30 Birthday Shots

1. Party All Night Espresso Martini

Want to party it up with your friends? These shots are like sipping on an espresso martini...except better! Trust me, they'll keep any party going all night long.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ ounces (45 ml) vodka
• 1 ¼ ounce (37 ml) freshly brewed espresso
• 1 ounce (30 ml) coffee liqueur
• ¾ ounce (22 ml) simple syrup
• coffee beans, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Add vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled partway with ice. Shake until well-chilled and foamy, about 15 seconds. Strain into three 2 ounce (60 ml) shot glasses. Optionally, garnish each shot with a coffee bean.

*Be sure to remove the coffee bean before consuming the shots.

2. Pay Day Candy Bar

If you love eating a PayDay candy bar, this is the shot for you. And, it's the perfect birthday sweet treat!

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce (30 ml) butterscotch liqueur
• 1 ounce (30 ml) caramel flavored vodka
• 1 ounce (30 ml) peanut butter whiskey

Instructions:

To a cocktail shaker add butterscotch liqueur, caramel flavored vodka, peanut butter whiskey, and a handful of ice. Shake for 30-45 seconds until chilled. Strain into two 2 ounce (60 ml) shot glasses. Optionally, garnish each shot with a candy bar.

4. Cherry Bomb

This bomb-style shot is perfect for a birthday party. It goes down easy and it'll help keep you up all night long!

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce (30 ml) cherry vodka
• 4 ounces (120 ml) Red Bull energy drink

Instructions:

Pour the cherry vodka into a 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glass. Fill a highball glass with Red Bull energy drink. When you're ready to drink, drop the shot glass into the glass filled with Red Bull.

5. Chocolate Cake

You could say this is one of the best shots to drink on your birthday! It's sweet and tastes like birthday cake.

Ingredients:

• ½ ounce (15 ml) vanilla vodka
• ½ ounce (15 ml) hazelnut liqueur
• 1 sugar-coated lemon wedge, served on the side

Instructions:

Place vanilla vodka and hazelnut liqueur in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glass. Serve a sugar-coated lemon wedge alongside the shot.

6. Cosmopolitan Shooters

What's more 'Sex and the City' birthday night on the town than a Cosmopolitan shooter?! This is perfect for a night out celebrating with the girls.

Ingredients:

• 4 ½ ounces (135 ml) vodka 
• ½ ounce (15 ml) cranberry juice
• ½ ounce (15 ml) lime juice
• ½ ounce (15 ml) triple-sec or Cointreau 

Instructions:

Add vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, and triple-sec (or Cointreau) to a cocktail shaker filled partway with ice. Shake for about 15 seconds. Strain into three 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glasses. 

7. Empress Gin & Tonic

Enjoy a crisp gin and tonic with a pretty purple twist.

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces (90 ml) Empress 1908 Gin
• 3 ounces (90 ml) tonic water
• fresh blackberries, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Add gin and tonic water to a cocktail shaker filled partway with ice. Stir for about 15 seconds. Strain into three 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glasses. Garnish each shot with a blackberry. 

8. Mini Beer

While this shot looks like you're shooting a cup of beer, there's really no beer in this recipe. I love the presentation of this shot, especially if you're celebrating someone's birthday who loves beer.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ ounce (45 ml) chilled Licor 43
• ½ ounce (15 ml) heavy cream

Instructions:

Pour Licor 43 in the bottom of a 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glass. Using a bar spoon, layer heavy cream on top.

9. Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Cake that you don't have to bake? Yes, please! A unique shot to make for anyone who loves sweets.

Ingredients:

• ¾ ounce (22 ml) vanilla vodka
• ½ ounce (15 ml) pineapple juice
• ¼ ounce (7 ml) grenadine

Instructions:

Pour vanilla vodka into the bottom of a 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glass. Using a bar spoon, layer pineapple juice on top, then grenadine. Give the grenadine a minute to settle at the bottom.

10. Birthday Candy

Enjoy the sweet flavors of Watermelon Pucker with a little treat at the end. Any candy lover is going to be obsessed with these shots!

Ingredients:

• 5 ½ ounces (165 ml) Watermelon Pucker 
• 3 watermelon Sour Patch Kids for garnish

Instructions:

Add Watermelon Pucker to a cocktail shaker filled partway with ice. Shake for about 15 seconds. Strain into three 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glasses. Drop a watermelon sour patch gummy in each shot for a fun candy finish.

