25 Valentine’s Day Cocktails to Shake Up with Your S.O.
The steaks are cooked. The candles are lit. The table is set, roses and all. The only thing that’s missing? Drinks, of course. Here are 25 Valentine’s Day cocktails to shake up with your partner this February.
RELATED: 55 Valentine’s Day Dessert Recipes That Will Make You Swoon
1. Kiss on the Lips Cocktail
February might not be blended cocktail season, but with a name like that, this mango-peach sipper is destined for your V-Day menu.
2. Cranberry-Spiced Whiskey Sour
Sure, this libation is delicious, thanks to cranberry-spiced simple syrup and bourbon. But how about that absurdly cute Angostura bitters heart on top?!
3. Vanilla Espresso Martini
Coat the rim with vanilla sugar, aka a blend of granulated sugar and vanilla bean powder or vanilla bean seeds, for a frost-inspired finish.
4. French 75
Champagne is practically a Valentine’s Day cliché, so take things to the next level (ahem, a more delicious and complex one) with a dash of your favorite gin.
5. Big-Batch Pink Negronis
With the addition of Lillet Blanc, this pretty-in-pink twist on a classic becomes sweet and floral. And since one recipe makes eight servings, you’ll only have to get behind the bar once.
6. Strawberry Moscow Mule
Pregame your famous chocolate-covered strawberries with this bev that boasts both plain and strawberry vodkas.
7. Spiced Honey Bourbon Old Fashioned
The old fashioned is traditionally made with rye whiskey, but full-bodied, sweet bourbon gives the O.G. a run for its money.
8. Mulled Wine Sangria
Meet the cold-weather drink of your dreams. All it takes is a bottle of red, orange juice and a few pantry staples.
9. Blood Orange Thyme Paloma
Tequila might strike you as a summer spirit, but mixing it with fresh thyme and blood orange soda gives it a wintry spin.
10. Mulled Cider
Pour you and your S.O. a couple of mugs, bundle up on the couch and let the movie marathon commence.
11. Pomegranate Champagne Mule
Pro tip: Dampen a few rosemary sprigs, roll them in sugar and let them dry to make the prettiest garnish of all time.
12. Fig Dark and Stormy
Dark rum is the go-to spirit here. But this ginger-fig number would pair beautifully with bourbon too.
13. Sparkling Elderflower Fizz
If you’re looking for a healthy-ish cocktail to celebrate with, this one uses a cherry-blueberry probiotic drink as a mixer.
14. Black Velvet Cocktail
Are you and your boo beer drinkers? This libation combines rich, creamy Guinness with effervescent brut sparkling wine.
15. Hot Buttered Rum
Behold: dessert in a glass. It tastes even better when enjoyed by a roaring fire.
16. Winter Citrus Tequila Smash
Blood orange, lime and orange zest meet pomegranate juice and grated ginger to create the ultimate seasonal sipper.
17. Cucumber Delight
This recipe is beyond versatile. Swap the cucumber vodka for cucumber-infused gin, use lime juice instead of lemon or even add some muddled mint.
18. Sparkling Sage Grapefruit Cocktail
The beauty calls for fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, but we won’t tell if you use bottled.
19. Frosé
We know, we know: It was basically the official drink of summer 2016. But we’re not letting any pink drink this iconic go unnoticed on V-Day.
20. Blackberry Champagne Mule
Don’t skip the muddling—breaking the berries down ensures you won’t miss out on a single drop of their sweet-tart juice.
21. Manhattan
Does it get any classier? We think not. We’ll take an extra maraschino cherry in ours, please.
22. Mezcal Aperol Spritz
Think of this creative number as a cross between an Aperol spritz and a Garibaldi, plus the smoky addition of mezcal or tequila.
23. Sage Bee’s Knees
Just in case you get thirsty before the 14th, nearly all the ingredients besides the gin are pantry staples that you likely have on hand right now…
24. Cinnamon Bourbon Old Fashioned
The brûléed orange garnish is just *chef’s kiss*. (And making it is as simple as sprinkling orange slices with sugar and caramelizing them in a skillet.)
25. Bourbon-Spiked Hot Chocolate
There’s no better time than Valentine’s Day to whip up a chocolatey cocktail that doubles as dessert.
RELATED: Valentine’s Day Dinner Ideas That Feel Fancy but Not Cheesy
