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12 Most Popular Moonshine Cocktails to Try

You’ll love the kick that moonshine cocktails add to any gathering, mixing high-proof spirits with a range of flavors for adventurous drinkers. These drinks are bold and unapologetic, perfect for shaking things up. From classics with a twist to new creations, moonshine brings excitement and a potent punch to your drink lineup. Trust me, exploring these recipes will surprise and satisfy your taste for something out of the ordinary. Check out this roundup for some standout moonshine cocktails.

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Apple Pie Moonshine Cocktail

Apple Pie Moonshine Cocktail
source: thelittleepicurean.com

This delicious cocktail tastes like apple pie in liquid form and is the perfect cocktail to ring in the fall season. Blending apple pie moonshine with apple juice, cinnamon simple syrup, and lemon juice, this cocktail uses the same ingredients as apple pie. It has a nice spicy finish thanks to the alcohol and cinnamon.


Moonshine Margarita

Moonshine Margarita
source: akitchenhoorsadventures.com

This refreshing and bright moonshine margarita is a cross between a margarita and a Paloma. Instead of white tequila, this cocktail calls for white whiskey, a crude unaged whiskey that tastes as strong as you’d expect a moonshine to taste. Its harsh alcohol gives a strong finish to a blend of citrus juices and grapefruit soda.


Thyme to Shine

Thyme to Shine
source: gastronomblog.com

This cleverly named cocktail is as bright and herbaceous as its title suggests. Blending the moonshine of your choice with earthy thyme simple syrup, bright lemon juice, and orange bitters, the Thyme to Shine is a complex moonshine sour. The piece de resistance is the egg white stirred in for a frothy head.


Moonshine Mule

Moonshine Mule
source: eatsomethingsexy.com

A moonshine twist on the classic vodka cocktail, this Moonshine Mule requires extra ginger to reconcile swapping neutral vodka for harsh moonshine. That’s why you muddle a few slices of fresh ginger before adding the spirit, lime juice, and ginger beer. Fresh ginger makes all the difference, adding a spiciness that stands up to alcohol-forward moonshine.


Blackberry Sage Hard Lemonade

Blackberry Sage Hard Lemonade
source: savvymamalifestyle.com

This Blackberry Sage Hard Lemonade is the perfect summertime refresher. It is a simple three-ingredient cocktail that combines blackberry-infused moonshine with lemonade and a splash of soda for a refreshing carbonated finish. Sage is a garnish, but it adds an earthy aroma to compliment the tart sweetness of this spiked lemonade.


Bittersweet Moonshine

Bittersweet Moonshine
source: chatelaine.com

This bittersweet moonshine showcases the ultimate bittersweet fruit, the grapefruit. It blends moonshine with pure Ruby Red grapefruit juice. Of all the grapefruit varieties, Ruby Red is the sweetest. To accentuate the bittersweetness of grapefruit juice, this cocktail uses simple syrup and Aperol. The Bittersweet Moonshine is a refreshing and elegant cocktail that is perfectly balanced and a great addition to your winter happy hour.


Basil Peach Moonshine Cocktail

Basil Peach Moonshine Cocktail
source: champagneandcoconuts.com

Peaches are the ultimate summer fruit, and they deliver a powerfully sweet and juicy punch to any drink. This summer cocktail muddles fresh peaches with fresh basil to create a sweet and herbaceous foundation for the moonshine of your choice. This is an easy cocktail to make, shaking all ingredients before straining it into a lowball glass.


Epcot’s Blackberry Moonshine Sour

Epcot's Blackberry Moonshine Sour
source: madsandmore.com

Epcot’s Blackberry Moonshine Sour is a rich, high-end cocktail that will wow even the most pretentious of drinkers. Using both blackberry moonshine and blackberry syrup, this Moonshine sour has an intense berry flavor. Lemon juice and blood orange sour mix add a sour citrus kick that makes this cocktail a refreshing summertime drink.


Sex In The Woods

Sex In The Woods
source: mantitlement.com

This moonshine twist on the classic Sex on the Beach replaces vodka with moonshine. The harsh alcohol-forward palate of moonshine works well with peach schnapps, cranberry, and orange. It lessens the sweetness without losing the fruity flavors of the liqueurs and juices. It doesn’t require any fancy equipment to whip up Sex In the Woods, just a tall glass and a stirrer.


Key Lime Pie Moonshine Cocktail

Key Lime Pie Moonshine Cocktail
source: mooshujenne.com

Key limes are a prized Florida crop that is a sweeter variety of the larger classic limes. This Key Lime Pie Moonshine Cocktail uses fresh key lime juice with vanilla simple syrup and moonshine for a seductive and aromatic summer drink. It offers a lovely balance of sweet and sour with a dessert-like finish from the vanilla. 


Strawberry Jam + Moonshine

Strawberry Jam + Moonshine
source: dessertfortwo.com

Using jam is a great way to avoid shelling out for simple syrup and fresh fruit, and this strawberry jam and moonshine cocktail is as fresh and fruity as can be. It uses a few spoonfuls of strawberry jam to infuse white whiskey with a sweet berry flavor. Meyer lemon juice adds a delicately sweet and sour citrus flavor to round it all out. 


Rainier Cherry Peach Moonshine Cocktail

Rainier Cherry Peach Moonshine Cocktail
source: mooshujenne.com

Cherries and peaches are two fruits that are synonymous with summer. This delicious summer cocktail muddles whole rainier cherries with fresh peaches, to create the richest juice you spike with moonshine. The vanilla simple syrup adds even more richness, bringing this fruity cocktail into the dessert realm. 


A Bittersweet Moonshine cocktail, served in an elegant, vintage glass, placed on a dark wooden table. The cocktail has a deep amber color, suggesting a blend of moonshine with bitters and a hint of sweet vermouth. An orange twist and a cherry are used as garnishes, floating on top, adding color and a hint of citrus aroma. The setting is a classic, dimly lit bar with a nostalgic atmosphere, featuring old-fashioned bar accessories and subtle background elements like vintage bottles and glasses. Soft lighting enhances the rich color of the drink and creates a warm, inviting mood, perfect for savoring a sophisticated moonshine-based cocktail.

12 Moonshine Cocktail Recipes

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
4.7 from 3 votes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Moonshine Cocktails
Servings: 1
Author: Paul Kushner
Discover bold moonshine cocktails that add a spirited punch to any occasion. Perfect for adventurous drinkers. Click for recipes.

Instructions

  • Pick your favorite recipe
  • Gather all the needed ingredients
  • Prep a moonshine cocktail in less than 5 minutes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let us know how it was!
12 Most Popular Moonshine Cocktails to Try
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Paul Kushner

Written by Paul Kushner

Founder and CEO of MyBartender. Graduated from Penn State University. He always had a deep interest in the restaurant and bar industry. His restaurant experience began in 1997 at the age of 14 as a bus boy. By the time he turned 17 he was serving tables, and by 19 he was bartending/bar managing 6-7 nights a week.

In 2012, after a decade and a half of learning all facets of the industry, Paul opened his first restaurant/bar. In 2015, a second location followed, the latter being featured on The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

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A Vodka Soda cocktail, served in a highball glass, placed on a sleek, modern bar counter. The drink is crystal clear, with a few ice cubes floating within, and a twist of lime garnishing the rim. The simplicity of the vodka and soda water is evident in the clarity and minimalistic presentation of the drink. The background should feature a contemporary and sophisticated bar setting, with soft ambient lighting, creating a chic and upscale ambiance. A subtle reflection of the glass can be seen on the polished surface of the bar counter, enhancing the elegance of the scene.

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