finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

  • Recipes By Type
    • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Goodies
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes & Veggies
    • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
    • Snacks
    • Full Recipe Index
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
    • Best Cocktail Gifts: For the At-Home Bartender or Mixologist
  • Whatcha Need??
    • Foods I’m Obsessed With
    • 30 Minutes or Less…for the Time-Challenged Cook
    • What Bread To Make (Based on Your Time)
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Super Healthy
    • Cooking for One
    • Soup
    • Unleavened Bread Recipes
  • About Me & More
    • Get In Touch!
    • How-Tos
    • Kitchen Tools I’m Obsessed With
    • Food and Travel—Two of My Favorite Things
    • Bunion Surgery Recovery Tips
    • Tips for Liver Detox / Gut Health Protocol

Best Cocktail Gifts: For the At-Home Bartender or Mixologist

December 8, 2020

It’s no secret that I’ve been in love with learning how to mix up delicious cocktails and exploring different mixology flavors and techniques.  And I’ve amassed quite a few different gadgets and pretty things that make it easier and more fun. 

So if you have a budding home bartender in your life, here are some of the best cocktail gifts and fun gift ideas to inspire, enable, and make them smile!

Best Cocktail Gifts...for the Home Bartender in Your Life | As someone who's obsessed with delicious drinks at home, here are useful and fun gift ideas for the at-home bartender, DIY mixologists, and even just casual drinkers. Cocktail gift ideas, how to make cocktails at home, cocktail-themed gifts, gift ideas for men, holiday gifts for women...something for everyone! #giftideas #cocktails #drinkrecipes

Make it happen

Every at-home mixologist needs good tools, so if you’re starting with the best cocktail gifts you have to start here.

Cocktail shaker – It seems weirdly hard to find one I like, but this one is practical and beautiful, and has become my go-to shaker.  Bonus, it’s a bit bigger than most so it can very easily make 2-4 drinks at a time (DON’T JUDGE). 

An all-in-one kit for the beginner – Never a bad thing, if you’re really dealing with a less experienced home bartender then this has everything they’ll need to get started!

Cocktail mixing glass – I got this several months ago for those cocktails that you don’t shake, and I think it’s so pretty.  Whip yourself up some of my Rye Port Manhattans and enjoy!

Cocktail strainer – This has been a more recent addition to my collection, but it really comes in handy for pulp, ice, herbs, and more.  I love the OXO brand for just about all kitchen gadgets.

Muddler and bar spoon – These both make things so much easier.  Why??  I don’t know, but they do.  I thought that you could just kind of smash fruit with a fork to muddle it.  Turns out this is soooo much better!  

Pretty gift bar tools set – My best friend turned me onto several adorable gift sets from Pretty Useful Tools.  They have so many fun gift ideas, from these cocktail tools to a hairpin grenade to fascinating utility sets.

Serve it up

I’ve become obsessed with beautiful glassware lately…SERIOUSLY it’s becoming a problem.  My cabinets can’t take any more!  But once you see how the right glass can really make a cocktail shine and set the mood, you’ll never go back.  Here are a few lovely gift ideas for different types of cocktail nerds.

Retro coupe glasses – How do you resist a beautiful traditional coupe glass?  I picture Ginger Rogers swilling champagne out of it, and then see how perfectly it offset my Basil Gin Gimlet.  Heaven.

Modern martini glasses – So here’s the thing…I just *legit* cannot manage to drink out of a traditional martini glass without spilling.  Enter these modern ones, with far less tipping involved.

Nick & Nora glasses – Named after the booze-soaked characters one of my favorite old time-y movies, these are true classic elegance…yet feel modern.  Throw a martini in there, add a twist, and you’ve got a winner. 

Modern geometric – These are just so cool looking…modern, with some sparkle.  Perfect for a simple whiskey on the rocks or something fancier.

Tour martini glass – I have no idea why this is called a “tour” martini glass but in my mind it’s what a martini glass SHOULD be.  Vintage and modern at the same time, and large enough to hold a proper drink.

