The Most Festive Cocktails for Any Fourth of July Fête
Whip up one of these delicious drinks for your Independence Day festivities.
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No matter how you’re spending the Fourth of July, might we suggest adding a festive summer cocktail to the equation? Whether you’re planning an elaborate fête, spending the day lounging by the pool with friends and family, or just basking in the beloved summery treat of a long weekend, it’s always a good idea to mix up a batch of celebratory drinks to brighten up the festivities. Not only is a cheerful beverage the perfect complement to all your favorite Independence Day BBQ mainstays like burgers, hot dogs and all things red, white and blue on America’s birthday, but a refreshing sipper is also the best way to beat the stifling heat on a hot summer day.
Sure, a crisp glass of white wine, rosé or a beer is always nice, but this year, elevate your celebrations with a festive yet elegant summer drink for the Fourth. Whether you’re looking for a classic cocktail or a firecracker of a Fourth of July drink, we’ve got you covered with the best drink recipes for Independence Day—just avoid jello shots at all costs. Below, see the most delicious (and easy to make!) boozy concoctions to serve at any kind of Fourth of July party.
The Best Fourth of July Cocktail Recipes
- Miami Vice
- Fragaria Martini
- The People's Margarita
- Fourth of July Firecracker
- 818 Fourth of July
- Watermelon Negroni Sparkler
- The Zesty One
- Firecracker G + T
- 1800 Agua Fresca
- Spicy Watermelon
- Miami Sunset
- Barrilito Sky
- Watermelon Sour
- Don’t Call Me Shirley
- Hibiscus Highball
- JAJA Strawberry Lemonade
- The Blue Wave
- Sparkling Lemon
- Lillet Blanc Spritz
- American G & T
- Ranch Water
- Firework Margarita
- Oaxacan Fireworks
- Sparkler Spritz
- Independence Rey
Miami Vice
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Bacardi Superior or Coconut Rum
1.25 oz coconut cream
1.25 oz pineapple juice
1 cup crushed ice
Directions:
Combine piña colada ingredients in a blender; blend into a slushy consistency. In a separate blender, combine the strawberry daiquiri ingredients and blend into a slushy consistency. Pour both blended cocktails side by side or layered into a single glass.
Fragaria Martini
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Revivalist Garden Gin
.5 oz strawberry liqueur
.75 oz lemon juice
1 tsp strawberry jam
Strawberry slice, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with strawberry slice.
The People's Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz Teremana Blanco
.75 oz lime juice
.5 oz agave nectar
1 oz pineapple juice, to taste
Pineapple leaves, lime and sea salt, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel, pineapple leaves and sea salt.
Fourth of July Firecracker
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
.5 oz Martini Riserva
.5 oz simple syrup
1 dash orange bitters
Grapefruit slice, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled; fine strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a grapefruit slice.
818 Fourth of July
Ingredients:
.5 oz 818 Tequila Blanco
.5 oz gin
.5 oz vodka
.5 oz white rum
.5 oz blue Curacao
.75 oz lime juice
Scant bar spoon of rich cinnamon syrup
Grapefruit soda
Directions:
Add all ingredients, except for the soda, into a shaker with a large amount of ice. Pour an ounce of the soda into a highball glass with large ice cubes. Pour the shaken contents over the soda. Top with remaining soda; garnish with Luxardo cherries.
Watermelon Negroni Sparkler
Ingredients:
40 ml Diplomático Mantuano
20 ml sweet vermouth
20 ml bitter Italian apéritif
10 ml watermelon juice
Ice
Directions:
Add all ingredients into an ice-filled mixing glass. Stir together to combine and chill. Strain into a double old fashioned rocks glass with a large piece of ice. Garnish with your choice of fruit.
The Zesty One
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Belvedere Vodka
2/3 oz fresh lime juice
1/3 oz sugar syrup
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake with cubed ice. Strain into a collins coupe glass; top with lime zest.
Firecracker G + T
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Nolet’s Silver Gin
1 Bomb Pop (or any other popsicle)
Frozen raspberries and blueberries
4 oz tonic water
Directions:
Fill a balloon glass with ice and the frozen fruit. Add gin, tonic water and popsicle.
1800 Agua Fresca
Ingredients:
1.5 oz 1800 Cristalino
Watermelon cubes
Pineapple cubes
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz mint syrup
1/2 oz filtered water
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a collins glass. Fill the glass with ice and stir. Garnish with fresh fruit and a mint sprig.
Spicy Watermelon
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Tito’s Handmade Vodka
2 oz ginger beer
1 oz watermelon juice
.5 oz lime juice
1 to 2 jalapeño slices
Directions:
Muddle jalapeño slices in a shaker. Add vodka, watermelon juice, lime juice and ice; shake and strain over fresh ice into a glass. Top with ginger beer; garnish with a watermelon and jalapeño slice.
