Freezer door cocktails are, hands down and without argument, the best way to enjoy spirit-forward cocktails at a moment's notice. Icy cold, smoother than ever, and with a golden aura of flavor and aesthetics (okay the last part is me being a little too in love with this frozen approach), freezer door cocktails changed the cocktail game for me. And for good reason!
With cocktails made to your palette that are ready immediately, these are a gift from Dionysus.
What Are Freezer Door Cocktails?
You know how some people might keep a bottle of gin or vodka stashed in their fridge, so it's always ice cold? That's the same approach to freezer door cockails. But now, you don't need to mix it up after it's cold.
You build freezer door cocktails directly in a resealable bottle or jar then add them to your freezer door, or wherever you have space. Then, when the mood strikes you for a spirit-forward cocktail, it's there, waiting for you.
Benefits of Freezer Door Cocktails
If you know you're hosting a girls' night or having a group of people over that enjoy vodka martinis, or you know they're a group that will rotate between two different cocktails and a nice glass of wine, freezer door cocktails are an easy way to impress your guests with outstanding classic cocktails without having to spend time away making drinks.
And if you're alone having a drink with your couch or just one other person, a freezer door cocktail goes from bottle to glass to lips as fast as if you poured a beer or glass of wine. No jiggers, no mixing glasses, no extra dishes.
Another bonus? Unlike already canned ready-to-drink cocktails, you get free creative control over the ingredients. You know exactly what is and isn't in your frosty freezer door cocktail.
Drinks that aren't spirit-forward don't do well as freezer door cocktails — they'll freeze solid. But liquors that are 50 proof or above don't freeze in traditional home freezers, unlike beer or wine.
How to Make Freezer Door Cocktails
There's no blender, shaker, mixing spoon, or ice needed for your freezer door cocktail. If you're making individual servings, you'll need a jigger to measure your ingredients. And if you're making up several servings, as I do with negronis, then a liquid measuring cup and a funnel can speed up the process.
And to complete the process, you need only your cocktail ingredients, a little bit of water, and, of course, a sealable container that can withstand freezing temperatures because the last step before tucking that bottle into your freezer is giving it a good, solid, swirl to mix everything.
For drinks that do have nonalcoholic ingredients, as long as there's more alcohol than not, the freezer door cocktail will stay liquid. Albeit chilly, nearly gooey, and delicious.
Freezer Door Negroni
I love negronis. And I am the only person in my immediate family that does. Since I don't run through them, and I don't want to hear the sounds of disapproval about Campari anytime they reach for their preferred spirit, I like to make mine in batches to store in the garage refrigerator.
This recipe is for a 750 mL Campari bottle. In this bottle, you'll find eight negronis.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces gin
- 8 ounces Campari
- 8 ounces sweet vermouth
- 1¼-1½ ounces water
- 750mL Campari bottle with cap (or any other clean 750 mL bottle)
Instructions
- In a 750mL bottle, add gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth.
- Cap and swirl to mix.
- Place in the freezer.
- Allow to chill for at least six hours or overnight.
- Swirl once before serving.
- Add three ounces of freezer door negroni to a rocks glass with ice.
- Garnish with an orange twist.
Freezer Door Manhattan
Growing up, my family was big on Manhattans. I don't have any answers, I grew up in Western New York. And, like most of the 80s and 90s, so many cocktail ingredients came prebatched. But now, thankfully, we have our own prebatched Manhattan as a freezer door cocktail. This recipe makes eight freezer door Manhattans.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rye
- 8 ounces sweet vermouth
- 14-16 dashes aromatic bitters
- 1½ ounces water
- Bottle or jar with lid
Instructions
- In a bottle or jar, add rye, sweet vermouth, bitters, and water.
- Cap and swirl to mix.
- Put in the freezer for at least six hours or overnight.
- Add three ounces of freezer door Manhattan to chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with cocktail cherries.
Freezer Door Margarita
A margarita with margarita mix or sweet and sour mix won't cut it as a freezer door cocktail — there's too much mixer and not enough booze. But if you patiently use lime juice instead and add a pinch of salt, your dreams come true. This makes four freezer door margs.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces silver tequila
- 4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 ounces orange liqueur
- 1½ ounce agave syrup
- 1 small pinch of salt
- Bottle or jar with cap
Instructions
- In a bottle or jar, add silver tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, agave syrup, and salt.
- Cover with the cap and give it a good shake to mix.
- Allow to chill in the freezer for at least six hours or overnight.
- In a rocks glass over fresh ice, add 4½ ounces of freezer door margarita.
There's no extra water needed for the margarita because of the use of nonalcoholic ingredients: lime juice and agave syrup.
@177milkstreet @jm_hirsch is mixing up another “freezer door” cocktail - this time a whole bottle of #margaritas. #cocktail #cocktailrecipe #margarita #cheers #milkstreet original sound - Milk Street
Freezer Door Daiquiri
No, we're not talking a frozen, slushy, fruit daiquiri. We're talking a tart and boozy straight up in a martini glass daiquiri. Right from your freezer door. This makes six freezer door daiquiris.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces silver rum
- 6 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 ounces simple syrup
- 2 ounces water
- Jar or bottle with lid
Instructions
- In a jar or bottle, add silver rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and water.
- Cover and swirl to mix.
- Place in the freezer for at least six hours or overnight.
- Before serving, give a good shake.
- Add 3½ ounces of freezer door daiquiri to a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with a lime slice.
Tips for Making Freezer Door Cocktails
As you grab your hat and gloves and head for the freezer, be sure to have these freezer door cocktail tips and tricks in your back pocket. You'll be a master of these arctic drinks in no time.
- Opt for spirit-forward cocktails so the ingredients don't end up in a frozen ice cube.
- Try to use a bottle or container that's the right size. For single serving, go ahead and use small bottles, and for batch freezer door cocktails, you'll want a bigger container. But for both, you'll want to make sure that the container is filled to nearly the top. And if that means adding an extra serving, then so be it. No one has been sadder with an extra martini.
- Give the cocktail a good swirl or shake after you've capped it and before you tuck it in your freezer so that the ingredients can start to mingle.
- Just before opening and serving, give the bottle a solid swirl and shake to give the ingredients one final mix and to dissolve any slush that may have formed.
- Liquor and liqueur bottles make for excellent bottles to build your freezer door cocktails. I like to build my freezer door martinis in Campari or vermouth bottles, and I build my gin martinis directly in the Hendrick's bottle.
Ice Cold Cocktails on Demand
Grab your freezer door cocktail bottle, a glass, and some ice. You already have everything you need to pour yourself a ready-to-drink cocktail that's everything you could hope for. We all have our martini or cocktail preferences. What's better than having that very desire ready to go on demand? No, but seriously. Because there's something awesome about your drink that's always on hand.
