Shake things up this Mother’s Day with our tried, tested (and ridiculously delicious) cocktail recipes.

Let’s face it: a drink – no matter how strong, shaken, stirred or served – will never make up for the million things that Mum has done for you over the years (let alone quite literally giving you life). But boy, is it deserved.

Being an ‘adult child’ is a reckoning – you’re witnessing your childhood friends become mothers, while your own mum is still saving the day when you lock yourself out of your apartment (or just really don’t feel like making dinner). The best part now, however, is that you can all enjoy a drink together.

This drink we speak of – it’s gotta be special, right? Whether its for your biological mum, mother-like figure, drag mum, grandmother, wife, aunt, friend with kids or work mum, each sip should scream ‘I-see-everything-you’ve-ever-done-for-me-and/or-your-children-and-for-that-I-love-you-and-will-be-forever-grateful’. And that’s a lot of pressure. But as per, we’ve done the thinking – and the sipping – to share the best cocktails to make for Mother’s Day.

These cocktail recipes are not only delicious (and rigorously tested by a team of top mixologists). They’re also surprisingly simple to make and comprise ingredients that are easy to find at Dan’s and your local supermarket. There’s something for every Mum – and every budget.

2 MINS READ

1. Rosé Spritzer cocktail recipe

For the Mum who tells you not to make a fuss, pop a jug of Rosé Spritzer in the centre of your Mother’s Day table. Taking the classic spritzer format of wine and soda, our recipe subs in dry rosé and vermouth for a herbal sweetness that makes this easy-to-mix drink that little bit more special – without going OTT. Garnished with thyme and strawberries, it’s a true delight (especially when you’ve got an array of Ottolenghi-style salads alongside it).

3 MINS READ

2. Espresso Martini cocktail recipe

If there’s one feeling every Mum knows, it’s exhaustion. And, well, there’s a high chance it’s because of you. On Mother’s Day, the least you can do is make her a coffee (and a strong one at that). So, for the Mum who craves her cuppa (or six) a day, go the extra mile to make it an Espresso Martini. The popular cocktail is a simple shake-up of vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur and sugar, and when perfected, it goes down like a bittersweet treat.

3 MINS READ

3. Cosmo Bellini cocktail recipe

If Mum’s the type to never leave the house without her hair styled and signature lipstick applied (the same shade since the ’90s, of course, which is conveniently back in style), you couldn’t possibly go wrong with this hybrid of two of the most popular pink drinks in the biz. It’s as though Carrie Bradshaw and Fran Fine had a baby – that happened to be a cocktail. Fizzy and fruity, a blend of peach puree, schnapps and cranberry juice meet a pour of prosecco for effervescent, unadulterated delight.

3 MINS READ

4. White Linen cocktail recipe

Did someone say coastal mum? Do we have a drink for you. Combining cucumber, elderflower, lemon and gin, the aptly named White Linen is all parts cream couch, beach house and Nancy Meyers cinematic universe. Dreamed up in California in the 2000s, this cocktail is as clean and crisp as it gets. Our tip is to load up the punch bowl with ice and make enough for the table – the perfect accompaniment to that bagel lunch you’ve got planned. You’ve planned lunch, right?

4 MINS READ

5. Dan’s Hot Chocolate cocktail recipe

If your mum was the type to turn every moment of your childhood into magic – cookie-cuttered sandwiches, forts with fairy lights, birthday cakes straight out of the Australian Women’s Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book – it’s time to return the magic. Our suggestion? Helen Goh’s chocolate ginger beer cake, paired with this brilliantly decadent hot chocolate cocktail, made with real milk chocolate (none of that powdered stuff!), spiked with vodka and spiced with bay leaf and cloves.

2 MINS READ

6. Rome with a View cocktail recipe

You asked Mum what she wanted for Mother’s Day, and she replied with “a trip to Italy”. Yes, in this economy. While you might need to save up until her 80th for that gift, there’s no reason you can’t deliver Euro-summer vibes at home. Our suggestion? Give the Aperol Spritz a rest and recreate this milder take on the classic Americano, which swaps sweet vermouth for dry, and adds lime and sugar. Designed to whet the appetite, it’s the perfect drink to slip into Mum’s hand while Dad’s firing up the barbecue.

3 MINS READ

7. Non-alcoholic Martini cocktail recipe

Often feeding, new mums rarely have the luxury of enjoying a drink on their first Mother’s Day, which feels far from fair. Alas, we came up with a solution: instead of chasing an exact replica with 1-to-1 non-alc spirit swaps (we tried it, it wasn’t quite to our standard), we reverse-engineered the Martini, achieving its textural elegance by swapping vermouth for a mix of verjuice, mirin and sugar. And only once that was perfect, we layered in a non-alc gin. The end result is a faux-tini that’s a little sweeter than the original, but just as sophisticated.

3 MINS READ

8. Grasshopper cocktail recipe

I’m using my Editor-in-Chief privileges here to slip in a cocktail especially for my own mum – the Grasshopper. Ironically, she was a terrible hurdler at school athletics (I inherited that from her), but boy does she love anything choc-mint. From After Eights and Mint Aero to South African Peppermint Crisp Pudding and the crispy mint M&Ms she’ll spend the rest of her life petitioning back into production, I’ve never seen her turn down a choc-mint treat. Made with creme de menthe, creme de cacao, full cream milk and pouring cream, this cocktail doubles (quadruples, even) as dessert and will be the curtain call for our Mother’s Day dinner.