You know those pretty, foamy cocktails you see in bars? They're super easy to make at home, and they look gorgeous (and taste great) when garnished with something colorful sitting atop the beautiful foam. Typically, mixologists use egg whites to create these artful drinks, but that doesn't mean you have to. Aquafaba is a vegan replacement for egg whites that makes a pretty, delicious, garnishable foam, and it uses a vegan ingredient that is often thrown out as food waste — the water from a chickpea can. These are some of our favorite foamy aquafaba cocktails that'll create an impressive and pretty foam.
Worried that your drink will taste like chickpeas? No need to. While on its own, aquafaba has a slight umami, savory taste with hints of chickpeas, once blended into a cocktail, the drink has absolutely none of that taste or smell. It functions in exactly the same way as egg whites, adding pretty foam without any flavor except the stuff you put on it as garnish.
Vegan Whiskey Sour
Here's a great recipe for a foamy whiskey sour using aquafaba. We love either orange bitters, Peychaud's bitters, or Angostura bitters as the garnish, which adds an aromatic element as you sip on the drink.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- Bitters for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake (shake without ice) for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a few drops of bitters, dragging a cocktail pick through to create a design.
There's a simple ratio when it comes time to convert any cocktail recipe from egg whites to aquafaba. Should the recipe call for an entire egg, you'll use three tablespoons of aquafaba, and if the recipe only calls for a single egg white, you'll use two tablespoons of aquafaba.
Aquafaba Pisco Sour
A style of brandy, pisco is primarily made in Peru and Chile through a similar process to brandy. Pisco sours are another traditional sour often served with a foam on top.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces pisco
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- 1-2 drops of bitters and lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass without ice.
- Garnish with bitters and a lime wheel.
Aquafabulous Gin Sour
Gin sours make such a tasty summery drink, and aquafaba ups the fabulousness.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- 3-4 drops of bitters for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass without ice.
- Garnish with bitters.
Frothy Tequila Sour
5PH / 500px / Getty classic whiskey sour cocktail
Take your sour on a trip in the sunshine with bright flavors of tequila.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces tequila
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- Orange wedge and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add tequila, lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
Egg-Free Oaxaca Sour
Give mezcal a chance to shine in a smoky cocktail.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces mezcal
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- 4-5 drops of bitters and a dehydrated lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a coupe glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add mezcal, lime juice, orange liqueur, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with bitters, creating a design with a cocktail pick and dehydrated lime wheel.
New York Sour With Aquafaba
The New York Sour might be the trickiest of the sour cocktails, only because it requires careful layering. The good news is that the work is more than worth the effort.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rye
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- ¾ ounce dry red wine
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add rye, lemon juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Slowly layer red wine by pouring down the back of a bar spoon.
Amaretto Sour With Aquafaba
The amaretto sour might be the second most well-known sour, second to the whiskey sour. Its flavors offer a nutty, sweeter spin.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces amaretto
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- Orange peel and cocktail cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add amaretto, lemon juice, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with an orange peel and a cocktail cherry.
Vegan Gin Fizz
The gin fizz has been fizzing its way through the decades since the late 1800s. Now that's a cocktail worth trying!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1½ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with club soda.
Don't toss that garbanzo bean water just because you're not making cocktails right away. You can freeze aquafaba for up to a year. Just pour it into an ice cube tray, freeze, and then pop the individual cubes into a zipper bag and label it.
Aquafaba Gin Flip
A flip is a style of drink that used to call for beer, rum, and sugar. However, times have changed, thankfully. Now it's a cocktail that calls for a whole egg, but aquafaba is the perfect replacement.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ½ ounce heavy cream
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, heavy cream, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Clover Club With Aquafaba
This classic cocktail is a whipped cloud dream with raspberry flavors. How can you say no?
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce raspberry liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1¾ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Raspberries for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, raspberry liqueur, lemon juice, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with raspberries.
Aquafrothy White Lady
Not to be confused with the White Lady ghost story that exists in every small town, this classic cocktail leans toward the martini but uses aquafaba to add depth.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- 1½ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Lemon peel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, lemon juice, orange liqueur, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
Aquafaba Pink Lady
Artur Kozlov / Moment / Getty cheery cherry daiquiri
A sibling of the clover club, the pink lady adds brandy and grenadine to the mix, creating a distinct and memorable cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1¾ ounces gin
- ½ ounce applejack brandy
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce grenadine
- 1¼ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, applejack, lemon juice, grenadine, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a cherry
Vegan Rosemary Vodka Fizz
Give your vegan vodka fizz an irresistible herbaceous spin.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce rosemary simple syrup
- 1½ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, lime juice, rosemary simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
Aquafaba Rum Flip
The rum flip is the most classic and oldest of the flips as we know them today.
Ingredients
- 1¾ ounces dark rum
- ¾ ounce heavy cream
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add dark rum, heavy cream, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a chilled glass.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Aquafaba Eggnog
Even people with egg allergies can enjoy a glass of nog when they use aquafaba. Give your eggnog the aquafaba treatment using a recipe that might become your new standard.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces aquafaba
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 ounces milk
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- 2 ounces bourbon or rum
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, add aquafaba, sugar, milk, heavy cream, and bourbon.
- Blend well for approximately one minute.
- Allow the mix to chill.
- Pour into a glass.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Aquafaba Cocktails That'll Outshine Egg Whites
Whether you follow a vegan diet or don't like to use raw eggs, egg whites can make people nervous. Using whole eggs in cocktails is even more nerve-wracking. Using aquafaba in place of eggs will give you that creamy aspect without the added anxiety.
