19 Best Drinks To Mix With Fireball, Ranked By Compatibility
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Fireball: for many, the word either makes them want a drink or have a gag-inducing, bathroom floor memory they'd like to erase. The famous cinnamon whisky is known for its smooth, sweet flavor and subsequent fiery burn — hence the company's tagline, "Tastes like heaven, burns like hell."
Fireball has been manufactured in Canada since the 1980s, which is why it's "whisky" not "whiskey" (there's a difference). Since then, the spirit has become wildly popular for shots or spicy mixed drinks. Made with real cinnamon, Fireball pairs well with a variety of flavors — just think of all of the things you'd put cinnamon in, and then consider using Fireball instead. Ok — maybe baking Fireball snickerdoodles or mixing it into your mole would be a step too far ... but any drink you could imagine with a cinnamon twist is a good candidate for spiking with the spicy spirit. If you want to go above and beyond, we even have a recipe to make Fireball yourself.
Whether using your own batch or a store-bought bottle, we've put together a list of mixers — ranked by how well each pairs with Fireball — for your next no-fuss, cinnamon-flavored cocktail. Based on our firsthand experience and general knowledge of Fireball whisky (and the mixers on this list), we present our ranking of the best drinks to mix with Fireball.
19. Carrot juice
Carrot juice may not sound like the best mixer for Fireball, but the spiciness of cinnamon actually pairs excellently with the bold flavor of carrot. You're probably most familiar with the carrot-cinnamon combination in a carrot cake recipe, but cinnamon also goes great with caramelized carrots and is popular in a Moroccan-spiced carrots recipe. So, when you think about it, mixing Fireball with carrot juice isn't a giant leap.
A simple drink with one part Fireball and three parts carrot juice over ice makes for a refreshing and delicious drink that isn't overly sweet. To improve presentation, you can also garnish it with a lemon swath or lemon wedge. If you prefer a sweeter drink, try adding a teaspoon of honey and a few squeezes of lemon juice to the mix. Fireball is already somewhat sweet, but adding a touch of honey and lemon helps cut through the strong carrot and cinnamon flavor and brightens up the taste, making for an amazingly smooth and refreshing cocktail.
18. Seltzer
Fireball pairs wonderfully with both hard and non-alcoholic seltzers. And considering seltzers come in a broad range of flavors, they are a fantastic way to enhance taste. In general, citrus flavors like lemon, lime, and even grapefruit tend to mix best with Fireball because they complement the strong cinnamon notes. However, you should feel free to experiment with various flavors until you find the perfect combination for your distinct taste. Who knows? Maybe you'll prefer it with plain, unflavored seltzer water over ice.
Another unique concoction the Fireball website recommends is the Hard Seltzer On Fire. All you need to do to make this drink is add a shot of Fireball to a can or pint of hard seltzer, and viola; you have an outstanding drink that packs a big punch. Just beware: Combining Fireball with another alcoholic beverage seriously increases the boozy effect, so make sure to enjoy it responsibly. Both hard and non-alcoholic seltzers are also notoriously low in calories and sugar, so it's a fantastic option if you're seeking a lighter, relatively "healthier" cocktail.
17. Guinness
Guinness is another amped-up mixer that blends perfectly with Fireball. In fact, it is so delicious Fireball promotes this combo on its website and has named it a Backdraft. The subtle malt, vanilla, chocolate, and coffee notes of a stout beer, like Guinness, complement the cinnamon in Fireball, leading to a creamy, well-balanced drink with a bit of heat. Of course, mixing Fireball with beer also makes for a super potent beverage, so you probably won't want to drink more than one or two of these beverages at a time.
Making a Backdraft cocktail, also known as a Stout On Fire, takes almost no effort at all; you don't even need ice. Simply pour Guinness into a pint glass, leaving a bit of room at the top, and add two ounces of Fireball (and consume immediately). While Guinness is Fireball's recommended stout, there are plenty of other delicious stout beers with similar flavor profiles that work just as well. If there's a local stout from a microbrewery you enjoy, give it a try. Chances are, it will taste fantastic.
16. Cranberry juice
Savory and slightly tart, cranberry is another flavor that benefits from the addition of cinnamon. While you've most likely tried the combination in dishes like a savory cranberry sauce recipe, you may not have considered using these flavors in a cocktail. You will now. A simple mix of cranberry juice and Fireball oozes autumn and winter cheer, making it ideal for the holiday season.
