Crazy Bloody Mary

Written by
Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham is a cocktail expert, professional bartender, and cookbook author with over 10 years of experience in the food-writing world.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Colleen Graham
Updated 05/01/20
Crazy Bloody Mary With Bacon Straw and Grilled Cheese
The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios
  • Total: 45 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yield: 8 cocktails (8 servings)

The bloody Mary is a great drink, but there are times when you really want to do it up. Garnished with a mini grilled cheese sandwich, bacon straw, and a dill pickle, this restaurant-worthy bloody Mary definitely does the trick. It's like that iconic tomato soup and grilled cheese duo—just in a drinkable and edible form that's a lot more fun. This is a perfect cocktail for brunch, game day, or whenever you have a few friends over for drinks (snacks included).

Though it has a number of elements, the recipe is very easy. You'll start by making a pitcher of bloody Mary mix—complete with the vodka and seasoned to your taste—and let that chill while you work on the garnishes. Bacon straws are a simple project—don't be disappointed if every straw doesn't actually work—and grilled cheese is always easy to make.

Ingredients

  • For the Bloody Mary Mix:
  • 2 cups vodka
  • 4 cups tomato juice
  • 1 tablespoon horseradish (to taste)
  • 5 dashes hot sauce (to taste)
  • 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
  • Black pepper (freshly ground; to taste)
  • 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice (to taste)
  • Garnish: 8 mini dill pickles
  • Garnish: 8 bacon straws
  • Garnish: 8 mini grilled cheese sandwiches
  • For the Bacon Straw:
  • 8 slices bacon
  • For the Grilled Cheese:
  • 4 slices bread
  • 4 slices cheese
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this cocktail is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and assembly.

Make the Bloody Mary Mix

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for a Crazy Bloody Mary
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  2. Add the vodka and tomato juice to a pitcher. Stir well.

    Add Vodka to Tomato Juice for a Pitcher of Bloody Mary
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. Add the horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and black pepper. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon (about 3/4 ounce). Stir again and adjust any of the seasonings to taste.

    Add Seasonings and Spices to a Bloody Mary Pitcher
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  4. Refrigerate while you prepare the garnishes and until its time to serve.

Make the Bacon Straw

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Twist small pieces of foil into the shape of a dowel, about 10 inches long and the diameter of a drinking straw (the shape doesn't have to be perfect).

  2. Wrap one piece of bacon around a foil dowel, spiraling down as you go and overlapping the previous layer of bacon. Repeat with all of the bacon and use a toothpick to secure any loose bacon that won't stay in place.

    Making Bacon Straws for a Bloody Mary
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet with sides to trap the bacon grease. Lay the bacon wraps on the rack and bake for 25 minutes, or until crispy.

    Making Bacon Straws for a Bloody Mary
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios 

  4. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Twist the foil as you gently slide the bacon straw off.

    Bacon Straws for a Bloody Mary
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Make the Grilled Cheese

  1. Build a grilled cheese sandwich by buttering the sides of two pieces of bread and laying two slices of cheese on the unbuttered side. Repeat with the second sandwich.

    Building Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sandwiches for a few minutes on each side until the bread is crispy and golden brown.

    Grilled Cheese Sandwich
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. Let the grilled cheese cool for a few minutes so the melted cheese sets up. Cut each sandwich into four squares.

    Mini Grilled Cheese for a Bloody Mary
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Assemble the Crazy Bloody Mary

  1. In each serving glass, add ice cubes and fill with the bloody mary mix.

    Building a Crazy Bloody Mary
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. Skewer the grilled cheese and pickle, placing it and the bacon straw in the drink.

    Garnish a Bloody Mary With Bacon Straw, Grilled Cheese, and Dill Pickle
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

There are numerous ways to dress up your bloody Mary. Let your imagination and what's in your fridge guide you.

  • Don't want to make bacon straws? Fry up strips of bacon as flat as possible and stick one upright in each glass as garnish.
  • Rather than grilled cheese, skewer a mini hamburger—complete with the bun and cheese—instead. Use a bite-sized slider recipe to make the smallest burgers possible (about 3 inches in diameter).
  • Hang a cocktail shrimp off the side of the glass or add it to the skewer.
  • Other garnish ideas include a lemon or lime slice, celery stalk, pickled asparagus spear, bell pepper wedge, or stuffed olives.
  • Rim each glass with salt or a salt and chili powder mix. Some people like to use spice mixes like Old Bay or Tajin.
  • Add pickle juice ice cubes. An equal mix of water and pickle juice adds just the right amount of flavor and will freeze as quickly as regular water.
  • Turn this into a green bloody mary by using green vegetable juice instead of tomato. You can also use Clamato juice to give it a bloody Caesar spin.
  • Rather than vodka, pour tequila, whiskey, or gin. Each has been proven to make an excellent bloody Mary.
  • Skip the liquor entirely to make a nonalcoholic version.

How Strong Is a Crazy Bloody Mary?

This bloody Mary is a little stronger than most, but it's not bad. The recipe mixes up to be about the same as a glass of wine, or 12 percent ABV (24 proof). If you'd like to knock that down a bit, pour just 1 1/2 cups of vodka.