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    Home » Recipes » Cocktails and Drinks

    Vanilla Vodka and Tonic

    Published: Aug 9, 2023 · Modified: Aug 16, 2023 by Nora · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

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    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.
    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.
    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.
    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.

    While the gin & tonic is iconic, vodka will always be my drink of choice! In fact, this vanilla vodka tonic recipe is pretty darn delicious and could rival just about any cocktail! 

    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    I'm a huge fan of vanilla vodka, so I love taking every chance I get to incorporate it into my cocktail recipes. The fantastic hint of vanilla you'll find in this refreshingly light cocktail screams summertime!  

    You'll love how quick and easy this cocktail is to whip together – as long you're not making your own vanilla-infused vodka at home! 

    It's a great cocktail to serve to friends and family, but it's also a great go-to recipe for sitting out on the patio on hot summer evenings. Plus, given how easily you can vary the different vodka flavors with this recipe, it's a huge crowd-pleaser!

    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍸 Variations
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 💭 Top tips
    • 🙋🏻 FAQ
    • Other Cocktail Recipes for You to Try
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 🤎 You might also like
    • ⛑️ Food Safety
    • 💬 Comments

    🥘 Ingredients

    Ingredients vodka tonic.
    • Cubed Ice
    • Vodka – We used Homemade Vanilla Vodka 
    • Tonic 
    • Lime Wedge

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    🔪 Instructions

    To Assemble your Cocktail

    When making a vodka tonic, you'll first fill a highball glass to the brim with ice. Next, pour in 11/2 oz // 4cl // 40 ml of vodka. I love vanilla vodka but feel to reach for your favorite brand. 

    Fill the entire glass with cubed ice.
    Add the vanilla vodka to the glass.

    After you pour in your vodka, fill the rest of your high-ball glass with tonic water. 

    If you're drinking something other than vanilla vodka, garnish it with some lime and a cute reusable straw. The vanilla and lime flavors are too much or a clash for me, so I usually opt for a cherry garnish instead. 

    Top the glass off with tonic.

    To Make Your Own Vanilla Vodka at Home

    If you want to be fancy and make your own vanilla vodka at home, you'll need to plan ahead for this recipe, but the delicious results are well worth the wait! And the extra added effort of having to sterilize your liqueur bottles. 

    Put the liqueur bottles, including the lid, into the pot to be sterilized. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the bottles. Boil for 30 minutes until bubbling. Please take out the bottles and lids individually and place them on paper towels to let them dry.

    After you've prepared your bottles, add a vanilla bean to the bottle. You can add the whole bean or cut it into parts.

    Once you've added in the real vanilla beans (whole or sliced), you can then fill the bottle with pure vodka and close it tightly.

    Fill up the bottle with pure vodka.

    You'll want to store the bottle in a cool, dark place – like under the sink or in an upper cabinet of your kitchen that doesn't get much use – but not in the refrigerator! It will need to sit for 10-14 days. Apart from needing to swirl the bottle every third day, which helps infuse the entire bottle with that delicious natural flavoring, this recipe isn't too labor-intensive. Let the vodka sit for the full two weeks for the best results. The longer the vanilla pod remains in the vodka, the more intense the subsequent aroma.

    After you've let your homemade vanilla vodka sit for 10-14 days, it's finally ready to enjoy! All you need to do is remove the vanilla pod. The easiest way to do this is to pour it through a sieve into a new container!

    And voilà! Your homemade vanilla-infused vodka is ready!

    A beautiful bottle with amber-colored homemade vanilla vodka on a white wooden base.

    The longer the vanilla pod remains in the vodka, the more intense the subsequent aroma. On top of that, the vanilla vodka gets a beautiful amber color when you make it yourself compared to the purchased one! Gorgeous!

    🍸 Variations

    If you're not a fan of vanilla vodka, I recommend playing around with different vodka brands and flavors when crafting this refreshing drink.

    🍽 Equipment

    • Jigger
    • Highball Glass

    💭 Top tips

    When preparing your vodka tonic cocktails at home, it's important that you hold your highball glasses from the bottom and avoid touching the rim. Doing this, you help keep your chilled glass nice and cool, making the cocktail taste that much better!

    And are you already wondering, "How do I chill a cocktail glass properly?" The most efficient way to get a perfectly chilled glass is to put them in the freezer beforehand. I usually like to give it at least a half hour, but if you're like me and plan to have friends and family over for backyard grilling and dinner parties this summer, you could also throw your glasses in the night before.

    If you don't have that kind of freezer space or that kind of time between refills for your guests, another method you could adopt is filling each cocktail glass with ice cubes while you get all your ingredients together. 

    In an attempt to protect our environment, one final tip is that I highly encourage you to avoid using disposable straws whenever possible. If you can, use metal or paper straws or simply forgo them altogether.

