Homemade Bitters Recipes (and the Cocktails to Use Them In)

Try out any of these unique flavors, like black walnut or toasted coconut, to liven up your drink.

Planning to mix up a batch of homemade bitters from Dash? You've got a decision to make first.

A batch of "Naked" bitters from the Easy & Oskey kit lets you choose your own flavor. That means you can whip up a batch that complements your go-to drink, one that adds a completely new note to a classic cocktail, or just about anything else your heart desires. Run wild by using any combination of dry ingredients: nuts, herbs, flowers, dried fruit, spices, or anything else that sounds like it might taste good in a cocktail, like:

Juniper berries

Hazlenuts

Licorice

Ground coffee

Citrus zest

Rosemary

Vanilla bean

Dried fruit

Szechuan peppercorn

Anything else you can think of

Or if you want to follow along with a recipe rather than crafting your own, choose from any of the below bitters flavors. Gather and prep your flavoring ingredients, then follow along with the instructions in the bitters making kit (these ingredients are just one step in the process). Once your batch is ready to go, mix up the accompanying cocktail to put your bitters to the test.

THE BITTERS

Fig & cacao bitters

Easy & Oskey bitters making kit

3.5 oz. dried figs, finely chopped

½ cup roasted cacao nibs

THE COCKTAIL

Chimney Sweep

2 oz. bourbon

½ oz. sweet vermouth

¼ oz. Averna

1 dash of scotch

¼ tsp fig & cacao bitters

Combine bourbon, sweet vermouth, Averna, and scotch in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled, strain into a coupe, and top with bitters. Garnish with a brandied cherry or an orange peel.

THE BITTERS

Apricot bitters

Easy & Oskey bitters making kit

4 oz. dried apricots, finely chopped

THE COCKTAIL

Abielle 75

1 ½ oz. gin

½ oz. lemon juice

¼ oz. honey

2 oz. sparkling wine

¼ tsp apricot bitters

Combine gin, juice, and syrup in a mixing glass with ice. Shake and strain into a champagne flute or coupe, then top with sparkling wine and bitters. Garnish with a lemon twist.

THE BITTERS

Black walnut bitters

Easy & Oskey bitters making kit

4 oz. black walnuts, toasted and crushed

THE COCKTAIL

Sven Pillager

2 oz. Aquavit

½ oz. Cynar

1 tsp rosemary maple syrup (recipe follows)

¼ tsp black walnut bitters

For the rosemary maple syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup maple syrup with 1 tbsp rosemary. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Strain once it's cooled.

For the drink: Combine Aquavit, Cynar, and syrup in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled, then pour it all into an Old Fashioned glass. Top with bitters, and garnish with an orange slice.

THE BITTERS

Toasted coconut bitters

Easy & Oskey bitters making kit

1 cup toasted coconut

¼ tsp nutmeg

THE COCKTAIL

Tequila Old-Fashioned

2 ½ oz. tequila

2 tsp simple syrup

1 strip of orange peel

¼ oz. toasted coconut bitters

Stir the tequila and simple syrup together with ice in a mixing glass, then pour into an Old Fashioned glass. Top with toasted coconut bitters, then twist the orange peel on top, run it around the rim of the glass, and place it on top of the drink.

THE BITTERS

Autumn spice bitters

Easy & Oskey bitters making kit

1 ½ tsp allspice, crushed

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp mace

4 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks, crushed

THE COCKTAIL

Boulevardier

¾ oz Campari

1 oz bourbon

1 ½ oz sweet vermouth

¼ tsp autumn spice bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, then stir. Strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist and additional bitters to taste.

THE BITTERS

Jamaican spice bitters

Easy & Oskey bitters making kit

2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped

½ stick cinnamon, crushed

Zest of ½ grapefruit

1 tsp allspice, crushed

12 cloves

THE COCKTAIL

Manchester Mule

1 ½ oz. gin

½ oz. lime juice

3 oz. ginger beer

¼ tsp Jamaican spice bitters

Combine gin, lime juice, and bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake, then pour into a Collins glass. Top with ginger beer, add additional bitters to taste, and garnish with a lime wheel.

What are you planning to make with yours?

What do you think?