Whiskey decanter – I don’t actually have this one yet…I’ve had my eye on it for a while.  It was hard to settle on a decanter that was beautiful and luxe-looking but not boring and stuffy.  My taste runs to what I tend to call modern classic, and I love this interesting kind of glacier or iceberg-inspired look. 

Pretty coasters – There are so many cool options, it’s hard to know where to start.  You’ve got these geode coasters, realistic fruit slices, or a DIY resin coaster kit, for starters.

Adorable reusable cocktail picks – These might be a stealth winner for best cocktail gift.  I’m so in love with these cute cocktail skewers, and there are so many to choose from (5 or 6 different packs)!  I’ve been using the pineapple one a lot lately, but the owl and octopus might be my fave.

Enhance it

Bitters – There are so many different bitters to choose from that I never know where to start!  You can obviously go straight up the middle with Angostura, Peychaud’s, etc.  But chances are your home bartender has those already.  So go outside the box with these.

Amarena cherries – I am obsessssed with these.  I just want to eat them constantly.  

Ice cube trays – Once you go ice ball you’ll never go back.


Or go kitschy with a gemstone tray or this Titanic & iceberg tray (“gin & Ti-tonic”).  Yes, I have both of these, and yes, I love them!

 



Inspire the next round

Beautiful print of cocktails – I have a beautiful watercolor-type in my office at work that says “Call me old fashioned”

Cocktail recipe book – Everyone needs a good cocktail recipe book (or two), and there are sooooo many to choose from.  If you’ve got a music fan in the house, this “Booze & Vinyl” is a beautiful and cool option.  Or go for a more straightforward “I’m Just Here for the Drinks”.

Fun cocktail recipe book “Gone with the Gin” – These make such fun gift ideas!  There’s also “Tequila Mockingbird”, and more, so you can decide whether to go the classic film or classic literature route.  I may or may not have just ordered one for myself…

So whether the home bartender in your life is a novice or a near-pro, I’ve got you covered with so many of the best cocktail gifts you can find…taking you from the tools of the trade to cocktail art that will make them thirsty.

Use all this fun new gear to tackle these boozy recipes:

  • “Preservation Punch”
  • Classic “Army and Navy” Gin Cocktail
  • Bourbon Milk Punch
  • Rye Port Manhattan
  • You might also like: The Kitchen Tools I’m Obsessed With

Pin for later!

Best Cocktail Gifts...for the Home Bartender in Your Life | As someone who's obsessed with delicious drinks at home, here are useful and fun gift ideas for the at-home bartender, DIY mixologists, and even just casual drinkers. Cocktail gift ideas, how to make cocktails at home, cocktail-themed gifts, gift ideas for men, holiday gifts for women...something for everyone! #giftideas #cocktails #drinkrecipes

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Drinks: Cocktails & More, Kitchen Gear

« Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic-Honey Drizzle
Brunch Staple: Easy Buttermilk Belgian Waffles »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

Follow Along!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Recent IG Adventures!

As someone who's never been the biggest fan of sto As someone who's never been the biggest fan of storebought hummus, I was stoked to find what I believe is the BEST homemade hummus recipe...with an easy extra step that's a great hack for getting it extra creamy! 

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#hummus #hummusrecipe #kitchenhacks
While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in o While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in one last winter cocktail...here's some Sage Advice! It's a winter-y version of a whiskey sour bringing both cinnamon and sage, and then skirting the line of daiquiri with the substitution of lime juice for the traditional lemon. 

Tap the link in my IG bio & pick this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#cocktailrecipe #bourbon #bourboncocktails #whiskeysour
Forget your run-of-the-mill double chocolate cooki Forget your run-of-the-mill double chocolate cookies 🍫 These TRIPLE dark chocolate cookies (with a hint of whiskey & balance with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt) are rich indulgence without being sickly sweet. They're also soooo easy...no special tools, no dough chilling. Delish cookies in under 30 minutes! 

