11 Birthday Shot Recipes Worth Celebrating

Published March 11, 2021
Birthday Shots and Cocktails

A birthday shot can put a party in your mouth with its rich, creamy flavors and festive garnishing. Due to a rather basic recipe, birthday shots can easily be modified to replicate whatever flavors you have on hand. So, no matter if you're sold on chocolate treats or prefer the spicy warmth of carrot cakes, there's definitely a birthday shot recipe out there for you to try.

Birthday Shot

The original Birthday Shot recipe focuses on a basic vanilla cake flavor while livening it with colorful sprinkles and frosting garnishes. It's similar to a birthday cake martini, only in shot form.

Birthday Shot

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce white chocolate liqueur
  • ½ ounce Frangelico
  • ½ ounce whipped cream vodka
  • Ice
  • Sprinkles for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the white chocolate liqueur, Frangelico, and vodka.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into the shot glass and garnish with sprinkles.

Birthday Shot Recipe Variations

While vanilla is a well-loved flavor, many people prefer to make more festive cakes for their birthdays. Thus, here are some flavorful variations on the classic birthday cake shot recipe to fit right in with whatever party you're planning to host or attend.

Birthday Cookie Cake Shot

This birthday cookie cake shot is perfect for anyone who still requests a cookie cake to be present at their birthday parties.

Birthday Cookie Cake Shot

Ingredients

  • 1 orange wedge
  • Candy sprinkles
  • ½ ounce dark chocolate liqueur
  • ½ ounce butterscotch schnapps
  • ½ ounce Frangelico
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. Run the orange wedge around the rim of a shot glass and dip it in sprinkles.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the chocolate liqueur, butterscotch schnapps, and Frangelico.
  3. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  4. Strain the mixture into the prepared shot glass.

Carrot Cake Shot

Carrot cake might have a negative reputation with children, but its soft, spicy flavor makes it a perfect choice to incorporate into a carrot cake shot.

Carrot Cake Shot

Ingredients

  • ¼ ounce Goldschläger
  • ¼ ounce butterscotch schnapps
  • ½ ounce coffee liqueur
  • ½ ounce Irish cream
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Goldschläger, butterscotch schnapps, coffee liqueur, and Irish cream.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain into a shot glass.

Chocolate Birthday Shot

The quintessential children's choice for birthday cake flavors, a chocolate birthday shot brings on the richness of cocoa with its incorporation of chocolate liquor.

Chocolate Birthday Shot

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce chocolate liqueur
  • ½ ounce Frangelico
  • ½ ounce vanilla vodka
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the chocolate liqueur, Frangelico, and vanilla vodka.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into the shot glass and serve.

Coconut Cake Shot

If you'd rather get your sweetness from tropical fruits than sugary concoctions, then this coconut cake shot is the one for you.

Coconut Cake Shot

Ingredients

  • Orange wedge
  • Coconut flakes
  • ½ ounce white chocolate liqueur
  • ½ ounce Frangelico
  • ½ ounce coconut rum
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. Run an orange wedge around the rim of a shot glass and dip it in the coconut flakes.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the white chocolate liqueur, Frangelico, and coconut rum.
  3. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  4. Strain the mixture into the shot glass and serve.

Dulce de Leche Birthday Shot

If you want your birthday party to really turn into a fiesta, try out this dulce de leche cake shot recipe.

Dulce de Leche Birthday Shot

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce Irish cream
  • ½ ounce caramel vodka
  • ½ ounce whipped cream vodka
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Irish cream, caramel vodka, and whipped cream vodka.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a shot glass.

Ice Cream Birthday Shots

A delightfully cool and refreshing shot, this recipe is particularly fun to make because of its DIY mini cake cone shot glasses.

Ice Cream Birthday Shots

Ingredients

  • Mini cake cone
  • ½ ounce RumChata
  • ½ ounce Frangelico
  • ½ ounce whipped cream vodka
  • Ice
  • Whipped cream and sprinkles for garnish

Instructions

  1. Take a mini cake cone and cut off the top section so that only the handle remains. It should resemble a shot glass.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the RumChata, Frangelico, and whipped cream vodka.
  3. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  4. Strain the mixture into the ice-cream cone shot glass. Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Mint Birthday Shot

For something to help you cool down the wild birthday celebrations, take a stab at making this mint birthday shot recipe.

Mint Birthday Shot

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce Irish cream
  • ½ ounce peppermint schnapps
  • ½ ounce whipped cream vodka
  • Ice
  • Whipped cream for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Irish cream, peppermint schnapps, and whipped cream vodka.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a shot glass. Garnish with whipped cream.

Orange-Vanilla Birthday Cake Shot

Summertime's finest birthday cake comes in the form of a brightly orange-colored dessert, and this recipe turns it into your next favorite adult treat.

Orange-Vanilla Birthday Cake Shot

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce RumChata
  • ½ ounce orange liqueur
  • ½ ounce vanilla vodka
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the RumChata, orange liqueur, and vanilla vodka.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a shot glass.

Red Velvet Cake Shot

If you want to make a visually striking shot, then this pretty birthday cake shot should be the next one on your list to try.

Red Velvet Cake Shot

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce RumChata
  • ½ ounce Frangelico
  • ½ ounce whipped cream vodka
  • Splash grenadine
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the RumChata, Frangelico, whipped cream vodka, and grenadine.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a shot glass.

Strawberry Birthday Shot

You can't go wrong with adding a little tartness to your birthday cake shots, and this strawberry birthday shot does so perfectly.

Strawberry Birthday Shot

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce puréed strawberries
  • ½ ounce strawberry liqueur
  • ½ ounce whipped cream vodka
  • Dash of grenadine
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the puréed strawberries, strawberry liqueur, whipped cream vodka, and grenadine.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a shot glass.

Party Like Every Day Is Your Birthday

You can make every day feel like it's your birthday when you whip up any one of these birthday shot recipes. Just make sure that you 'bake' enough so that everyone can get their own 'slice.' And, if you want your shots a bit on the chewier side (but not much), try these smooth, creamy birthday cake pudding shots. After your birthday's over, there are lots of other shot recipes perfect for any other day of the year.

11 Birthday Shot Recipes Worth Celebrating