No matter your feelings towards Valentine’s Day, there’s no denying that it’s the best time of year to celebrate every type of love, whether that’s romantic or platonic. February 14 is just around the corner, so get ready to raise a glass to Cupid’s favorite time with a festive, fun and flirty Valentine’s Day-approved cocktail.
Sure, chocolates and roses might be the most obvious treats when it comes to Valentine’s Day, but a cheerful, on-theme, fun drink is also a lovely way to celebrate. If you’re staying in on Valentine’s Day (or just want to whip up an enticing red or pink cocktails at any time of the year), then consider these delicious concoctions, which are *so* easy to make at home right now, and also happen to be a delightful option for both a romantic candlelit Valentine’s Day dinner, a cozy brunch or a Galentine’s soirée. There’s a Valentine’s Day cocktail recipe for everyone, from bubbly beverages and classic cocktails to fruity concoctions and love potion-worthy pink drinks. Perhaps a champagne cocktails, an on-trend espresso martini, or an already perfectly pink cosmopolitan for every type of v-day imaginable.
Below, see the best Valentine’s Day drinks recipes.
Subscribe to Observer’s Lifestyle Newsletter
All the Best Valentine’s Day Cocktail Recipes
The Pink One
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Belvedere Vodka
.75 oz triple sec
.75 oz lime juice
.33 oz cranberry juice
Orange zest, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice; shake vigorously. Fine strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with orange zest.
Love at First Sip
Ingredients:
1 part Glenlivet 14 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky
3/4 parts lemon juice
3/4 parts strawberry syrup
3 parts Mumm Sparkling Brut Rosé
Chocolate covered strawberry, for garnish
Directions:
Add whisky, lemon juice and strawberry syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake; strain into coupe glass. Top with rosé and chocolate covered strawberry.
Cîroc French Passion
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Cîroc Passion
1 oz pineapple juice
.75 oz hibiscus syrup
.75 oz lemon juice
Champagne or sparkling wine
Edible flowers, for garnish
Directions:
Add vodka, pineapple juice, hibiscus syrup and lemon juice into a shaker. Add ice and shake for eight to 10 seconds. Double strain into a coupe glass and top off with champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with edible flower.
Red Raspberry
Ingredients:
2 oz El Tequileño Reposado Gran Reserva
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
.5 oz raspberry liqueur
.5 oz agave syrup
2 oz cranberry juice
6 raspberries
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a shaker over cubed ice. Shake until cold. Strain into a highball glass over cubed ice. Add raspberry or edible flower garnish.
Malibu Strawberry Spritz
Ingredients:
.85 oz Malibu Strawberry
3.4 oz sparkling wine
.85 oz soda water
Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a glass with ice; stir to combine.
Silver Rose Gimlet
Ingredients:
1 oz Nolet’s Silver Gin
1 oz fresh lemonade
.5 oz elderflower liqueur
.5 oz fresh lime juice
Rose petals, for garnish
Directions:
Add ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well; strain into a martini glass. Garnish with rose petals.
Rum Espresso Martini
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Zacapa No.23 Rum
1 oz espresso
.25 oz simple syrup
3 espresso beans, cacao powder and wafer stick, for garnish
Directions:
Add rum, simple syrup and espresso to cocktail shaker with ice; shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled coupe glass dusted with cacao powder. Garnish with espresso beans and wafer.
The Bayou Cosmopolitan
Ingredients:
2 oz Bayou White Rum
1 oz cranberry juice
1/2 oz orange liqueur
1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Top with cubed ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel, lime wedge or orange.
Brother’s Bond Heart & Soul
Ingredients:
2 oz Brother’s Bond American Blended Rye Whiskey
.25 oz pure maple syrup
3 dashes chocolate bitters
Orange twist, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a large rocks glass with one large piece of ice; stir. Release the oils from the orange zest over the drink.
Peanut Butter and Jealous
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
3/4 oz raspberry liqueur
1 oz half and half
Raspberries, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake vigorously. Double strain and pour into a coupe. Garnish with fresh raspberries.
Aragua’s Romance
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Santa Teresa 1796
.5 oz Cappelletti Aperitivo
.25 oz spiced pineapple syrup
.5 oz red wine
Rose petal, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients, except for red wine, in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 20 seconds. Pour into rocks glass over large ice cube. Top with red wine floater and garnish with a rose petal.
Love That About You
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Absolut Elyx
.75 oz. Ramazzotti Rosato
.75 oz lemon
.75 oz grapefruit
.75 oz lavender syrup
3 oz sparkling wine
Directions:
Add sparkling wine to the bottom of a footed pilsner glass. Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker; double strain into the glass. Express lemon.
Pomegranate Sour Heart
Ingredients:
2 oz Stranahan’s Blue Peak
.75 oz fresh lemon juice
.75 oz fresh orange juice
1 egg white
.5 oz pomegranate grenadine
Directions:
Add whiskey, lemon juice, orange juice, egg white and pomegranate grenadine into a shaker. Shake and strain into a coupe glass; garnish with an orange twist.
21Seeds Negroni
Ingredients:
1.5 oz 21 Seeds Valencia Orange Tequila
.5 oz Campari
.5 oz sweet vermouth
.5 oz fresh orange juice
Orange rind, for garnish
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a shaker and stir with ice. Pour over fresh ice; garnish with orange rind.
