Our 48 Best Recipes for Party Shots and Shooters

Party shots work best when they are treated as small cocktails rather than random mixtures of sweet liqueur. Keep each recipe cold, measured, and easy to identify. Most of the recipes below make one 1 1/2-ounce shooter; multiply the ingredients by the number of guests, add about 15% water for pre-dilution, chill the batch, and pour shortly before serving.

A U.S. standard drink contains the alcohol in roughly 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. A sweet shooter can contain less or more than that depending on the proof and size, so small glassware should not be mistaken for low alcohol.

Bright and citrusy shots

1. Kamikaze

• 1/2 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce orange liqueur
• 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

Shake with ice and strain. Tart, direct, and easy to batch.

2. Lemon Drop

• 3/4 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 ounce simple syrup

Shake and strain into a glass with a half sugar rim.

3. Green Tea Shot

• 1/2 ounce Irish whiskey
• 1/2 ounce peach schnapps
• 1/2 ounce sour mix
• Small splash lemon-lime soda

Shake the first three ingredients, strain, and add soda.

4. Washington Apple

• 1/2 ounce Canadian whisky
• 1/2 ounce sour apple liqueur
• 1/2 ounce cranberry juice

Shake and strain. Add a thin apple slice only when serving immediately.

5. Woo Woo

• 1/2 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce peach schnapps
• 1/2 ounce cranberry juice

Shake and strain. This one benefits from tart, unsweetened cranberry juice.

6. Blue Kamikaze

• 1/2 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce blue curaçao
• 1/2 ounce lime juice

Shake hard and serve very cold.

7. Gimlet Shot

• 1 ounce gin
• 1/2 ounce lime cordial

Shake and strain. Use fresh lime cordial rather than fluorescent bottled mix when possible.

8. Paloma Shot

• 3/4 ounce blanco tequila
• 1/2 ounce grapefruit juice
• 1/4 ounce lime juice
• Pinch of salt

Shake and strain. A drop of agave can soften very tart grapefruit.

9. Sidecar Shot

• 3/4 ounce cognac
• 1/2 ounce orange liqueur
• 1/4 ounce lemon juice

Shake and strain into a glass with a narrow sugar rim.

10. Mini Margarita

• 3/4 ounce blanco tequila
• 1/2 ounce orange liqueur
• 1/4 ounce lime juice

Shake and strain. Add a tiny pinch of salt directly to the shaker.

11. Watermelon-Lime Shot

• 3/4 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce fresh watermelon juice
• 1/4 ounce lime juice

Shake and strain. Make the watermelon juice the same day.

12. Pineapple Daiquiri Shot

• 3/4 ounce white rum
• 1/2 ounce pineapple juice
• 1/4 ounce lime juice

Shake until cold. Add one barspoon simple syrup only if the pineapple is tart.

Creamy and dessert-style shooters

13. B-52

• 1/2 ounce coffee liqueur
• 1/2 ounce Irish cream
• 1/2 ounce orange liqueur

Layer slowly over the back of a spoon, or shake for the same flavor without the visual effect.

14. Baby Guinness

• 1 ounce coffee liqueur
• 1/2 ounce Irish cream

Float the Irish cream to create the appearance of a tiny stout.

15. Buttery Nipple

• 3/4 ounce butterscotch schnapps
• 3/4 ounce Irish cream

Layer or shake. Serve colder than you think it needs to be.

16. Slippery Nipple

• 3/4 ounce sambuca
• 3/4 ounce Irish cream

Layer the Irish cream over the sambuca. The anise flavor is strong; this is not a neutral crowd-pleaser.

17. Nutty Irishman

• 3/4 ounce hazelnut liqueur
• 3/4 ounce Irish cream

Shake with ice and strain.

18. Chocolate Cake Shot

• 3/4 ounce hazelnut liqueur
• 3/4 ounce citrus vodka

Shake and serve with a sugared lemon wedge. The lemon creates the “cake” impression.

19. Oatmeal Cookie Shot

• 1/2 ounce Irish cream
• 1/2 ounce cinnamon liqueur
• 1/2 ounce butterscotch schnapps

Shake and strain. A very small pinch of salt improves the flavor.

20. Birthday Cake Shot

• 3/4 ounce vanilla vodka
• 1/2 ounce white chocolate liqueur
• 1/4 ounce cream

Shake and strain into a glass with a light sprinkle rim.

21. Cinnamon Toast Shot

• 3/4 ounce cinnamon whisky
• 3/4 ounce cream liqueur

Shake and strain. Dust with grated nutmeg, not ground cinnamon, which can feel dry on the tongue.

22. Salted Caramel Shot

• 3/4 ounce caramel vodka
• 1/2 ounce cream liqueur
• 1/4 ounce cold coffee
• Tiny pinch of salt

Shake thoroughly and strain.

23. Espresso Shooter

• 3/4 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce coffee liqueur
• 1/4 ounce chilled espresso

Shake hard for a thin foam cap.

24. Mini Brandy Alexander

• 1/2 ounce cognac
• 1/2 ounce dark crème de cacao
• 1/2 ounce cream

Shake and finish with nutmeg.