According to Fireball's website, a blend of their whisky with cranberry juice can be served as a shot, chilled, or over ice. Whichever configuration you prefer, the recipe calls for one part Fireball whisky and two parts cranberry juice. The cranberry juice you select will make a massive difference in how this beverage turns out. If you enjoy sweeter drinks, you can use a typical cranberry juice, also called cranberry juice cocktail, which can be found in any convenience store, grocery store, or bar. If you prefer a tart drink that is less sweet, opt for a natural, unsweetened cranberry juice.
To create a fun rendition of a whiskey sour, add ½ ounce of fresh lemon juice to Fireball and cranberry juice. The addition of lemon gives the beverage a tart flavor, helps to balance out the sweetness of cranberry juice cocktail and Fireball, and complements the cinnamon undertones perfectly.
15. Lemon-lime soda
7UP or Sprite are usually the go-to mixers when you can't decide what to get, or if you just want something easy that won't taste terrible. Hence, the bar classic 7&7 cocktail, which traditionally consists of 7UP and Seagram's 7 Crown blended whiskey. However, the sweet-tasting Seagram's 7 whiskey has a "creamy vanilla finish," whereas Fireball is known for its cinnamon kick, so you might be wondering if a citrusy soda will still taste good with the more spicy whisky.
We're here to tell you that the combo is still a winner when you swap sweet Seagram's for Fireball, making a drink dubbed the Fireball & 7. If you're looking for something a little more jazzed-up than a lemon-lime soda spiked with Fireball, you can easily turn the mix into a punch with the addition of apple juice concentrate. Consider keeping the concentrate frozen, which chills the drink for you.
14. Orange Juice
When it comes to mixers, orange juice is a staple on many a bar cart. There's a long list of classic drinks that include orange juice, like the screwdriver, tequila sunrise, and white mimosa ... but are you familiar with its beefed-up cousin, the Man-mosa? The Man-mosa, according to Fireball, is essentially just a mimosa with a shot of Fireball added in. Instead of tasting light and crisp, this drink has a serious bite to it and can turn your casual brunch into a rager.
In addition to the bubbly brunch drink, you can always keep it simple and leave out the Champagne for a classic two-ingredient cocktail. And while Fireball mixed with orange juice is great on its own, you can also turn it into a riff on an old fashioned. To make the cocktail, add a little maple syrup to the Fireball and orange juice mix. Top it off with a cherry and an orange peel, and enjoy it in your most elegant armchair.
13. Milkshakes
For the ultimate indulgence, try adding Fireball to your favorite milkshake. It's highly unlikely you'll have more than one of these boozy milkshakes at a time, but these creamy, sweet creations make an excellent finish to a meal. Sure, you can add all different kinds of alcohol to milkshakes, but thanks to Fireball's strong cinnamon flavor, it makes an outstanding choice. Best of all, Fireball pairs perfectly with a wide variety of different milkshake flavors, so you can experiment to your heart's content.
If you want to keep it simple, add Fireball to vanilla, chocolate, or espresso ice cream, toss in a splash of milk, and blend. Or, for something more unique, add Fireball to milkshake flavors like apple pie, peanut butter, horchata, eggnog, espresso, caramel, or our favorite pumpkin pie milkshake recipe.
In addition to blending Fireball with ice cream and milk, you can further enhance the taste by topping your milkshakes with fun garnishes like whipped cream, graham crackers, popcorn, and more. Regardless of the flavor you choose, don't use more than 1 ½ ounces of booze in your milkshake. Even if you prefer a strong drink, more than a single shot will cause the ice cream to melt quickly and become runny.
12. Coffee
You've heard of combining coffee and Baileys, and we told you how great Fireball is with a creamy and boozy milkshake (we recommend seeking out the best boozy milkshakes). But have you ever tried mixing coffee and Fireball? Allow us to enlighten you. While at first it might sound strange, the combination is really not very different from your classic Irish coffee, only less creamy. Simply pouring a shot of Fireball into a hot mug of coffee will give your brew a pleasant cinnamon note. (And if you're missing that creamy element, feel free to add Baileys or you favorite creamer to the mix.)
If you're more of an iced coffee kind of person, you can also combine Fireball with cold brew and milk for a drink that is creamy, cold, and soothing. The Fireball website also has a chilled Fireball and coffee recipe, which it suggests serving as a potent shot.
