12 Crazy Cocktails to Wow Your Guests

You want to be the host (or hostess) with the most. What better way to wow your guests than with crazy cocktails? Who needs to drop a bundle on the hottest new nightclub when your bar is the backyard place to be this barbecue season? 

It doesn’t take much culinary skill to create magic. You don’t have to transform into Tom Cruise in the old movie “Cocktail.” These recipes are simple enough for beginners to master, making them look like experts. If you’re ready to get a little tipsy, try these 12 crazy cocktails sure to wow your guests. 

1. The Luck of the Irish

There’s no need to wait for St. Patty’s Day to enjoy a little luck of the Irish. This delicious and deceptively simple crazy cocktail is a suitable pot of gold at the end of any long workweek. 

• 2 ounces Jameson or your favorite Irish whiskey
• 10 ounces lemonade
• One slice lemon 

Blend ingredients and serve over ice. For a fun, frozen summer variation, double the recipe and serve over shaved ice as a refreshing adult “dessert.” You can substitute sugar-free lemonade for a lower-carb option. 

2. Sunday Funday Punch 

Are you and your special someone planning a lazy Sunday of lying around in your pajamas while you tune into a Lord of the Rings marathon? If so, you need something to whet your whistle, and The Green Dragon Inn hasn’t signed up to deliver with DoorDash. However, you won’t need to go out for a pint when you make this Sunday Funday punch, which pairs perfectly with popcorn. 

• 2 liters Sprite or Diet Sprite 
• 2 cups orange juice or blend
• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 2 cups vodka
• 1 bottle prosecco 
• Sliced strawberries and oranges
• Ice

Blend all ingredients in a large punch bowl to keep your flagons filled all the lazy day long. 

3. Low-Carb Dark and Stormy

Here’s the perfect crazy cocktail for telling campfire stories — around the firepit on your back porch. It’s perfect for those doing keto, paleo or any low-carb diet. Who says you have to give up your weekend libation to shed unwanted pounds? 

• 2 ounces dark rum 
• 4 ounces sugar-free ginger beer (Zevia is a good one) 
• 2 ounces ice cubes 
• ½ lime for juice
• Lime wedge for garnish 

Fill a highball glass with ice, adding the rum first then floating with ginger beer and garnish. For an interesting twist, try using hibiscus ginger beer, garnishing with a slice of lime and a flower. 

4. Hauntingly Good Punch

Here’s an eerie crazy cocktail that looks far more complicated than it is. The magic? Dry ice, which creates a haunting smoke, making this punch perfect for your next Halloween bash or anytime you want to goth things up a bit. The crimson liquid looks slightly bloodlike, so whip it up to delight your mate the next time they propose a “Twilight” marathon. 

• 1 bottle cranberry juice blend (grape, apple and pear all work well)
• 1 bottle apple cider 
• 2 liters ginger ale
• 1 bottle light rum
• 2 4 to 5-inch chunks of dry ice

Blend the first four ingredients to make the punch. Use tongs to insert the dry ice — never touch it with your hands. Avoid consuming the dry ice, waiting till it melts or ladling around it. 

5. Summer Shandy

What’s the perfect brew for kicking back after a long afternoon of yardwork? Try this refreshing summer shandy that contains just enough alcohol to ease your aches without leaving you with an aching head the next day. 

• 6 ounces summer wheat beer 
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 ounces soda water 

Blend ingredients in a large glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon and sip on the front porch. 

6. Sunset Beer 

When the sun goes down, you want something more elegant than a bottle straight from the cooler. This simple yet crazy cocktail blends liquor and beer for a sophisticated end to your day. 

• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce light rum 
• 1 ½ ounce grenadine
• 1 ounce lime juice
• ½ bottle light beer 

Blend ingredients in a highball glass over ice. Alternatively, add this mix to your favorite cooler as you head out for a day’s end hike to watch the sun go down behind the mountaintops. 

7. Dracarys

Are you a “Game of Thrones” fan? While this crazy cocktail may not make George R.R. Martin finish writing “The WInds of Winter” any faster, it can help ease your pain while you wait. Will the real ending sizzle or fizzle? The death of a favorite character deserves a proper wake with this beverage, giving them a fiery sendoff worthy of a viking. 

• 1.5 ounces light rum
• 1 ounce 151-proof rum
• .5 ounce St. Germain 
• 6 cubes frozen dragonfruit (use an ice cube tray)
• 1 ounce lemon juice

Mix dragonfruit and light rum and let sit for five minutes. Combine all ingredients except for 151-proof rum in a shaker with ice. Pour into a shot glass, layering 151 rum on top using the back of a spoon. Carefully ignite the brew with a candle lighter — not a match or Zippo. 

8. Hot Pumpkin Pie

Anything that’s on fire qualifies as a crazy cocktail sure to wow your guests. It’s even better when it’s a sweet treat. This beverage makes the perfect prelude to Thanksgiving day dessert or as a standalone treat. 

• ⅓ shot Bailey’s Irish Cream
• ⅓ shot Kahlua
• ⅓ shot white tequila
• 1 sprinkle cinnamon

Combine the ingredients, floating the tequila on top. Light the drink on fire, dousing it with a sprinkle of cinnamon before consuming. 

9. Spicy Jalapeno Paloma 

What’s taco Tuesday without an accompanying beverage? This spicy drink tastes equally great in your backyard or on a south-of-the-border beach. 

• 1 shot tequila 
• 4 ounces grapefruit juice
• 4 ounces sparkling water
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar
• 2 jalapeno slices

Blend all ingredients except sparkling water and shake. Pour over ice, adding sparkling water and enjoy. 

10. Grapefruit Cardamom Gin Fizz

Here’s a treat that’s perfect for brunch or an after-dinner cocktail. The grapefruit invigorates you, while the heady cardamom spice adds a touch of sophistication. You’ll have to infuse the rosemary syrup and gin in advance, making this a glorious holiday treat. 

• 3 ounces cardamom-infused gin
• 2 ounces rosemary syrup
• ½ cup grapefruit juice
• Splash of prosecco
• Rosemary sprig and grapefruit peel to garnish

Start by making the infused gin by placing 6 cardamom pods per one cup liquid. Seal and store for at least 24 hours or until use. To make the rosemary syrup, bring one cup sugar and one cup water to a boil with 2 rosemary sprigs until sugar dissolves. Remove rosemary and store in an airtight refrigerated container for up to a week. 

To make the drink, pour all ingredients except garnish into a cocktail shaker, mix and serve over ice. 

11. Kir Royale

Are you having that special someone stay over? Do you want to start their morning right? You can’t go wrong with a simple, elegant Kir Royale cocktail:

• 4 ounces sparkling wine
• 1 ounce creme de cassis
• Raspberries for garnish

Pour the sparkling wine into a champagne glass, add creme de cassis and float a few raspberries in the bottom. 

12. Salted Caramel Rum Hot Chocolate

Let’s end this list with a sweet treat. This crazy cocktail is tasty enough to serve as dessert — and will warm you up after a day in the snow. 

• 1 ounce dark rum
• 2 teaspoons dulce de leche caramel
• 6 ounces milk 
• 1 tablespoon dark chocolate
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Whipped cream for topping

Blend the rum and the dulce de leche and set it aside. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, adding dark chocolate until melted and finishing with a pinch of salt. Add all ingredients to a mug, top with whipped cream and serve. 

Crazy Cocktails to Wow Your Guests 

If you want to be the host with the most, these crazy cocktails will make you a star. They’re a step above your traditional shot and a beer. 

Get creative with your home bar, playing with these crazy cocktail recipes and inventing your own. Your pad will quickly become known as the place to be.