Some enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day with gifts like chocolates, flowers, and jewelry. But if you’re like us at Drinkable Gifts, you know that the heart of this holiday lies within the magic of a perfect drink! That’s why we have curated a list of red (and some pink) cocktail recipes for Valentine’s Day, so you can toast to love with a cocktail that matches your taste and the occasion.
Read below to discover our cocktail recipes for Valentine’s Day and tips for making the month of love unforgettable—no matter where your loved ones may be!
Red (and Pink) Cocktail Recipes for Valentine’s Day
While we do consider love potions to be a little unethical, these cocktails will certainly have your love interest head over heels. And what are the side effects on friends and family? Adoration and public confessions of their unconditional love for you!
Pom-Lime French 75
We’re starting our list with a crimson fruit cocktail perfectly suited for the month of love! One of its star ingredients is pomegranate. And legend has it that this fruit was first planted by the Greek goddess Aphrodite. What better way to whip up a Valentine’s Day cocktail than with the flavorful fruit from the goddess of love? Follow our simple recipe for a spin on the classic gin and bubbly cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 1/4c gin
- 1 ½ tbsp of pomegranate-lime syrup
- 1/4c. sparkling wine
- Pomegranate seeds and lime slice for serving
Instructions:
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake gin, lime juice, and Pomegranate-Lime Syrup.
- Strain into flute and top with sparkling wine. Serve with lime slice and pomegranate seeds.
Pomegranate-Lime Syrup Recipe (Makes 1 Cup)
- In a small saucepan, combine ¾ cup each sugar and pomegranate juice and simmer, stirring once halfway through, until sugar dissolves (this should take about 8 to 12 minutes).
- Remove from heat, stir in 1 tsp grated lime zest and 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, and let cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes).
- Strain.
Cosmopolitan
Carrie Bradshaw was a hopeless romantic, and it worked out for her! So, embrace your “lover girl” era with a Sex In the City-inspired cocktail this Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. vodka
- 1 oz. Cointreau
- 1 oz. cranberry juice
- 1 oz. lime juice
- Slice of lime or twist for serving
Instructions:
- Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice until chilled.
- Pour into a coupe glass and decorate with a lime slice or twist.
Raspberry Daiquiri
This one is for the cocktail lovers celebrating Galentines and “Palentines” because a daiquiri is basically the fun friend you can bring to any occasion, and she’s guaranteed to add some sparkle. In this case, the occasion is your Valentine’s Day get-together, and our Raspberry Daiquiri is here to add a pop of color!
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. white rum
- 1 oz. lime juice
- 1 oz. raspberry-lime syrup
- 1 lemon slice for serving
Instructions:
- Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Serve in a coupe glass with a slice of lime.
French Monaco
If you’re a beer lover but are convinced that this drink has no place in a Valentine’s Day celebration, the French Monaco will happily prove you wrong! Romanticize your favorite 6-pack with one of our top cocktail recipes for Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz. pomegranate syrup
- 2 oz. lemonade
- 6 oz. pale lager (we recommend Stella Artois!)
Instructions:
- In an ice-filled shaker, add pomegranate syrup and lemonade.
- Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled beer glass.
- Top with your favorite beer!
P.S. You can use our Pom-Lime syrup recipe above!
Bourbon Smash Jelly Shots
Okay, we know you saw “jelly shots” and immediately thought, “What am I, 21 years old?” But trust us, these raspberry-flavored jelly shots offer a touch of elegance (okay, as elegant as jello shots can get!). Whip up this fun and tasty cocktail treat for your favorite bourbon lover this Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients:
- 6 oz. fresh raspberries, plus additional for garnish
- About 25 mint leaves
- 2⁄3 cup bourbon
- 2⁄3 cup cranberry juice
- 1⁄3 cup limeade concentrate, thawed and strained to remove solids
- 1⁄3 cup water
- 3 envelopes of gelatin
- 2 tsp. agave nectar or simple syrup
Instructions:
- Smash raspberries and mint leaves together in a small bowl. Stir in bourbon and set aside.
- Pour cranberry juice, limeade, and water into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for about 2 minutes. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin dissolves and remove from heat.
- Strain the raspberry-bourbon mixture, making sure to press out all the liquid (you should have about a cup of liquid). Stir into the gelatin mixture. Taste; add the agave nectar/simple syrup if desired.
- Pour the mixture into desired pan molds and let it set for a few hours or overnight.
- You can garnish with slivers of fresh raspberry and mint if you prefer.
Love Martini
Call the name of this cocktail predictable or cringe; the drink is anything but! With only three ingredients, it boasts an impressive burst of flavor that will have your S/O asking for another and another!
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. coconut rum
- 2 oz. peach schnapps
- 4 oz. cranberry juice (we highly recommend using a juice with no added sugar!)
Instructions:
- Fill your cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
- Add coconut rum, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice to the shaker.
- Cap the shaker and shake it for 20 seconds, then train the liquid into two Martini glasses.
- Float 2 pieces of strawberry in each cocktail.
- Enjoy!
4 Tips for Sending Gifts to Make Long-Distance Romantic Cocktails
So, now that you have a few cocktail recipes for Valentine’s Day, it’s time to share them, or better yet, make them with your loved ones! Here are a few of our tips for connecting with cocktail-making during the month of love:
Have a Mixology Date Night – Sip in sync by organizing a virtual mixology date. Share your red cocktail recipes and shake things up together over a video call. To kick it up a notch, surprise your partner when you send alcohol gifts right to their door!
Do a Cocktail Exchange – Challenge your long-distance pals or partner to a cocktail duel. Exchange recipes, mix them up separately, and then rate each other’s concoctions. Drinkable Gifts has all the cocktail essentials you need!
Spoil Him When You Send Whiskey as a Gift – We know it’s not included in our recipe list, but a whiskey sour might be just what he needs to get him through this month of love without you!
Send Them a Custom Cocktail Gift Set – Nothing says “I love you” more than a gift tailored to their every desire! We have a wide range of custom alcohol gifts, including our Valentine’s custom gift basket!
Thank you for exploring cocktail recipes for Valentine’s Day!
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Alex is a hopeless romantic who was supposed to be born in Italy (her dream destination), but proud to be South African nonetheless. She lives by her heart, and, consequentially, leaves a little bit of herself in everything she writes. She wholeheartedly believes that mermaids (and fairies) exist and is deadly afraid of the age ’30’.