Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is a celebratory time associated with cocktails, parades, beads, and fun in the city of New Orleans, a yearly celebration since the 1700s. Whether you're a New Orleans native or you simply love Mardi Gras themed parties, these Mardi Gras drink recipes will add the perfect touch to your celebration.
Hurricane
The hurricane cocktail is a well-known New Orleans tradition. The drink was invented in the French Quarter in the 1940s and is considered the quintessential Mardi Gras cocktail.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces light rum
- 2 ounces dark rum
- 2 ounces passion fruit juice
- 1 ounce orange juice
- ½ ounce lime juice
- 1 tablespoon simple syrup
- 1 tablespoon grenadine
- Ice
- Orange slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rums, passion fruit juice, orange juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and grenadine.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into hurricane glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange slice.
Vieux Carré
The vieux carré is a classic Cognac cocktail originating in New Orleans after the Noble Experiment, Prohibition. Born at the Carousel Bar in the New Orleans Hotel Monteleone, it has a combination of flavors that make it an exceptionally balanced cocktail.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over
Canal Street Daisy
This bourbon-based drink originated on Canal Street, the cross-street to Bourbon Street and where the Mardi Gras parade begins in New Orleans.
Ingredients
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 ounce bourbon
- Ice
- Carbonated water
- Orange slice and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, lemon juice, orange juice, and bourbon.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into Collins glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with carbonated water.
- Garnish with orange slice and cherry.
Red Snapper
Another Mardi Gras drink recipe from the French Quarter is the red snapper, and it's a lovely combination of sweet and tart.
Ingredients
- 1¼ ounces whiskey
- 1 ounce amaretto
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
- Ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, whiskey, amaretto, and cranberry juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
Sazerac
The Sazerac is a delightful combination of sweet, sour, and bitter and is exceptionally balanced and delicious. The cocktail was invented in New Orleans in the 1830s and is currently considered the "official" cocktail of New Orleans. It's similar to an old-fashioned.
Ingredients
- Splash of absinthe
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 2-3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
- Ice
- Lemon ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse rocks glass with absinthe, discarding remainder.
- In a mixing glass, add rye, simple syrup, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass, serving either neat or over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lemon ribbon.
Mardi Gras Flasher
This cocktail gives a tip of the hat to the Mardi Gras tradition of flashing parade floats in return for beads.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dark rum
- 6 ounces ginger ale
- 1 teaspoon grenadine
- Ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, dark rum, ginger ale, and grenadine.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
Ramos Gin Fizz
Invented in the New Orleans Bar, Imperial Cabinet Saloon in the late 1800s, this variation on a gin fizz is classic New Orleans and, therefore, classic Mardi Gras.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 2 ounces half and half
- ½ ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 2 drops orange blossom water
- Egg white
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Lemon peel or wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, half and half, lime juice, lemon juice, orange blossom water, and egg white.
- Shake for approximately 60 seconds.
- Add ice and shake vigorously for two minutes.
- Strain into highball glass.
- Slowly top off with club soda.
- Garnish with lemon peel.
Moon Pie Cocktail
Of course, New Orleans isn't the only place to celebrate Mardi Gras. Participants throw moon pies in Mobile, Alabama's Mardi Gras celebration, so the moon pie cocktail is the perfect Mardi Gras drink.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces chocolate liqueur, chilled
- 4 ounces milk or half and half, chilled
- 2 ounces crème de banane, chilled
- Ice
- Chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, chocolate liqueur, half and half, and crème de banane.
- Shake to mix.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with chocolate shavings.
Caipirinha
Brazil also celebrates Mardi Gras in a festival called Carnival. The caipirinha is Brazil's national drink and is a popular drink to enjoy at Carnival.
Ingredients
- 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3/4 ounce simple syrup
- 1½ ounces cachaça
- Ice
- Lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, lime juice, simple syrup, and cachaça.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lime wedges.
French 75
While not invented in New Orleans, what's better to celebrate with than some bubbly?
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce gin
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- Prosecco to top off
- Lemon ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a Champagne flute.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Top off with prosecco.
- Garnish with lemon ribbon.
Roffignac
This little-known cocktail owes its name to a New Orleans mayor in the 19th century, but after your friends see this, no one will forget it.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cognac
- 1 ounce raspberry liqueur
- Crushed
- Club soda to top off
- Lemon twist for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add crushed ice, cognac, and raspberry liqueur.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with lemon twist.
Brandy Crusta
This cocktail may look familiar, as it's the origin of the classic Sidecar.
Ingredients
- Lemon wedge and sugar for rim
- 2 ounces brandy
- ¼ ounce orange curaçao
- ¼ ounce maraschino liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 1-2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
- Lemon peel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the martini glass or coupe with the lemon wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, brandy, orange curaçao, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with lemon peel, if desired.
Corpse Reviver No 2
While this drink helps to revive the weary, too many will, famously, "un-revive the corpse again."
Ingredients
- ¼ ounce absinthe
- 1 ounce gin
- ¾ ounce Lillet blanc
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Lemon ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- Rinse chilled glass with absinthe, discarding extra.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, Lillet blanc, orange liqueur, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with lemon ribbon.
Brandy Milk Punch
This brunch cocktail might raise a few eyebrows, but this drink is New Orleans born and raised. If you want yours a little sweeter, add additional powdered sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 cup ice
- 2 ounces brandy
- 6 ounces milk
- ¾ tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Crushed ice
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, add 1 cup ice, brandy, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Blend briefly for approximately 10-20 seconds.
- Strain into highball glass over crushed ice.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Celebrate Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is a time for celebration, and cocktails are often a big part of that. No matter how you plan to celebrate Mardi Gras, these cocktails are sure to put you in a festive mood.