Strawberry and Lemongrass Fizz
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass
4.5 oz soda water
Fresh strawberries
Lemongrass
Lemon twist
Directions:
Fill a chilled glass with cubed ice. Add Grey Goose Essenses and then top with soda water. Garnish with lemongrass, fresh strawberry and a lemon twist.
Flora Dora
Ingredients:
4 oz Hendrick’s Gin
2 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz raspberry syrup
Ginger beer
Raspberry and cucumber, for garnish
Directions:
Combine all ingredients, except for ginger beer, into a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into two highball glasses filled with ice; top each with ginger beer. Gently stir to combine and garnish with raspberry and cucumber.
Lady in Red
Ingredients:
1 part Sipsmith London Dry Gin
1 part Sipsmith Sloe Gin
1/2 part lemon juice
1 egg white
1 bar spoon raspberry syrup
Fresh raspberry, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker; combine and dry shake. Add ice and shake again. Double strain into a chilled glass and garnish with raspberry.
Sweetheart Spritz
Ingredients:
1.5 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
3 oz Pét-Nat Sparkling Rosé
2 drops Miracle Mile Yuzu Bitters
Club soda
Fresh raspberries
Basil, for garnish
Directions:
In cocktail shaker, muddle the raspberries and then add St. Germain, Pét-Nat and bitters. Shake; pour into a Collins glass over ice. Top with club soda; garnish with fresh basil.
Pretty in Pink
Ingredients:
.13 oz Ramazzotti Apertivo Rosato
.75 oz blueberry lavender simple syrup
1 oz egg white
2 oz Casa Rica Rosado
Directions:
Shake all ingredients; strain over ice. Drip four to six drops of Better Bitters Hibiscus Verbena on top.
Rosita
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Volcan Reposado
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1/2 oz Campari
1 dash angostura bitters
Orange or lemon twist, for garnish
Directions:
Add ingredients to a mixing tin with ice; stir until chilled. Strain into an old fashioned glass over cubed ice. Garnish with an orange or lemon twist.
Glendalough Rose Gin and Tonic
Ingredients:
2 oz Glendalough Rose Gin
Tonic water
Lime wedge and mint spring, for garnish
Directions:
Add gin to a wine glass filled with ice. Top with tonic water; garnish with lime and mint.
D’ussé Cherry On Top
Ingredients:
2 oz D’ussé VSOP Cognac
.75 oz sherry
3 dashes Bittercube Jamaican #2 Bitters
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir with a bar spoon until cold. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass.
Cointreau Pink Margarita
Ingredients:
1 oz Cointreau
2 oz tequila
1 oz fresh lime juice
Grapefruit soda
Directions:
Add Cointreau, tequila and lime juice to a shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Top with grapefruit soda.
White Haute Chocolate
Ingredients:
1 part Glenfiddich 14
1 pinch sea salt
8 parts milk
8 parts white chocolate
Star anise
Directions:
Heat milk and white chocolate in a pot until melted. Add a pinch of sea salt. Pour into mug and add whiskey. Garnish with star anise.
Garden of Legacy
Ingredients:
1.35 oz The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old
1 oz pink grapefruit juice
1.4 oz sugar syrup
Pinch of sea salt
Soda water or tonic water
Pink grapefruit wedge, for garnish
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a tall glass; add ice. Top with soda or tonic. Garnish with a pink grapefruit wedge.
Pink Parasol
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Rancho La Gloria Pink Lemonade Infused Tequila
.5 oz elderflower liqueur
.5 oz honey syrup
Prosecco
Lemon twist, for garnish
Directions:
Pour tequila, elderflower liqueur and honey syrup into a shaker. Shake and strain into a flute; top with prosecco and garnish with a lemon twist.
Rosa Romance
Ingredients:
1 oz gin
.5 oz Grand Marnier
2 dashes orange bitters
Rosa Regale Red
Directions:
Pour gin of choice into a glass. Add Grand Marnier and orange bitters. Top with two to three ounces of Rosa Regale.
Cupid’s Arrow
Ingredients:
2 1/2 oz Noilly Prat Original Dry
2/3 oz blood orange juice
1/4 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz demerara syrup
1 dash orange bitters
1 spring rosemary, for garnish
Directions:
Build drink in a Collins glass with crushed ice. Add more crushed ice on top and garnish with rosemary spring.
Malfy Rosa Gin and Tonic
Ingredients:
1 part Malfy Gin Rosa
3 parts premium tonic water
Pink grapefruit wheel and rosemary sprig, for garnish
Directions:
Build ingredients in a Copa glass with cubed ice. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with grapefruit wheel and rosemary sprig.
Kiss Me Paloma
Ingredients:
2 oz Lalo Tequila
1.5 oz fresh grapefruit juice
3 oz sparkling water
.5 oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz agave syrup
Pinch of salt
Lime wedge, for garnish
Directions:
Add tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, agave syrup and a pinch of salt to a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into an ice-filled Collins glass with a salted rim. Top with sparkling water and garnish with lime wedge.
Third Wheel
Ingredients:
2 parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
1/2 part dry curaçao
1/2 part lemon juice
Orange peel, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice; shake until chilled. Fine strain into a coupe glass with a half-sugar rim. Garnish with orange peel.
