Raspberry Vanilla Whiskey Sipper

This vibrantly colored Raspberry Vanilla Whiskey Sipper is a raspberry whiskey cocktail with a touch of vanilla simple syrup.  The perfect Friday night drink!

Some weeks call for whiskey. Seriously, though. On a typical Friday night, you’ll find me on my couch (watching Dateline) sipping on a glass of red wine or a vodka and grapefruit. Occasionally, I may get a little crazy and whip up a mojito with rum. But on some occasions,  Friday nights call for whiskey. Tonight is one of those. It’s hard to put into words why this week was so rough, but every evening that I didn’t have plans after work found me seriously struggling to keep my eyes open at 8:00 p.m. Not even the drama of the Bachelorette was enough for my exhausted self to stay awake (side note: how do you feel about the final two? Me? Major meh. Oh, you mean I’m the only person left on the planet who still watches? No shame). Whiskey Friday indeed.

To be clear, I don’t necessarily want to sit on the couch and drink from a glass full of whiskey and ice. That sounds so serious, doesn’t it? Like, that’s talking really, really bad week. But a Raspberry Vanilla Whiskey Sipper? Raspberry and vanilla are just such happy ingredients. And Sipper sounds like exactly what you want for a Friday night on the couch.

RASPBERRY VANILLA WHISKEY SIPPER RECIPE

If you’re afraid of whiskey, I recommend starting here. This raspberry vanilla whiskey cocktail is a little bit fruity, a little bit sweet, and slightly strong. Hi, Friday. We’ve been looking for you; thanks for joining us. Finally. The ingredients are super simple and the only thing you really need to do a bit ahead of time is the vanilla simple syrup so that the vanilla bean has time to steep. I recommend making it in advance and then just keeping it in your fridge until Friday night hits and you’re ready for a raspberry whiskey cocktail ASAP. It can be part of your meal prep Sunday, right??

I also recommend using a high-quality whiskey, like Maker’s Mark. Who actually spells Whiskey, Whisky. I had no idea both spellings were socially acceptable. Even my spellcheck says so. And my spellcheck hates everything. Like Sriracha. Who hates Sriracha??

As usual with my cocktails, this is an easy one. Put the raspberries in a cocktail shaker and muddle as much as possible. Add in whiskey and vanilla simple syrup, along with a few ice cubes, and shake well.

Fill your glass with crushed ice. And strain the mixture out of the cocktail shaker and over the ice.

Garnish with a little bit of fresh mint. And like the name implies, get sipping!!

You can’t tell me that a raspberry whiskey cocktail with vanilla isn’t the perfect Friday night drink. It actually makes me dream of patios in the summertime. But is also totally suitable for the couch.

Like I mentioned, please just keep all these ingredients ready and waiting for any upcoming cocktail emergencies.

I love the idea of a cocktail emergency. Not in an “I have a drinking problem” sort of way and more in a “this week was rough, so get me a raspberry whiskey cocktail STAT” sort of way. That’s fair, right?

I’ve probably mentioned this before, but there’s not much I hate in life more than fake raspberry liquors. But fresh raspberries in a cocktail is a whole other story; especially when whiskey is present, too. There’s just something about raspberries and whiskey.

 Something beautiful. And so, so tasty.

This Raspberry Vanilla Whiskey Sipper is the best way to say “See ya!” to the week and “Hello weekend!” It’s also a pretty good way to sink into the couch and let a Friday night full of relaxation take over.

What’s your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

If you’re looking for more fun cocktails, check out my Grapefruit Blood Orange Cocktail and my Blueberry Vodka Lemonade. I also love these Raspberry Moscow Mules from Cooking a la Mel!

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Raspberry Vanilla Whiskey Sipper

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

This vibrantly colored Raspberry Vanilla Whiskey Sipper is a raspberry whiskey cocktail with a touch of vanilla simple syrup.  The perfect Friday night drink!

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cocktails, Raspberry, Whiskey

Servings: 1 cocktail

Author: Sues

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 2 1/2 oz. whiskey
• 2 oz. vanilla simple syrup
• Crushed ice
• Mint, for garnish

Vanilla Simple Syrup

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Instructions

1. Put raspberries in a cocktail shaker and muddle as much as possible. Add in whiskey and vanilla simple syrup, along with a few ice cubes, and shake well.

2. Fill glass with crushed ice. Strain mixture out of the cocktail shaker and over the ice.

3. Garnish with fresh mint and more raspberries, if desired.

Vanilla Simple Syrup

1. Bring sugar and water to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

2. Pour syrup into a heat-proof jar or container and add the vanilla bean in. 

3. Let steep for about 24 hours before removing vanilla bean. You can rinse and dry your vanilla bean and store it to use again.