There’s something about shaken cocktails—perhaps the vigorous nature of their creation, or the propensity for the whole thing to go flying in the process—that suggests they’re harder to make than their stirred or built counterparts. For this reason, when it comes time to mix up a drink at the end of a long day, we often find ourselves turning to the simplicity of a Negroni or a Calvados & Tonic. But whipping out the shaker offers the opportunity not only to add new dimension to a favorite amaro, it opens up the possibility of exploring entire genres of cocktails—from sours to cobblers—that are as easy to make as they are to drink. Some, like the Campari Shakerato, require no housemade ingredients at all, not even simple syrup. Here, 15 easy cocktail recipes that prove turning to the shaker is never a bad idea.
Campari Shakerato
A more approachable take on the austere and quite bitter Shakerato.
Trader Vic’s Sour
A tiki sour that works equally well with bourbon, Scotch or brandy.
More Supreme
An aperitivo-inspired spin on the Daiquiri.
The Cutter
The Paper Plane by way of Atlanta.
Pineapple Martini
A pioneer of fruit-forward 'tinis.
Darryl Strawberry (at the Yankees)
A fruit-forward smash starring Amaro Montenegro and rum.
Milano-Torino Sour
The two-ingredient, equal-parts aperitivo classic gets the sour treatment.
Snake Eyes
A mezcal take on the Caribbean staple of Scotch and coconut water.
French Pearl
Audrey Saunder's bold pastis-laced spin on the Mojito.
Sarah Morrissey’s Cosmopolitan
A textbook example of the citrusy classic.
The Smoke Also Rises
A Hemingway Daiquiri variation featuring smoked rhubarb amaro.
Dan Greenbaum’s Sherry Cobbler
This is a close copy of the cobbler previously served at The Beagle.
Chip Tyndale’s Sidecar
A refined, subtle revision of the Cognac classic.