11. Mixed Birthday Berry Margaritas

Fresh berries can take a simple margarita recipe and turn it into one that wows your birthday guests.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces (60 ml) fresh or frozen mixed berries 
• 3 ounces (90 ml) tequila 
• 1 ounce (30 ml) lime juice 
• 1 ounce (30 ml) agave or simple syrup 

Instructions:

Muddle the berries in a cocktail shaker to release the juices. Add tequila, lime juice, and agave to a cocktail shaker filled partway with ice. Shake for about 15 seconds. Strain into three 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glasses. 

12. Birthday Prosecco

Super simple, light, and refreshing. These Prosecco shooters are an elegant way to get any birthday party started. 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ ounces (45 ml) Midori
• ½ ounce (15 ml) lemon juice 
• 4 ounces (120 ml) Prosecco 

Instructions:

Add Midori and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled partway with ice. Stir for about 30 seconds. Strain evenly into three 2-ounce shot glasses. Top each shot with Prosecco. 

13. Piña Colada

These are a must for summer birthdays! Transport yourself to a tropical paradise with this infamous drink, now in the form of fun and delicious shots.  

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ ounces (75 ml) fresh or frozen pineapple  
• 1 ½ ounces (45 ml) white rum
• 1 ounce (30 ml) cream of coconut
• 1 ounce (30 ml) pineapple juice

Instructions:

Add pineapple, rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice to a blender. Blend on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Pour into three 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glasses.

14. Purple Gin Fizz

A foamy and sour mix. Nearly identical to an Empress Gin Sour, but with a light and fizzy touch of soda water.

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces (90 ml) Empress 1908 Gin
• 1 ounce (30 ml) lemon juice 
• 1 ounce (30 ml) simple syrup 
• 1 egg white

Instructions:

Add gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and an egg white to a cocktail shaker. Shake for 10-15 seconds (without ice). Add a handful of ice and shake for another 10-15 seconds. Strain into three 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glasses.

**A helpful tip when pouring shots made with egg whites: Do not pour one shot at a time. Instead, fill each shot a bit at a time. This guarantees that when you’re filling the last bit, the frothy part of the egg white mixture is evenly distributed. 

16. Blue Creamsicle

Take a trip down memory lane with these shots and be reminded of the nostalgic flavors of a fruit creamsicle. 

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces (60 ml) Hpnotiq liqueur 
• 1 ounce (30 ml) blue curaçao
• 1 ounce (30 ml) mango rum 
• ½ ounce (15 ml) lemon juice
• ½ ounce (15 ml) orange juice
• Whipped cream for garnish

Instructions:

Add Hpnotiq, blue curaçao, mango rum, lemon juice, and orange juice to a cocktail shaker filled partway with ice. Shake for about 15 seconds. Strain into three 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glasses. Garnish each shot with a dollop of whipped cream. 

17. Mango Margarita

One of my favorite fruits, paired with the spicy bite of tequila, makes for an absolute treat. These would be great for summer birthday pool parties.

Ingredients:

• ¼ ounce (7.5 g) Tajín (optional)
• 2 ½ ounces (75 ml) tequila
• 2 ounces (60 ml) mango purée (or juice)
• 1 ounce (30 ml) lime juice
• ½ ounce (15 ml) triple-sec or Cointreau

Instructions:

For the Tajín rim:

Distribute the Tajín onto a small plate. Using a lime that is for the fresh lime juice, rub the flesh against and all around the rim of the shot glasses. Gently, tap the sides of the shot glass in the Tajín, and rotate all around to rim the glasses with Tajín.  

For the shots:

Add tequila, mango purée, lime juice, and triple sec (Cointreau) to a cocktail shaker filled partway with ice. Shake for about 15 seconds. Strain into three 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glasses. 

18. Birthday Blues

No need to have the birthday blues about turning another year older when you get to sip on these fun shots!

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces (60 ml) fresh or frozen pineapple 
• 2 ounces (60 ml) vodka
• 1 ounce (30 ml) grapefruit juice
• 1 ounce (30 ml) blue curaçao

Ingredients: 

Add a handful of ice (3-6 large cubes), pineapple, vodka, grapefruit juice, and blue curaçao to a blender. Blend on medium-high speed until smooth. Pour into three 2-ounce (60 ml) shot glasses.