Woo Woo Cocktail

When we talk about the Woo Woo cocktail It’s difficult for us to keep straight faces.

For starters, there’s the drink’s silly name that’s practically impossible to say out loud without giggling. Then there’s its vibrant red color and ridiculously easy recipe.

But the real reason that the Woo Woo makes us smile is the way it tastes. This fruity drink tastes like summer in a glass.

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The Woo Woo is a sweet cocktail crafted with vodka, peach schnapps and cranberry juice. Mixed in a 2:1:4 ratio, these ingredients come together in a way that make us us want to say… wait for it… woo hoo!

The drink is red. It’s fruity. It’s also super easy to sip either with or without a straw.

The Woo Woo’s history dates back to the 1980s, the decade when the Cold War ended, hairstyles were as high as Mount Everest and MTV killed the radio star. It’s also the decade when 20 somethings wore acid-wash jeans as they nonchalantly ordered drinks like Woo Woo cocktails at bars in cities like New York and at the Jersey Shore. We may or may not have been two of those tragically hip 20 somethings.

Cocktail historians are as fuzzy as a navel when it comes to knowing where the Woo Woo cocktail was invented. Some trace its origins to a now closed Queens (New York) bar called First Edition where bartenders would shout “Woo Woo” when crafting Woo Woo cocktails.

You just need the following ingredients to craft a Woo Woo cocktail at home:

If you don’t already have these ingredients, you should be able to find them at your local liquor store and/or market.

Special vodka isn’t required to craft a Woo Woo cocktail. We typically use Absolut Vodka. Not only is Absolut our current vodka of choice, but it was one of the most popular vodkas during the 1980s when the Woo Woo was invented. Distilled in Sweden, Absolut vodka has an ABV of 40%.

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While you probably already have a bottle or two of vodka on hand, you may need to buy a bottle of peach schnapps. We bought a bottle of DeKuyper Peachtree peach schnapps with a 15% ABV for this and other cocktail recipes. Beyond the Woo Woo, the sweet Dutch liqueur is also an ingredient in cocktails like the Fuzzy Navel and Sex on the Beach.

Next, pour the three liquid ingredients into the same glass. We use a Japanese jigger for this step. It’s a handy bar tool that ensures accurate measurements while reducing spillage.

Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.

Gently stir with a bar spoon.

Consider the following variations if the Woo Woo doesn’t make you say “Woo Hoo”:

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