If you love a fun Valentine’s cocktail, I’ve rounded up some of my favorites, from the classic French 75, to some of my own creations, like the White Chocolate Coconut Rum Alexander. These recipes range from easy-peasy to slightly involved (making a quick simple syrup), so there’s something for everyone.
Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s or Galentine’s, or it’s just another Saturday in February, I think you’ll enjoy at least one of these sweet, sour, creamy, boozy, and bubbly recipes!
Raspberry Passion Fruit Tequila Sour
I first made this tequila sour several years ago and I come back to it every year. Passion fruit and raspberries are both sweet-tart in flavor and make a heavenly combination with tequila and a quick vanilla bean syrup. Get the Raspberry Passion Fruit Tequila Sour recipe.
How to Make Chambord at Home
Chambord is a classic Valentine’s Day cocktail ingredient because of it’s sweet, rich, berry flavor. While Chambord is a “black raspberry” liqueur, it’s ingredients are generally listed as a combination of raspberries, blackberries, citrus, vanilla. If you have black raspberries growing in your yard, by all means, use them! But if not, I’ve created a straightforward recipe for making your own Chambord at home. You’ll need a handful of grocery store ingredients, some brandy or cognac, and a bottle for storage. Get the DIY Chambord Recipe.
Pink Drink (Hot Pink Gin Sour)
Nothing says Valentine’s quite like pink and flower petals. This basic Gin Sour gets a pop of color from dragon fruit simple syrup. Garnish with edible flower petals for the perfect Valentine’s presentation.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz gin
- 1 oz lemon juice
- .5 oz dragonfruit syrup
- .25 oz elderflower liqueur
- 1 egg white
Ingredients:
Shake all ingredients hard without ice. Add plenty of ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with edible flower petals.
Rosé Paloma
I’m obsessed with Rosé Palomas. It doesn’t matter if it’s a hot day in July or a freezing February evening, a Rosé Paloma is always the perfect aperitivo. It’s light and refreshing, low alcohol, and so pretty and pink! Get the Rosé Paloma recipe and more wonderful rosé cocktail recipes in my Top 5 Rosé Cocktails.
Classic French 75
You can’t go wrong with a classic French 75. Champagne, lemon, a little sweetness and a splash of gin make for one of the very best Valentine’s cocktails. And bonus – it’s an easy recipe to customize based on your own tastes or the holiday. Make it a true love potion by adding floral rose, fruity raspberry, or even white creme de cacao for an exciting 20th Century Cocktail-inspired twist! Get the Classic French 75 Recipe.
Grapefruit & Rose French 75
Speaking of French 75 riffs, this is an all-time favorite for Valentine’s, springtime brunches, or weddings. The secret here is using a specific, grapefruit-flavored gin, which adds the most wonderful grapefruit flavor and a beautiful color.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Malfy Con Rose (Grapefruit Gin)
- ½ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz rose simple syrup
- 4-6 oz chilled Champagne or other dry sparkling water
Instructions:
Chill your champagne flute in advance. Combine the first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into your chilled flute, then top with champagne and garnish with a grapefruit twist or an edible rose petal.
Alternatively, chill all ingredients (and your champagne flute) in advance. Add the gin, lemon juice, and rose simple syrup directly to the flute, then top with champagne. Garnish with a grapefruit twist or an edible rose petal.
Strawberry Negroni
If you or your partner (or girlfriends) love a Negroni, the Strawberry Negroni is going to be Valentine’s Day hit. Infusing the Campari with strawberries is very easy and just requires a little bit of planning ahead. The best part is that there’s no waste here – you can use the delicious Campari-infused strawberries as garnishes (or just eat them from the jar, like me). Get the Strawberry Negroni Recipe.
Strawberry Negroni Sbagliato
Want sparkling wine and strawberries? Love a Strawberry Negroni but want something a little lower-abv? Replace the gin with prosecco (or other dry sparkling wine) and you’ve got a Strawberry Negroni Sbagliato. Get the Strawberry Negroni Sbagliato recipe.
White Cosmopolitan
I adore this easy, unexpected Cosmo for Galentine’s. Replace the cranberry juice cocktail with white cranberry juice for a beautifully ethereal look. It still tastes like a Cosmo, just elevated. For Valentine’s, I like to mist the glass with rosewater before pouring, then garnish with an edible rose. Get the White Cosmopolitan Recipe.