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to get the full recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#chocoholic #chocolatecookies #darkchocolate #cookierecipe
A recipe that gets me to eat broccoli every day?? A recipe that gets me to eat broccoli every day?? SOLD. And it is so fast & easy that it can barely be called a "recipe"...these cumin roasted broccoli bits in the air fryer (though you can use an oven instead) are crazy fast, healthy, & delicious!

Tap the link in my IG bio & pick this photo to see the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#airfryer #broccoli #easysidedish #airfryerrecipes
I've been making these healthy 5-ingredient browni I've been making these healthy 5-ingredient brownies on REPEAT for a couple months now. And knowing that they only take a few minutes to make has been a bit dangerous on random Tuesday nights when my sweet tooth strikes! 

Oh, and I forgot to mention that they're naturally gluten- & grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, and (optionally) no sweetener added? 

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 

#healthydessert #healthybrownies #glutenfreerecipes #vegandessert
This cranberry snack cake is seriously my platonic This cranberry snack cake is seriously my platonic ideal for a cake. I DREAM of this cake. A soft, moist, dense buttery vanilla cake batter is studded with tart fresh cranberries, with a tiny crunch of raw sugar on top. A perfect dessert or snack for pretty much any occasion...including with a cup of tea on a random Tuesday afternoon...

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! 
--> @findingtimeforcooking 
#cranberrycake #cranberries #cranberryrecipe #bestdessert
These super easy marinated white beans are packed These super easy marinated white beans are packed with flavor & only take a few minutes to make! Even better?? They're best when made ahead of time (in 5 minutes!) and left for a day or two in the fridge for the flavors to really meld & intensify. 

This has become a go-to plant-based recipe, but I often throw some grilled salmon or chicken on top for a full meal. 

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this pic to get the recipe!
#veganrecipes #vegetarianrecipes #whitebeans #plantbasedrecipes
A lot of people don't realize how easy & cheap it A lot of people don't realize how easy & cheap it is to make your own kombucha at home...you can have an entire gallon for less than the cost of one bottle at the store! 

I can't even keep a bamboo plant alive, yet have managed to keep the same "scoby" starter healthy & active for well over a decade. 

Here are easy step-by-step instructions for making your own kombucha at home, & the tools you'll need to do so! Tap the link in my IG bio (@findingtimeforcooking) & click on this photo to see the whole post.
#homemadekombucha #kombuchabrewing #healthyguthappylife #scoby
I'm not generally a soup person, though I'm trying I'm not generally a soup person, though I'm trying to be more 🍜 But this Turkish corba (a spiced red lentil soup) has always been one of my exceptions.  It's CRAZY easy to make, full of veggies and the protein from the lentils, and just feels like a warm hug in a bowl!  A great vegetarian dinner idea, perfect on any detox protocol, and just a great cozy recipe for the winter months.

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe!
#corba #redlentils #souprecipe #drcabraldetox
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Popular Posts

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

Lime Curry Chicken

The (IMO) Best Homemade Key Lime Pie

French Onion Pasta

Pasta with Easy No-Cook Sauce

Recent Posts

  • The Best, Creamiest Homemade Hummus (+ A Secret Ha…
  • Sage Advice: A Winter Bourbon Cocktail
  • Weekday Indulgence: Easy Triple Dark Chocolate Coo…

Categories

  • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
  • Bread Recipes
  • Breakfast Goodies
  • Cooking for One
  • Desserts
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
  • Eating Out
  • Family Secret Recipes
  • Food-Related Miscellany
  • Foods I'm Obsessed With
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Go-To Recipes
  • How-Tos
  • Kitchen Gear
  • Main Dishes
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Recipe Experimentation
  • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
  • Side Dishes & Veggies
  • Snacks
  • Soup
  • Super Healthy
  • Travel and Food
  • Uncategorized

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

Copyright & Terms of Use

Copyright 2023 Finding Time For Cooking

11 shares