Fruit-forward party shots

25. Alabama Slammer

• 1/2 ounce Southern Comfort
• 1/4 ounce amaretto
• 1/4 ounce sloe gin
• 1/2 ounce orange juice

Shake and strain.

26. Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

• 3/4 ounce vanilla vodka
• 1/2 ounce pineapple juice
• 1/4 ounce grenadine

Shake vodka and pineapple; strain and let grenadine sink.

27. Peach Bellini Shot

• 1/2 ounce peach purée
• 1 ounce chilled sparkling wine

Add purée first, top slowly, and stir once.

28. French Martini Shot

• 3/4 ounce vodka
• 1/4 ounce raspberry liqueur
• 1/2 ounce pineapple juice

Shake hard and strain.

29. Cranberry Orange Shot

• 3/4 ounce orange vodka
• 1/2 ounce cranberry juice
• 1/4 ounce lime juice

Shake and strain.

30. Mango Chili Shot

• 3/4 ounce tequila
• 1/2 ounce mango nectar
• 1/4 ounce lime juice
• One thin chile slice

Shake briefly and fine-strain. Do not leave chile in a large batch; heat becomes unpredictable.

31. Strawberry Daiquiri Shot

• 3/4 ounce white rum
• 1/2 ounce strained strawberry purée
• 1/4 ounce lime juice

Shake and strain.

32. Passion Fruit Shot

• 3/4 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce passion fruit purée
• 1/4 ounce vanilla syrup

Shake and strain. Add a few drops of lime if the purée is sweet.

Spicy, savory, and bracing shots

33. Pickleback

• 1 ounce Irish whiskey
• 1 ounce cold pickle brine, served separately

Drink the whiskey, then the brine. Use clean commercial brine, not liquid that has been repeatedly exposed to hands or utensils.

34. Prairie Fire

• 1 ounce tequila
• 2 to 4 drops hot sauce

Stir in the glass. More hot sauce does not make the drink more sophisticated.

35. Bloody Mary Shooter

• 1/2 ounce vodka
• 3/4 ounce tomato juice
• 1/4 ounce lemon juice
• Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, and pepper

Shake gently and strain.

36. Mexican Candy Shot

• 3/4 ounce tequila
• 1/2 ounce watermelon liqueur
• 1/4 ounce lime juice
• Hot sauce to taste

Shake and serve in a glass with a chile-salt rim.

37. Ginger Snap

• 3/4 ounce dark rum
• 1/2 ounce ginger liqueur
• 1/4 ounce lemon juice

Shake and strain.

38. Cucumber Pepper Shot

• 3/4 ounce gin
• 1/2 ounce cucumber juice
• 1/4 ounce lime juice
• Fresh black pepper

Shake and fine-strain.

39. Smoky Orange Shot

• 3/4 ounce mezcal
• 1/2 ounce orange juice
• 1/4 ounce lime juice
• Pinch of salt

Shake and strain.

40. Boilermaker Mini

• 1 ounce whiskey
• 3 ounces lager, served alongside

This is larger than a standard shooter pairing. Treat it as a complete drink, not a prelude to another round.

Miniature classics and lower-proof options

41. Mini Negroni

• 1/2 ounce gin
• 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1/2 ounce bitter aperitivo

Stir with ice and strain. This is strong despite the small glass.

42. Mini Manhattan

• 1 ounce rye whiskey
• 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1 dash aromatic bitters

Stir and strain.

43. Mini Old Fashioned

• 1 1/4 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon demerara syrup
• 1 dash aromatic bitters

Stir with ice and strain over a small cube.

44. Mini Mai Tai

• 3/4 ounce aged rum
• 1/4 ounce orange curaçao
• 1/4 ounce orgeat
• 1/4 ounce lime juice

Shake and strain.

45. Mini Mojito

• 3/4 ounce white rum
• 1/4 ounce lime juice
• 1 teaspoon simple syrup
• Mint leaf
• Splash soda

Gently press the mint, add the other ingredients, and stir with crushed ice.

46. French 75 Shot

• 1/2 ounce gin
• 1/4 ounce lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon simple syrup
• 3/4 ounce sparkling wine

Shake the first three ingredients, strain, and top with wine.

47. Aperitivo Spritz Shot

• 1/2 ounce bitter aperitivo
• 1/2 ounce sparkling wine
• 1/2 ounce soda water

Build over one small cube. This is lighter than most shots and works well at the beginning of an evening.

48. Sherry and Tonic Shooter

• 3/4 ounce fino sherry
• 3/4 ounce tonic water
• Lemon peel

Build cold and express the lemon peel. It delivers the ceremony of a shot with much less alcohol than a spirit-only pour.

How to batch shots without making them watery

For shaken recipes, multiply the ingredients by the number of servings, then add 10 to 15% water to replace the dilution that shaking would provide. Refrigerate the batch for several hours and keep it over ice during service. Do not add citrus more than a few hours ahead; its aroma dulls.

Layered shots should be assembled individually. Cream-based batches must remain refrigerated and should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours.

Label every batch. A red drink may be cranberry, Campari, grenadine, or something much stronger. Guests should not have to guess.

Further reading

• International Bartenders Association: Official Cocktail List
• NIAAA: What Is a Standard Drink?
• FDA: Serving Up Safe Buffets