The first time I stumbled upon a Sex in the Woods cocktail was at a friend’s backyard party last summer. I’d had plenty of Sex on the Beach drinks before, but this woodland twist totally caught me off guard. The bartender mixed it up with a kind of practiced flair, and I was immediately drawn to its bold, almost glowing color – right in that sweet spot between a late sunset and the first hints of sunrise.
There’s something kind of mysterious about this drink. It’s got the same sweet-tart thing going on as its beachy cousin, but there’s a deeper vibe, less sand-between-your-toes and more dappled shade under big trees. From the first sip, it felt like one of those cocktails you want to linger over instead of tossing back.
Strength & Profile
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Of course, the minute I got home I tried to recreate it – and failed twice, mostly by guessing on the amounts and ending up with something closer to melted Jolly Rancher. So I swallowed my pride and asked a bartender friend for help. After some trial and error (and sticky counters), I finally landed on this version, which is now officially my house drink when people come over. It seems to hit the mark whenever someone wants “something fruity but not too sweet.”
Ingredients & Glassware
Here’s what you’ll need for a classic Sex in the Woods:
- 1.5 oz vodka (I usually go with Stolichnaya, but whatever decent bottle you’ve got is fine)
- 1 oz peach schnapps
- 2 oz cranberry juice (don’t use cranberry cocktail if you can help it)
- 2 oz orange juice (fresh-squeezed is one of those game-changers, if you have it)
- Ice
- Orange slice or cherry for garnish (not mandatory, but why not dress it up?)
Serve it in a highball glass if you can – there’s something about seeing those color layers through tall glass that just feels right. No highball? A Collins glass works, or even a big wine glass in a pinch (I’ve been there).
How to Make It
- Fill a shaker halfway with ice.
- Pour in the vodka and peach schnapps.
- Add the cranberry and orange juice.
- Shake it up for a good 10-15 seconds, until your shaker gets nice and frosty.
- Pack your glass with fresh ice.
- Strain everything over the ice.
- Pop on a cherry or orange slice if you’re feeling festive.
If you want to make a non-alcoholic version for the designated drivers and mocktail enthusiasts, mix equal parts peach nectar, cranberry, and orange juice over ice. It won’t have quite the same complexity, but it’s genuinely refreshing (and kid-approved, at least in my house).
Heads up: the schnapps and juices add up to a fair bit of sugar. After a couple, I usually switch to something lighter. If you’re trying to dial it back, use half the schnapps and top with a little soda water – it brightens things up and helps you pace yourself.
Pairing-wise, I didn’t expect much, but it turns out this drink holds its own with food. Grilled chicken works way better than you’d think, and sharp cheddar is another great match – something about the contrast. For me, it really shines against spicy food; the sweetness is a nice buffer for anything with some heat.
From my own mishaps: don’t use room-temp juice unless you like watery cocktails. Always chill your ingredients if you can, and trust me – fresh juice is worth the tiny bit of extra effort. It transforms this from a sugary party drink into something you’ll actually want to savor.
Don’t be afraid to improvise: a neighbor of mine uses spiced rum instead of vodka in the fall and swears by it. I’ve swapped in apricot brandy when I ran out of peach schnapps, and while it changed the drink (a little less sweet, a little more interesting), it was still a hit.
What I love most about Sex in the Woods is that it doesn’t belong to just one season. It’s totally refreshing on hot days, but the cranberry and peach make it cozy enough for early autumn evenings. It’s become my ritual cocktail for those late-August nights where summer isn’t quite over, but you can already sense fall sneaking in.