    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.

    🙋🏻 FAQ

    Is vodka and tonic good?

    While the gin & tonic is iconic, for those of you whose drink of choice is vodka, you can rejoice in knowing vodka also goes great with tonic. It's light, crisp, and refreshing, making it a fantastic summertime drink. 

    Is vodka tonic healthier than vodka soda?

    Interestingly, the typical vodka tonic packs more calories than a vodka soda, but calories aren't everything. My personal recommendation is to order/craft the cocktail that tastes the best to YOU! 

    What does vodka and tonic water taste like?

    A vodka tonic is much lighter than most cocktails, but it packs in beautiful notes of bitter, sweet, and sour.

    What alcohol goes good with tonic water?

    The most iconic duo is the gin & tonic, but vodka tonics are also pretty darn delicious! 

    Which tonic water is best for vodka?

    Which tonic water is best really comes down to takes and preference. If you're looking for a cheap option, I recommend Schweppes. Canada Dry is also pretty affordable and it's good all on its own. For artisanal options, Top Note Classic Tonic Water and Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Premium Indian Tonic Water are both pretty popular. 

    Other Cocktail Recipes for You to Try

    • Homemade Vodka Sidecar
    • Refreshing Lavender Daiquiri
    • How To Make A Snowball Cocktail
    • Boozy Eggnog Milkshake
    • Lovely Lavender Spritz Cocktail

    If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it by ★★★★★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. This would be awesome! You can also sign up for our Newsletter or follow me on Pinterest or Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @combinegoodflavors and hashtag #combinegoodflavors, so I don't miss it.

    📖 Recipe

    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.

    Vanilla Vodka Tonic

    Nora
    Shake up your usual vodka tonic with the irresistible combination of vanilla and tonic water. Discover the perfect recipe for this delightful cocktail.
    5 from 39 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Beverage, Cocktails
    Cuisine British
    Servings 1 Serving
    Calories 98 kcal

    Equipment

    • Jigger
    • Highball Glass

    Ingredients
     
     

    • Cubed Ice
    • 1 ½ oz Vanilla Vodka
    • Tonic
    • Lime wedge and drinking straw for garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Fill the glass with Cubed Ice.
      Cubed Ice
    • Next, add 1 ½ oz Vanilla Vodka
      1 ½ oz Vanilla Vodka
    • Fill up with Tonic (one high ball glass holds 240 (1 cup) to 350 ml(1 ½ cups)).
      Tonic
    • Garnish with a Lime wedge and a drinking straw
      Lime wedge

    Notes

    The glass should be filled to the rim with ice to best chill the drink and minimize dilution.
    Never miss a recipe!Sign up and let me spoil you weekly with a delicious homemade recipe!
    Keyword cocktail with vodka, homemade vanilla vodka, vanilla vodka, vanilla vodka tonic, vodka tonic
    Like this recipe?Mention @combinegoodflavors or tag #combinegoodflavors!
    Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
    Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 98kcal | Sodium: 0.4mg | Potassium: 0.4mg
    Enjoy creating delicious food all year round! Truffles, eggnog, chocolates, Christmas cookies, cakes, boozy drinks, and divine Austrian delicacies!

    🤎 You might also like

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      How to make a Refreshing Strawberry Spritz Cocktail

    ⛑️ Food Safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

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    1. Andréa Janssen

      August 10, 2023 at 12:42 am

      5 stars
      This vanilla vodka tonic is so refreshing. A great summer cocktail drink.

      Reply
      • Nora

        August 13, 2023 at 6:56 am

        Thank you, Andréa! I am happy you like it!

        Reply
    2. Covita

      August 10, 2023 at 4:16 am

      5 stars
      Great idea! I have switched to Vodka/soda or vodka/tonic to reduce calories- but this is a great and delicious way to switch things up. Yum. Love this site

      Reply
      • Nora

        August 13, 2023 at 6:56 am

        Thank you so much, Covita! I am so glad you like the recipes! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Nicole Kendrick

      August 11, 2023 at 9:27 am

      I love the vanilla in this, it was such a great combination. Can’t wait to make it again.

      Reply
      • Nora

        August 13, 2023 at 6:55 am

        Thank you, Nicole! Let me know how you liked it!

        Reply
    4. Mina

      August 16, 2023 at 4:52 pm

      5 stars
      Excited to try this out on our next family gathering. I'm sure everyone will love it!

      Reply
      • Nora

        September 16, 2023 at 8:50 am

        Awesome, Mina! Let me know how it turned out!

        Reply

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    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.
    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.
    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.
    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.

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    Hi, it's me, Nora! I love good food, especially when it's homemade. I am a home chef with a passion for baking and mixing drinks.

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    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.
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    Beautiful glass filled with vanilla vodka tonic, on colorful coaster placed on white wooden board.

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