Miami Sunset
Ingredients:
1.5 oz E11EVEN Vodka
1 oz passion fruit liqueur
.5 oz lemon juice
.5 oz Demerara syrup
8 blueberries
Prosecco
Blueberries and rosemary sprig, for garnish
Directions:
Add vodka and blueberries into a shaker; muddle. Add passion fruit liqueur, lemon juice and Demerara syrup into the shaker and fill with ice. Double strain into a double old fashioned glass with one large ice cube. Top with prosecco; gently mix. Garnish rosemary sprig and fresh blueberries.
Barrilito Sky
Ingredients:
2 oz Ron Del Barrilito Two Stars
Pineapple syrup
Blue Curacao liqueur
Lemon juice
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Directions:
Pour all ingredients except for mint leaves into a shaker; shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Pour into a balloon glass; add mint leaves to garnish.
Watermelon Sour
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Bisquit & Dubouché V.S.O.P. Cognac
.5 oz Aperol
1 oz watermelon syrup*
.75 oz lemon juice
Watermelon cube
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a shaker and strain thoroughly. Pour liquid into chilled coupe.
*To make, combine equal parts watermelon juice and granulated white sugar in a blender and blend until sugar is fully incorporated.
Don’t Call Me Shirley
Courtesy of Hendrick’s Ambassador Mattias Horseman
Ingredients:
2 parts Hendrick’s Gin
1/4 part Luxardo maraschino cherry juice or grenadine
1/4 part orange liqueur
Fever-Tree Lemon Tonic
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a highball glass; stir to combine. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon, a fresh cherry and cucumber slices.
Hibiscus Highball
Ingredients:
1 oz Dewar's 12-Year-Old Blended Scotch Whisky
.75 oz St Germain
2 oz lemonade
Unsweetened hibiscus tea
Directions:
Add all ingredients, except for unsweetened tea, into a shaker with ice. Shake quickly; strain into a glass with fresh ice. Top with unsweetened hibiscus tea.
JAJA Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients:
1.5 oz JAJA Reposado
2 oz iced green tea
Hard strawberry lemonade
Lemon wheel and strawberry slice, for garnish
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a highball glass with ice. Stir to combine. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a strawberry slice.
The Blue Wave
Ingredients:
2 oz El Bandido Yankee Blanco Tequila
1/4 oz coconut cream
1/4 oz blue Curacao
Champagne
Directions:
Add all ingredients except for champagne into a shaker with ice. Strain into a glass; top with champagne.
Sparkling Lemon
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire
5 oz sparkling lemonade (San Pellegrino Limonata works well)
Lemon wheel, for garnish
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a glass (a balloon glass or wine glass works well) filled with ice. Stir to combine. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Lillet Blanc Spritz
Ingredients:
2.5 parts Lillet Blanc
2.5 parts tonic water or club soda
Orange slice, for garnish
Directions:
Add Lillet Blanc and tonic water into a shaker with ice. Strain into a white wine glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice.
American G & T
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Aviation American Gin
3 oz tonic water
Lemon wheel and lime wheel, for garnish
Directions:
Pour Aviation Gin into a glass filled with ice; top with tonic water. Gently stir. Garnish with lemon wheel and lime wheel.
Ranch Water
Ingredients:
1.5 oz LALO Tequila
1.5 oz fresh lime juice
1.5 oz sparkling water
Lime wedge, for garnish
Directions:
Add ice cubes to a highball glass. Add tequila and lime juice, mix together and then add sparkling water. Garnish with fresh lime wedge.
Firework Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz Villa One Silver
.75 oz fresh lime juice
.75 oz demerara syrup
.5 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
Lime and jalapeño, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and then strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass with a Tajin tim. Garnish with a lime or slice of jalapeño.
Oaxacan Fireworks
Ingredients:
1.5 oz oz Recuerdo Mezcal Joven
1 oz blue Curacao
.5 oz lime juice
.25 oz simple syrup
1 maraschino cherry, for garnish
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Pour into a martini glass; garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Sparkler Spritz
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass
4.5 oz soda
Fresh strawberries, lemongrass sprig and lemon twist, for garnish
Directions:
Fill a chilled glass with cubed ice and Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass. Top with soda water; garnish with lemongrass, fresh strawberry and a lemon twist.
Independence Rey
Ingredients:
0.75 oz pomegranate syrup (or grenadine)
1 oz lime juice
2 oz SelvaRey White Rum
.5 oz blue Curacao
Mint, for garnish
Directions:
Pour pomegranate syrup into a glass, then add ice into the glass. In a separate glass, add lime juice and rum, then shake and strain into the original glass. Pour blue Curacao on top of the lime and rum mixture. Gently stir to combine. Garnish with mint.
