinner shots on a silver tray.
Peter Cassidy
10 of 10

Little Hot After Dinner Shots

These little hot after dinner shots, made with brandy or whiskey and topped with whipped cream, are like an Irish coffee…minus the coffee.
Recipe



About David Leite

David Leite has received three James Beard Awards for his writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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