This green tea shot recipe creates a colorful whiskey shot that’s perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, although the shot’s refreshing character makes it equally well-suited for summertime celebrations. Green tea shots taste fruity and refreshing, with a sweet-tart balance from the sour mix, a lush peachy flavor from the schnapps and a warming finish from the whiskey. It’s smooth enough to drink without a chaser and tasty enough to be sipped like any of these summer whiskey cocktails.

What’s in a green tea shot?

Green tea shots are made of Irish whiskey, peach schnapps, sour mix and lemon-lime soda. Despite the name, the shot doesn’t contain any actual tea! It gets its name from the green hue created by mixing whiskey and sour mix. So don’t worry; there’s no caffeine in this green tea shot recipe.

Ingredients for Green Tea Shots

TMB Studio

• Irish whiskey: Irish whiskey is the traditional choice for green tea shots. Although we couldn’t verify it, rumors are that Jameson Irish Whiskey invented the shot, which is why some people call it a “Jameson green tea.”
• Peach schnapps liqueur: This sweet, smooth liqueur adds a fruity flavor to green tea shots.
• Sour mix: Store-bought sour mix can be cloyingly sweet, so we recommend making homemade sour mix if you have the time. It’s fresher, brighter and more citrus-forward.
• Lemon-lime soda: Soda adds sweetness and a lightly bubbly finish to green tea shots. Either regular or diet lemon-lime soda works in this recipe.

How to Make Homemade Sour Mix

If you love making cocktails, you should definitely learn how to make homemade sour mix! It comes together in less than 10 minutes and lasts up to two weeks in the fridge.

To make just shy of 4 cups of sour mix, combine 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature, and transfer it to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in 3/4 cup each lemon and lime juice, and store the jar in the refrigerator.

Directions

Step 1: Shake the green tea shots

Fill a shaker half full with ice. Add the whiskey, schnapps and sour mix. Cover and shake until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker, 10 to 15 seconds.

Editor’s Tip: You don’t need a cocktail shaker or a fancy home bar setup to make green tea shots. You can use any jar with a tightly fitted lid, like a Mason jar.

Step 2: Add soda and strain

Stir in the soda. Then, strain the drink into two shot glasses.

TMB Studio

Recipe Variations

• Make white tea shots: The original recipe calls for whiskey, but you can swap in vodka to make a refreshing white tea shot.
• Use another type of whiskey: You can use any type of whiskey to make green tea shots. Try Japanese whiskey or a blended whiskey for a similar flavor profile. For a bolder, more robust-flavored shot, use bourbon.

Can you make green tea shots ahead of time?

Green tea shots are a great make-ahead drink for parties and gatherings. You can double (or quadruple!) the ingredients to make a larger batch, too. Simply combine the whiskey, schnapps and sour mix in a lidded jar and store the mixture in the refrigerator. Add the soda just before serving to preserve the shots’ effervescent nature. For the best quality, plan on serving the green tea shots within a week.

Green Tea Shots Tips

TMB Studio

Can you turn this green tea shot recipe into a cocktail?

If you prefer to sip whiskey instead of shoot it, you can absolutely turn this green tea shot into a cocktail recipe. Pour the contents of the cocktail shaker—ice and all—into a tall glass to enjoy a green tea cocktail on the rocks. Or, you can strain the cocktail into a rocks glass and serve it with a large ice cube like an old-fashioned or Sazerac cocktail.

What’s the difference between a green tea shot and a white tea shot?

Green tea and white tea shots both contain peach schnapps, sour mix and lemon-lime soda. However, green tea shots are made with Irish whiskey. White tea shots use vodka instead, giving them a clear (or “white”) color.