11. Hot Chocolate
You have probably noticed that Fireball is often considered a good drink for cold weather. (After all, it was created in chilly Canada for a reason!) As such, it is popular for Fireball to make its way into spiked hot chocolate for cozy, snowy nights. The sweet, cinnamon flavor mixes well with creamy hot chocolate, leaving behind a pleasant fiery burn with each sip.
We suggest spiking a hot chocolate with that cinnamon-y, sugary combination of RumChata and Fireball mentioned above for a sweeter take on the drink. You can also lean into Fireball's spicy flavor, spiking a mug of Mexican hot chocolate, which usually includes a bit of cinnamon.
If these recipes sound too complex for your cozy night in, you can always make a boozy hot chocolate using a regular old packet of Swiss Miss — no judgments! Simply pour your desired amount of Fireball into your mug of hot chocolate.
10. Tea
As many have noted before, there are really no rules when it comes to the ingredients for a hot toddy cocktail other than whiskey, a sweetener, and hot water. You can include lemon, apple, or whichever spices you desire. Make it with herbal tea for a real cold buster or keep things classic with a cinnamon stick.
Using Fireball in your hot toddy is a great way to add a boost of flavor with no additional ingredients — all you really need is Fireball, hot water, and a lemon slice. This is also one of the less-sugary ways to enjoy Fireball on our list, depending upon how (and if) you choose to sweeten the drink. The result is a steaming, citrusy cocktail that will leave you feeling warm and only a little buzzed, in a good way.
9. Baileys Irish Cream
When you think of Baileys, you probably think of Irish coffee or an espresso martini, but this creamy, sweet liqueur can be stirred into much more than coffee. While classic Baileys, which contains both chocolate and vanilla flavors, will combine well with Fireball's spicy cinnamon taste, we feel Baileys Vanilla Cinnamon pairs pretty nicely as well.
While simply combining the two ingredients in equal parts works, bar owner MrFredenza shared on YouTube that three different shots utilize both Fireball and Baileys: a french toast shot made with Baileys, Fireball, and butterscotch schnapps; a pumpkin pie shot made with Baileys, Fireball, and vanilla vodka, topped with a pinch of cinnamon and whipped cream; and a Cinnamon Dolce shot, made with Baileys, Fireball, and Kahlua.
8. RumChata
For many kids, the best part of eating cereal is slurping up the sugary milk leftover at the end. Now that you're an adult, you might feel too old to drink the cereal milk at the bottom of you bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (you're not), but if you're looking to recreate those flavors in a decidedly adult way, you need to try RumChata and Fireball. The next time you're at a bar, order a round of these for your friends, and watch as even the most adamant Fireball-hater is converted.
If you want to make the drink yourself at home, it really couldn't get much easier: The ratio is equal parts of each drink. If you've got the ingredients and are feeling fancy, feel free to line the rim of your shot glasses with cinnamon and sugar. If you're looking to make the mix into a cocktail rather than a shot, simply pour it over ice. And if you're looking to really lean into the cereal milk aspect, line the glasses with vanilla frosting and crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and top the whole thing with whipped cream and more cereal.
7. Pineapple juice
You might be thinking that whisky and pineapple don't exactly sound like complementary flavors — let alone cinnamon whisky. However, pineapple juice has a super potent, sweet flavor and the addition of a little Fireball gives it a subtle cinnamon kick. The Fireball website shares a recipe called Char'd Pineapple, which is simply pineapple juice and Fireball mixed together at a two-to-one ratio. It can be served as a shot or in a glass over ice for a sweet and subtly spicy drink.
Why not take the Fireball and pineapple combo to the next level with the additions of rum and grenadine? This mix makes for a vibrant cocktail that is tropical, tangy, and fairly strong,
6. Cream soda
When it comes to taste, Fireball's most detectable component is of course cinnamon, and as such, most of the mixers people combine with it tend to have flavors that go well with the spice. Featuring the classic combination of vanilla and cinnamon, Fireball is deliciously mixed with cream soda, which has a distinct flavor that pairs well with the whisky.
Cream soda's sweet vanilla flavor and smooth, creamy finish balance the sharp, spicy burn of Fireball perfectly. Simply combine one part Fireball with three parts cream soda over ice, as suggested on the Fireball website, for a sweet cocktail, or turn the drink into a smooth and spiced shot. Take the same basic recipe but pour into shot glasses instead of over ice, and then top the whole thing with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
5. Ginger beer or ginger ale
First, we should note that ginger beer and ginger ale are two different drinks: Ginger beer is made of fermented ginger while ginger ale is ginger-flavored carbonated water. Though ginger beer has more of that spicy fresh ginger taste and ginger ale is usually sweeter, they both make for pretty good Fireball mixers.
