The Girliest Girly Drinks for Girly Girls

Girly drinks

Girly drinks evoke a visceral response, making you either squeal or cringe. For too long, “girly drinks” have been dismissed with an eye roll — too pink, too fruity, too sweet, not serious enough. But these cocktails have never really been about stereotypes of fragility or frivolity. They’re about pleasure and fun. What is a girly drink, anyway? Do drinks have genders? Are drinks for some people and not for others? The scent of rose can be very masculine, and the scent of musk can be very feminine. Tell James Bond that vodka is for girls, and martini glasses are too feminine for manly men.

I polled my industry friends, and the responses were as expected. I was told to eff off a few times, lovingly, of course. Some responses questioned what a girly drink is anymore. Others told me to lean into the tropes, like Mimosas, Cosmopolitans, Espresso Martinis, and Lemon Drops. Some suggested anything pink, and we both cringed. And then I received a different perspective from one of the dudes, and it was exactly the perspective I needed; I love leaning into themes, treat it like a theme, he said, just invite everyone to this particular theme. He nailed it.

I give you my version of the Girliest Girly Drinks…

French Martini

French Martini photo credit Depositphotos

Chambord, when used properly, can add a deliciously sweet, fruity element to cocktails, with the French Martini being one of the most well-known. Have you had a really well-made French Martini? If you like a cocktail that is on the sweeter side and has dominant fruit flavors, give this one a try.

2 oz vodka
1.5 oz pineapple juice
.5 oz Chambord

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and shake well until the tin is cool. Strain into a stemmed cocktail glass and garnish with a raspberry for a touch of decadence. Flip the script on this cocktail by swapping a botanical gin for the vodka, and the florals will add more dimension, complementing the fruit flavors with a wonderful botanical bouquet.

Chambord Spritz

Chambord Spritz photo credit Chambord

And speaking of Chambord and Girly Drinks, the spritz has been synonymous with Girly Drinks for decades. Chambord makes a lovely spritz.

1 part Chambord

3 parts white wine

2 parts chilled soda water

Serve over cubed ice in a large wine glass. Garnish with berries, mint, or edible flowers.

Cosmo

"We can all use a little more Cosmopolitan vibes in our lives."

Cosmo courtesy of Absolut

The TV show Sex and the City is famously linked to the Cosmopolitan cocktail, which became a cultural icon thanks to the series. The drink, a mix of vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime, was regularly ordered by Carrie Bradshaw and her friends during their nights out in New York City. This recurring detail helped popularize the Cosmopolitan in the late 1990s and early 2000s, cementing it as the signature drink of sophisticated urban women and an enduring symbol of the show's glamorous lifestyle. This is the occasion where we embrace the epic girlyness of dressing up in all the high-fashion gear, spilling the tea about the men in and out of our lives, and sipping one, two, or three cocktails amongst our favorite humans.

The Cosmopolitan is a masterfully balanced cocktail, offering just the right harmony of tart and sweet flavors. When made with quality ingredients and in the right proportions, it can completely transform any preconceived notions about the drink. Light, crisp, and refreshingly pink, it remains an effortlessly stylish classic.

1.5 oz Absolut Citron vodka or your favorite citron vodka
¾ oz Cointreau or your favorite orange liqueur
¾ oz fresh lime juice
¾ oz unsweetened cranberry juice for a more tart profile, use cranberry cocktail if you want a sweeter drink

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with cubed ice, shake well, strain into a martini glass, and garnish with a lime or lemon twist. I recommend wearing your fanciest shoes.

Back to the spritz again, orange liqueur makes for a phenomenal spritz as well. The trick when using liqueurs in spritzes is to balance the wine and the liqueur. I usually go with a very dry wine or sparkling wine because I am not a big fan of sweet flavors. This spritz offers a middle-of-the-road balance that pleases all the girlies.

Best Friend Spritz

Best Friend Spritz courtesy of Absolut

1 oz orange liqueur, like Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, which is a favorite
2 oz dry white wine
Chilled club soda

Add sliced citrus to a large wine glass, fill with cubed ice, pour the liquid ingredients on top, and stir gently.

Alternatively, swap the orange liqueur for Absolut’s Pear & Elderflower vodka for the most romantic girly spritz, perfect for outdoor sipping all summer long. This will surely be your summer bestie.

Lemon Drop

Lemon Disco Drop courtesy of Cointreau

True Girlies are innovative and know how to turn the dull into the decadent, and that’s exactly what this lemon drop cocktail is all about. The Lemon Drop is back in fashion, and for some, it's a guilty pleasure, but the original recipe leaves something to be desired in my opinion. Just a few tweaks, and this girl is on fire and ready to smash all of the panic and let the disco welcome all the divas.

Adding rose water and orange bitters to the classic lemon drop elevates the cocktail by introducing delicate floral and citrus notes that complement its tartness. The rose water adds subtle aromatic complexity, while the orange bitters add depth and a hint of spice. Together, these ingredients enhance the overall flavor profile, making each sip both vibrant and refreshingly unique—and, with its blushing hue and playful finish, it’s the perfectly girly cocktail for any occasion.

1.5 oz vodka
1 oz Ferrand Dry Yuzu Curacao Liqueur
1 oz fresh lemon juice
.5 oz rose water
2 dashes of orange bitters

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and shake well. Strain into a stemmed glass and garnish with a sprinkle of edible glitter for all of the disco vibes.

Paper Plane

"She works hard for the money."

Paper Plane photo credit Depositphotos

Donna Summer told zero lies in her famous song about the plight of working women. For some of us, when it's time for happy hour with the girls of any gender, add a little girl dinner, aka French fries, to this clever cocktail, and after a day of building empires, something with a little more body and a stronger structure just hits. Girly drinks for whiskey women? Yes!

The Paper Plane cocktail stands out for its irresistibly balanced flavor profile, bringing together the best of sweet, sour, and bitter. With equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice, it achieves a perfect harmony where no single ingredient overpowers the others. The bourbon provides warmth and depth, the Aperol adds bright citrusy notes, the amaro contributes herbal complexity, and the lemon juice delivers a refreshing zing.

¾ oz bourbon - for this cocktail, I like to reach for a high rye bourbon to bring in some spice

¾ oz Aperol
¾ oz Amaro Nonino
¾ oz fresh lemon juice

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and shake well. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Note: if you are a single malt whisky fan, this cocktail does beautifully with the swap.

The Iconic Aperol Spritz

Aperol Spritz

There is zero chance a list of Girly Drinks can be compiled without including the iconic Aperol Spritz. Bring all of the European vibes and coastal cocktail POVs to the party with this cocktail. Be sure to build this spritz properly because the build is the magic. I was trained many years ago to ensure that the prosecco was always used as the pillow to cushion the cocktail. This bittersweet, bubbly, and vibrant cocktail brings all the friends to the block.

In a large wine glass, fill it halfway with cubed ice, then pour in 3 parts chilled Prosecco. Add 2 parts Aperol and 1 part chilled club soda; the soda's salinity is a magical component. Gently add more ice if the occasion demands it. Garnish with fresh sliced oranges.

So, whether you’re sipping something pink and sparkling, shaking up a floral disco in your glass, or choosing a bold whiskey-based classic, here’s the truth: girly drinks are whatever you want them to be. The only rule is to have fun, embrace your inner fabulousness, and maybe add a little extra glitter if the mood strikes. Raise your glass, stemmed or not, and toast to being unapologetically yourself, one delicious cocktail at a time.