White Chocolate Coconut Rum Alexander
Who doesn’t want chocolate-dipped strawberries for Valentine’s? This recipe comes together quickly but spends a little extra time on the garnish – white chocolate covered strawberries. It’s worth taking a few minutes to melt the chocolate for the garnish because all the leftover chocolate covered berries will make the perfect treat to serve for your partner or friends!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz white rum (or vodka)
- 1 oz heavy cream
- ½ oz cream of coconut or Coco Rèal
- ½ oz white crème de cacao
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a short flute or cocktail glass and garnish with a chocolate-covered strawberry.
How to Make the Garnish
For the garnish you’ll need:
- Small heat-proof bowl
- Small plate or a wire cooling rack
- Strawberries
- White chocolate melting wafers or chips (you can use milk or dark chocolate, too!)
Add the chocolate to the bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir, then microwave for another 20 seconds and stir again. Continue this process until fully melted. Dip each strawberry in the melted chocolate, then place on a plate or cooling rack to let the chocolate set.
To garnish, cut a slit in the bottom of a chocolate-covered berry so that it sits on the rim of the glass.
Affogato with Chocolate Liqueur
If your love is a chocolate person and a cocktail person, a bottle of Bouvery CV Chocolate Liqueur is a fantastic present! This thick, rich, liqueur pours like melted chocolate and tastes like indulgent dark cocoa. You can use it in all your favorite chocolate or crème de cacao cocktails, but it’s especially wonderful drizzled over a simple affogato.
Ingredients:
2 scoops coffee or vanilla ice cream
2 oz espresso
1 oz aged rum
1 oz Bouvery CV Chocolate Liqueur
Instructions:
Place two scoops of coffee ice cream in a coupe or dessert dish. In a separate glass, stir together espresso and rum, then pour over ice cream. Top with Bouvery CV. Garnish with a cookie and serve with a spoon.
Raspberry Rose Floradora
If you like a bubbly cocktail that’s not made with champagne or prosecco, this easy ginger ale cocktail is for you. This version of the classic Floradora adds little rose to the raspberry syrup, but if floral’s not your thing, you can keep it classic. Get the Raspberry Rose Floradora Recipe.
Strawberry Vanilla Daiquiri
One of the first Valentine’s cocktails I created, this delicious Strawberry Daiquiri riff is sweetened with vanilla bean syrup instead of plain simple syrup. It’s easy to make and the vanilla pairs perfectly with both the berries and the rum! Get the Strawberry Vanilla Daiquiri Recipe.
Chocolate Cherry Cognac Old Fashioned
Lastly is a wonderfully indulgent Old Fashioned riff made with creme de cacao (chocolate liqueur) and cherry bitters. Don’t forget to garnish with a cherry cordial! Get the Chocolate Cherry Cognac Old Fashioned Recipe.
Rose Simple Syrup
If you want to make your own floral cocktails or mocktails this Valentine’s Day, here’s my easy Rose Simple Syrup Recipe!
You might also like:
Raspberry Passion Fruit Tequila Sour
This vibrant tequila cocktail is made with a blend of fresh raspberries, lemon, passion fruit, and vanilla.
- 2 oz tequila blanco Try it with an aged tequila too!
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ oz passion fruit liqueur You can substitute with fresh passion fruit syrup
- ½ oz vanilla bean simple syrup
- ½ fresh passion fruit Omit if using fresh passion fruit syrup
- 4 raspberries
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Muddle raspberries in the bottom of cocktail shaker.
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Add remaining ingredients and fill the shaker ¾ with ice.
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Shake until chilled, about 12 seconds. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass and garnish with fresh raspberries.
Combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar and stir until all of the sugar has dissolved. Add the pulp of 8-10 ripe (wrinkly-skinned) passion fruits and stir to combine. Strain out the passion fruit seeds and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can also add an ounce or two of vodka to help the syrup last longer!
Vanilla Simple Syrup Recipe:
Combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a small saucepan and heat on low, stirring until all of the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and add 2 vanilla beans, cut in half. Let the mixture boil for one minute, then reduce to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until flavorful. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to fully cool before removing the vanilla beans. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Add an ounce or two of vodka to help the syrup last longer.
