6 Simple 2-Ingredient Gin Cocktails

Toting enough flavor by itself, gin may be one of the best liquors to keep on hand when you want a simple, two-ingredient cocktail. Heavy notes of juniper, the main ingredient that gives gin its herbal flavor, and other botanical components make it an ideal companion to tonic. To find out how to make the perfect gin and tonic and get ideas for more two-ingredient cocktails, Food Republic spoke with Roger Kamholz, author of “Pour Together: 2-Ingredient Cocktails to Meet Every Method,” coming out March 18, 2025.

He began with the most classic two-ingredient gin cocktail of all: the gin and tonic. “The G&T is that drink you have while cooking a big dinner, especially in summer, because it’s refreshing, it stirs your appetite, and it’s easy,” Kamholz said. “Just free pour it — aiming for about 2 ounces of gin to 5 ounces of tonic water, with a squeeze of a lime wedge.” Whether you’re drinking gin with tonic or soda, this is far from a precision recipe. Unlike other cocktails that rely on exact ratios to prevent any one ingredient from overshadowing the other, this boozy classic is all about your particular preferences.

“I love that it’s rechargeable: When you have about 25% left, you can build a new one right atop the old,” he told us. “By the time you’re done, there should be three or so battered lime wedges at the bottom of the glass.” This is the greatest strength of two-ingredient cocktails. No matter your ingredients, just fill the glass back up, and you’re ready to go.

Using gin and dry vermouth, the Gibson is a mainstay for gin enjoyers around the world. But why isn’t it called a martini when they both use the same ingredients? It’s all about the garnish.

Whereas martinis use green olives, stuffed or unstuffed, Gibsons use a pickled cocktail onion to impart a sharper flavor. Both garnishes may be brined, but olives have a softer flavor that melds into the drink whereas cocktail onions are immediately noticeable, no matter what they’re in.

Whether you like it shaken or stirred, add one part vermouth to five parts gin and combine with ice to chill and lightly dilute the drink. To keep it cool, strain it into a chilled glass, or order it “up,” before enjoying. “One suggestion to enhance your Gibson is to pickle your own cocktail onions,” Roger Kamholz said. “It’s easier than you think and allows you to introduce your favorite savory and spicy flavors.”

As opposed to a vodka martini, a gin martini has a distinct herbal and floral profile that transforms it into an experience that’s as much about aroma as it is about flavor. A highly customizable drink, the juniper and herbs of gin never seem to interfere with additional flavors, so it makes sense that Roger Kamholz highlighted this drink — specifically made dry.

Since olive brine has a softer flavor than onion brine, it’s common to order a martini “dirty” where the bartender adds a splash of it into the shaker. If you want to keep your gin as the dominant flavor of your cocktail, order it “dry,” meaning you want six parts gin to one part vermouth. On the other hand, if you particularly love vermouth, you can order it “wet,” meaning you’ll get one part vermouth for every three parts gin.

Since martinis typically take to new flavors better than Gibsons, it’s common to see them served with additional garnishes or ingredients. James Bond’s drinking habits take this to the extreme, ordering a martini with both gin and vodka, plus a dash of the French aperitif wine, Lillet, and finishing it with a sliver of lemon rind.

Not everyone can knock back straight flavored liquor, so if a martini or Gibson aren’t your thing, try a Greyhound. Using one part gin and two parts grapefruit juice, this cocktail goes down easy any time of the year. Garnished with a lime wheel and stirred in the glass, there are few two-ingredient cocktails easier to make than this one.

The vodka version of this drink may be the most common version, but making it with gin is the original recipe. Since it’s so simple, it’s a great opportunity to use a higher quality, floral gin to really let the flavors shine through the fruit juice. While you can always mix the two ingredients in a shaker to dilute the alcohol, it’s best to stir it in the glass if you’re using a nicer booze.

If you’re looking to elevate this drink, try dipping the top of the glass in some of the juice, then rimming it with salt. This turns a Greyhound into a Salty Dog, a cocktail that combines the headiness of gin, the sweet tartness of grapefruit, and plenty of sodium for a complicated, but easy to make, drink.

Roger Kamholz also mentioned the gin Rickey. Named after 19th-century lobbyist Joe Rickey, the original “Rickey” called for bourbon and soda water. However, the rise of the gin and tonic made the gin Rickey a bit more well-known, later becoming Washington D.C.’s official cocktail.

Like a gin and tonic, exact ratios are up to you, but a gin Rickey requires a wedge of lime as its garnish. Dry gins with straightforward, simple flavors create a more refreshing, easy-to-drink cocktail but something more juniper-forward could make for a better standalone, pre-dinner cocktail to excite your palate. If you want to keep things classic, be sure to serve it in a tall, highball glass.

To upgrade your gin Rickey, try using a flavored soda water or even a sparkling water beverage like LaCroix. Typically, fruitier flavors, particularly citrus ones like orange or lemon, complement the beverage best, mixing with the lime garnish and adding a bit of acid that pairs wonderfully with the soda water’s carbonation. However, some gin Rickey recipes are quite sweet, using simple syrup rather than additional acid.

A classic gin Negroni requires equal parts gin, vermouth, and Campari, a bitter Italian aperitif. But to make one extra dry, all you have to do is skip the vermouth!

Whether you keep the vermouth or not, the best way to enjoy this cocktail is with a sliver of orange rind, rounding out the bitterness of the Campari while complementing the gin. Since this drink uses only one part gin, you probably won’t feel a need to shake it to dilute any alcoholic burn. Instead, assemble your drink in a rocks glass and stir it with ice.

While you are always welcome to add ingredients if that’s your preference, an extra dry Negroni is all about the right ratio. Equal parts gin and Campari are vital to capturing its intended flavor, so if you want to keep things classic, steer clear of additional mixers or liquors that you might find in something like a red Negroni cocktail recipe.

A play on the classic iced tea and lemonade Tom Collins, a Summer Collins is a cocktail that uses equal parts gin and lemonade. It’s particularly great for floral gins, as the booze’s natural tastes mix wonderfully with the sugary fruitiness of the mixer.

Shaken or stirred, this cocktail loves to be served on a hot summer day in a chilled highball glass. Fruit garnishes add a bit of color, and extra sweetness, to it, particularly if you use Maraschino or Luxardo cherries — a mixologist’s top cherry choice for cocktails. To keep your ratio right, and your drink cold, keep large cubes or spherical ice in your glass only. That way, you can mix up a pitcher of a Summer Collins and recharge your drink as needed without worrying about the heat diluting your cocktails in waiting.

If you’re using a dry or fruity gin, try rubbing some rosemary between your palms and adding it to the pitcher. The earthy herbal notes it provides are a great way to round out your cocktail without compromising on your liquor of choice. Conversely, if you prefer herbal gins, add an extra fruit garnish or rim your glass with lemon juice and sugar to sweeten it to your taste.