Homemade Bloody Mary Mix

With a reputation as a hangover cure or restorative “hair of the dog” drink, a spicy Bloody Mary is the quintessential morning cocktail and one of my favorite drinks. Make a batch of this homemade Bloody Mary mix for your next brunch or game-day tailgate!

 

Why you should make homemade Bloody Mary mix

I think that everyone should know how to make a great Bloody Mary. Around here, it’s not just a classic brunch cocktail: We love to mix up a batch of Bloody Marys for game day parties, holidays, bridal showers…there’s really no wrong time for them, in my opinion.

And the very BEST Bloody Marys are made with a homemade Bloody Mary Mix.

I know you can buy mixes at the store, so why bother making your own?

Because it’s so easy to throw together and you’ll be able to adjust the seasonings to make it exactly how you like it!

My Bloody Mary mix recipe takes just minutes to throw together ahead of time with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. You’ll get a thick (not watery!), perfectly seasoned mix  to serve as the base for the perfect brunch cocktail.

Homemade Bloody Mary mix ingredients

My Bloody Mary mix recipe uses a lot of pantry staples, so you may already have most of what you need on hand.

You’ll need:

• Tomato juice: This serves as the base for our mix. You don’t need to get fancy here; just a good, classic tomato juice is perfect here.
• Pickle juice: You can’t skip the pickle juice, in my opinion! Olive brine also works if you prefer that.
• Hot sauce: Any hot sauce you like best is great. You can’t go wrong with a classic cayenne pepper sauce, but you can use any that you have on hand. Add more or use a spicier hot sauce for a super spicy Bloody Mary mix!
• Worcestershire sauce: This adds so much savory flavor to our mix. If you can’t use Worcestershire sauce due to allergies or dietary restrictions, you could use A1 Sauce instead.
• Lemon juice: The hit of brightness and extra acidity takes this mix to the next level.
• Creamy prepared horseradish: Horseradish adds a sharp flavor and bite that I love in this mix. Add more if you really want a sinus-clearing heat or omit it if you don’t care for horseradish.
• Dried herbs and spices: Old Bay, celery salt, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper round out the flavors of the mix.

For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, be sure to check out the recipe card below.

How to make my Bloody Mary mix

This is so easy. Are you ready?

Grab a pitcher and add all of the ingredients for the mix. Stir to combine.

Give the mix a taste. Depending on how you like your Bloody Marys, you may want to add more pickle juice, horseradish, hot sauce, etc. Now is a great time to make those adjustments!

Now this next part is really important: Cover the mix and chill it in the refrigerator for at least several hours, but preferably overnight.

The longer the mix chills, the more flavorful it becomes. So go ahead and make it the day before your party and cross it off your to-do list! 

Making the perfect Bloody Mary

So now that you’ve made your homemade Bloody Mary mix? What’s next?

Use it to make the perfect Bloody Mary, that’s what! 

What you’ll need:

To make the best Bloody mary, you’ll need:

• 1 batch of Bloody Mary mix
• Liquor of your choice: Vodka is the classic pick, but I also like gin or tequila
• Salt rim: I like to make a homemade salt rim with Old Bay and salt
• Lemon or lime wedges: For salting the rim of the glasses
• Plenty of ice

If you’re setting up a full Bloody Mary bar, you’ll also want to set out a selection of condiments and garnishes.

• Condiments: Set out extra hot sauce, pickle juice, olive brine, steak sauce, cocktail sauce, herbs, spices, and more so that guests can tweak their cocktails exactly how they like them.
• Garnishes: While a stalk of celery or pickle spear is the typical Bloody Mary garnish, I love thinking more outside the box when it comes to Bloody Mary toppings. Cured meat, fresh and pickled veggies, cheese, cocktail shrimp, oysters, and more are all great options.

Check out my Bloody Mary garnishes post for even more toppings ideas!

Bloody Marys are often served in highball glasses, but you could use pint glasses or even mason jars! 

Making the cocktails:

Before serving, prepare the salt rim.

On a shallow, small plate, combine Old Bay seasoning and salt. 

Rub the rim of a glass with the lemon or lime wedges. Tip the glass into the seasoned salt mixture and spin until the rim is coated.

Fill the glass with ice, add 2 ounces of alcohol and 5 ounces of Bloody Mary mix. Stir to combine and garnish as desired!

Tips and tricks

I’ve made (and enjoyed) a LOT of Bloody Marys over the years, so I’ve got a few tips and tricks for making sure you’re serving up the very best cocktails.

If you can’t make a homemade Bloody Mary mix, use Zing Zang mix. Zing Zang is hands-down my preferred store-bought mix and is available at most grocery stores. It packs a lot of flavor and isn’t watered down like most pre-made mixes. 

Don’t skip the lemon and lime. I always add lemon juice to my Bloody Mary mix and add lemon and lime wedges to my garnishes. 

Use hot sauce to make it spicy. My preference is Texas Pete or Tabasco, but use your favorite. Adjusting the amount of hot sauce as well as the kind of hot sauce you use can amp up the heat!

Add a salt rim: Salt rims look pretty and add extra flavor to your cocktail! I like to make mine with Old Bay and salt, but you can also buy flavored cocktail salts. 

Try a beer back: In my opinion, the only way to serve a Bloody Mary is with a beer back, also known as a beer chaser or a sidecar of beer. It’s an absolute must in Wisconsin and a few other places in the Midwest. The beer chaser pairs well with the flavors of the Bloody Mary and will also help cut the spice.

Frequently asked questions

What is “the salad”?

Similar to beer backs, I think the salad is a Wisconsin thing. In Wisconsin, we call Bloody Mary toppings or garnish “the salad” because you can get to the point where the toppings practically become a full meal!

What liquor should I use in a Bloody Mary?

Vodka is the traditional liquor choice when making a Bloody Mary. But this doesn’t mean you have to use vodka! There are a variety of other alcohols you can mix with your homemade Bloody Mary mix to make the classic breakfast cocktail.

You can definitely make a Bloody Mary with gin (this is AJ’s favorite); it’s just called something different: a Red Snapper. Gin pairs well with a spicy Bloody Mary mix because it adds a touch of botanical aroma and flavor to the drink.

If you swap the vodka for tequila, you’ve got yourself a Bloody Maria! Tequila will generally give your drink a bolder flavor than vodka.

If you substitute absinthe instead of vodka, you’re making a Bloody Fairy. And you can use sake instead of vodka to make a Bloody Geisha. 

And to make the Canadian version of a Bloody Mary, called a Bloody Caesar, you’ll stick with the classic vodka as the liquor in your drink, but use Clamato juice rather than plain tomato juice.

More brunch recipes

Looking for more brunch ideas and inspiration? 

Strawberry bellinis are another great cocktail, or use homemade pumpkin spice syrup to make your own pumpkin spice lattes.

For the sweets lovers, pumpkin waffles and sour cream coffee cake are always a hit.

If you’re looking for something more savory, try a bagel and lox board, pimento cheese deviled eggs, sweet potato hash, or gluten-free quiche!