Dr Pepper Drinks and Cocktails
What to mix with Dr Pepper, and 21 drinks to make with it: 14 cocktails, plus the floats, dirty sodas and hot drinks that need no alcohol at all. And one famous shot that contains no Dr Pepper.
What mixes best with Dr Pepper? Bourbon, spiced or dark rum, and Tennessee whiskey, because they share its vanilla, cherry and warm spice and need nothing else in the glass. Tequila and vodka work with lime. Without alcohol, the classics are cream and coconut for a dirty Dr Pepper, vanilla ice cream for a float, and a slice of lemon in hot Dr Pepper.
What to mix with Dr Pepper
Spirit by spirit, with the reason it works and the drink on this site that shows it off.
| Mix with | Why it works | Make this |
|---|---|---|
| Bourbon | Vanilla and caramel meet Dr Pepper's cherry and spice halfway. The easiest match there is. | Bourbon smash, Old fashioned, Bourbon punch, Hot toddy |
| Tennessee whiskey | To me it drinks a little softer than bourbon here, so the soda leads. | Jack and Dr Pepper |
| Spiced or dark rum | The rum's baking spice doubles down on the soda's. | Spiced rum and Dr Pepper |
| Tequila | Works, but needs lime or it turns syrupy. | Dr Pepper margarita |
| Vodka | Neutral, so it is all about the mixer. Best with ginger beer and lime. | Dr Pepper Moscow mule |
| Red wine | Fruity reds and Dr Pepper both lean dark-berry. | Dr Pepper sangria |
Dr Pepper drinks without alcohol
- Dirty Dr Pepper: coconut syrup, cream and lime over pebble ice.
- Dr Pepper float: poured over vanilla ice cream.
- Hot Dr Pepper: heated with a slice of lemon, the 1960s winter drink.
- Dr Pepper slush: frozen and spooned.
- Dr Pepper punch: for a crowd.
The shots named after Dr Pepper
The Dr Pepper shot and the Flaming Dr Pepper contain no Dr Pepper at all. They are amaretto dropped into beer, the flaming one with a lit layer of high-proof liquor first, and they are named for tasting like the soda. If you make one, make the no-flame version, and only if you are of legal drinking age.
Every Dr Pepper drink on this site
Filter by occasion below. Every alcoholic recipe is for adults of legal drinking age, so please drink responsibly. Food is on the Dr Pepper recipes page.
22 recipes
DrinkDirty Dr Pepper
⏱ 3 minsEasy
DrinkDr Pepper Dirty Soda Recipes
⏱ 3 minsEasy
DrinkDr Pepper and Fireball
⏱ 2 minsEasy
DrinkDr Pepper and Vodka
⏱ 2 minsEasy
DrinkHomemade Dr Pepper-Style Syrup
⏱ 1 hr 25 minsEasy
DrinkFlaming Dr Pepper
⏱ 3 minsMedium
DrinkHot Dr Pepper
⏱ 7 minsEasy
CocktailDr Pepper Bourbon Smash
⏱ 5 minsEasy
CocktailDr Pepper Margarita
⏱ 5 minsEasy
CocktailDr Pepper Old Fashioned
⏱ 15 minsMedium
CocktailDr Pepper Bourbon Punch
⏱ 10 minsEasy
CocktailDr Pepper Moscow Mule
⏱ 5 minsEasy
CocktailBoozy Dr Pepper Float
⏱ 5 minsEasy
CocktailDr Pepper Sangria
⏱ 4 hrs 15 minsEasy
CocktailDr Pepper Hot Toddy
⏱ 10 minsEasy
CocktailDr Pepper Jungle Juice
⏱ 2 hrs 15 minsEasy
DrinkDr Pepper Float
⏱ 5 minsEasy
DrinkDr Pepper Punch
⏱ 10 minsEasy
CocktailDr Pepper Cocktail
⏱ 5 minsEasy
CocktailJack and Dr Pepper
⏱ 3 minsEasy
DrinkDr Pepper Slush
⏱ 4 hrs 5 minsEasy
CocktailSpiced Rum and Dr Pepper
⏱ 3 minsEasy
Dr Pepper drinks: common questions
What alcohol goes best with Dr Pepper?
Bourbon first, then spiced or dark rum, then Tennessee whiskey. All three share Dr Pepper's vanilla, cherry and spice notes, so they need nothing else. Tequila works with lime, as in the Dr Pepper margarita.
What can I mix with Dr Pepper without alcohol?
Coconut syrup and cream make a dirty Dr Pepper, vanilla ice cream makes a float, and heat and a slice of lemon make hot Dr Pepper. Lime, vanilla syrup and cherry all work on their own too.
What is in a Dr Pepper shot?
Not Dr Pepper. A Dr Pepper shot, or drop shot, is amaretto dropped into beer, and the Flaming Dr Pepper adds a layer of lit high-proof liquor on top first. Both are named for tasting like the soda.
What is the ratio for whiskey or bourbon and Dr Pepper?
About one part whiskey to three parts Dr Pepper over ice, which is the 2 oz to 6 oz in the Jack and Dr Pepper, then adjust to taste. The bourbon smash goes stronger, 2 oz bourbon to 4 oz Dr Pepper, and adds lime, amaretto and bitters so it drinks like a cocktail rather than a highball.