Moscow mules are a popular cocktail typically consisting of ginger beer, lime, and vodka. According to the Fireball website, swapping in the cinnamon whisky will take the spiced drink to the next level. If you find the taste of ginger beer to be a bit overpowering, consider using ginger ale instead. Ordering a simple Fireball and ginger at the bar is a sweet, simple take on the classic whiskey ginger and an easy way to dull the burn of the spiced whisky.
You can also go fancy and add other flavors to the mix. You can also include some triple sec and a sugared rim, while Fireball recommends adding a splash of pineapple juice to your Fireball mule.
4. Lemonade
Since its flavors are typically strong, lemonade is often chosen to cover the sharp taste of alcohol, but this can be a bad thing if you're not looking to mask a flavor, so much as compliment it. As Fireball also has a distinct, strong flavor, the two are easily balanced, creating a refreshingly sour and spicy spiked drink.
There are a few different ways to go about this combo, depending on your lemonade preference. Fireball suggests keeping it simple and mixing three parts lemonade with one part Fireball, poured over ice. To shake it up a bit, the brand also has a recipe for the drink frozen. It's basically the same exact steps but blended. If you're looking for something to balance the tartness of the drink (or just love the look of pink lemonade) we advise that you stir in a couple of tablespoons of grenadine.
3. Hard cider
The Fireball website conveniently lists a variety of drink recipes for those who are looking for a new way to mix up the whisky, and one recipe in particular that caught our eye is called Angry Balls. The drink gets its name from its two simple ingredients: Angry Orchard hard cider and (of course) Fireball whisky.
While similar to the mix named above, hard cider is more crisp, tart, and bubbly than apple cider, giving the drink more of a kick. ( Also, we probably don't need to tell you this, but hard cider won't be the best heated up, so if you're looking for a warm cocktail, stick to the booze-free kind and spike it yourself.) Naturally, you can feel free to use any hard cider you choose if you have a go-to brand or a few cans kicking around your fridge. Angry Orchard also makes a variety of hard cider flavors, so feel free to get experimental.
2. Apple cider
While autumn is a beloved season due to its colorful scenery and mild weather, what many really love about this time of year are all of the flavors associated with it. There's pumpkin, of course, plus other comforting, cozy fall flavors like caramel, maple, nutmeg, cinnamon, and apple. As a cinnamon-infused whisky, Fireball is included in a ton of fall-themed drinks, but we think it's perfectly mixed with fresh or mulled apple cider.
We recommend sourcing fresh, local apple cider if possible, as you can really taste the difference. However, if you don't happen to live near an orchard (or want to drink it out of season), a store-bought jug of the stuff is just fine. While you can drink the mix over ice, it is also perfectly served warm on a cold day. Simply heat up your desired amount of apple cider and pour in a shot of Fireball for a cozy treat.
1. Coke
Pick any liquor or spirit, stir it into a cold Coke, and it'll probably taste okay. However, when mixed with Fireball, the soda is doing more than just covering up the alcohol as the spicy flavor of Fireball nicely complements the sugary sweetness of cola. The key here — as with any drink— is to maintain the proper alcohol-to-mixer ratio. Fireball recommends using three parts cola for every one part whisky, poured over ice, giving you a mix that isn't too heavy on the cinnamon, but still allows the spice to shine through.
If you want to get a bit fancier than a plain old Coca-Cola, try vanilla or cherry (or even, dare we say it, cherry vanilla) cola mixed with Fireball. These flavors will compliment the cinnamon for a fizzy cocktail that's either warm and subtly floral or pleasantly fruity.
Methodology
The pronounced flavor profile of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky makes it an excellent match (and foil) for mixing with countless beverages. While we haven't tried Fireball whisky combined with every single mixer included in this article, we've tasted enough Fireball — and tried enough of the listed entries — to know what mixers are the greatest match for this popular spirit.
Our rankings were based on our personal experience trying several listed mixers combined with Fireball as well as our expertise regarding which flavors work best with Fireball's signature spicy cinnamon notes. Additionally, taste preferences are often subjective, and any firsthand recommendations and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer.