It's no longer "Can I drink this if I'm gluten-free?" hour. no more! The happy hour of gluten-free cocktails is upon us. Sink into a gluten-free classic cocktail, something simple, or a modern creation. Confidently order a drink at a bar or make a gluten-free mixed drink at home. Wherever you have a GF cocktail in hand, you'll be holding (and sipping) a delicious drink.
Gluten-Free Margarita
There's no reason to sit out taco Tuesday, friend. Not anymore. Let's get this party started!
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and salt for rim
- 2 ounces silver tequila
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- ¾ ounce agave syrup
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the salt on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the salt to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and agave syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Garnish with a lime wheel.
Gluten-Free Gin Gimlet
If you're someone that likes a tart cocktail, obviously gluten-free, and don't want to screw around with egg whites, then the gimlet is a home run. Play ball!
Ingredients
- 2½ ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Gluten-Free Negroni
There's no reason to avoid the bitter, herbaceous flavors of the Negroni. There's no gluten to be found in any of these ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1¼ ounces gin
- 1¼ ounces Campari
- 1¼ ounces sweet vermouth
- Ice
- Orange ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with an orange ribbon.
Gluten-Free Martini
To be on the safe side, whirl your martini with a gin or a gluten-free vodka. Although most vodkas are naturally gluten free, you can still find sneaky gluten in flavorings and other additives.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin or potato vodka
- ½ ounce dry vermouth
- Ice
- Olive for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a mixing glass, add ice, gin, and dry vermouth.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with an olive.
Gluten-Free Infused-Spirit Highball
To play it safe with flavored vodkas, infuse the spirit yourself at home. This way, you know it's safe to enjoy AND you get to make your own flavorful highball without worry. You can experiment with gin, rum, and potato vodkas.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces infused-spirit
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Fresh fruit or herb sprig to garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice and infused-spirit.
- Top off with club soda.
- Stir once to mix.
- Garnish with fresh fruit or an herb sprig.
Gluten-Free Hard Cider Cocktail
Most hard cider is naturally gluten free, but play it safe and always, always, always read the label before making an assumption. Once you've done that homework, you're ready to make this GF cocktail.
Ingredients
- Lemon wedge and cinnamon-sugar for rim
- 1 ounce vanilla-infused vodka
- 3 ounces gluten-free hard cider
- Ice
- Gluten-free regular apple cider to top off
- Apple slice and rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.
- With the cinnamon-sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the cinnamon-sugar to coat.
- In the prepared glass, add ice, vanilla-infused vodka, and hard cider.
- Top off with apple cider.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with an apple slice and rosemary sprig.
Gluten-Free Daiquiri
Dream of a gluten-free tropical paradise. Nary a gluten in sight. Don't open your eyes too soon, though. There's something to be said about living the dream.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces silver rum
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Dehydrated lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a coupe or Nick and Nora glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel.
Gluten-Free Cosmo
If Sex and the City took place now, you know at least one of the women would've been on the hunt for the best gluten-free cosmo. We've done that for you.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces orange-infused vodka
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce cranberry juice
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a coupe or martini glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, orange-infused vodka, orange liqueur, lime juice, and cranberry juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a lime wheel.
Gluten-Free Vodka Beet Cocktail
Carefully, ever so carefully, mix an earthy beet and potato vodka cocktail to knock the socks off anyone, gluten free or not.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 3 ounces beet juice
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Ginger beer to top off
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, beet juice, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with ginger beer.
- Garnish with a mint sprig.
What About Bourbon Drinks?
Bourbon and whiskey can be a bit trickier, as not all distillers follow the same recipe or process. It's best to confirm that a whiskey is gluten-free before making that leap, particularly if gluten tends to wreak havoc on your body. The same can be said for gluten-free beers on tap. Although, yes, the beer may be gluten free, the taps may still have cross-contamination from previous beers. As with anything, you know your body best.
Gluten-Free Cocktail Mixers
You don't need to follow a long list of instructions in a recipe to make a gluten-free cocktail you'll love. Here's a list of gluten-free mixers to get you started, but you'll find many others along the way.
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- Cranberry juice
- Ginger beer and ginger ale
- Orange juice
- Pineapple juice
- Sodas
- Club soda
- Tonic water
- Beet juice
- Elderflower liqueur
- Orange liqueur
- Homemade margarita mix
- Coffee
- Simple syrup
- Bitters
- Spiced rum
- Dark rum
- Mezcal
- Falernum
- Orgeat
- Heavy cream
- Sweet or dry vermouth
- Coffee liqueur
- Amaretto liqueur
- Kombucha
Living Up Happy Hour With Gluten-Free Cocktails
Turn maybe hours into happy hours with reliably gluten-free cocktails. Sip a pink cosmo or infuse your own spirits on your GF cocktail journey. Or make your own gluten-free magic. Nothing can hold you back now!
