:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/marie-viljoen-author-0421-2000-87b8eaae26b14b688498242eff77a494.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/citrus-dreaming-cocktail-3323-d112806-onecms-horiz-4bbf4e3ea2484c399468630bec01d22e.jpg)
What makes a good Valentine's Day cocktail? Champagne drinks have a celebratory feel—nothing heralds a special occasion more than the pop of a cork. Another theme we like is rosy, romantic drinks. Scarlet hearts are big on February 14th and red is easy to achieve with good apéritifs like Aperol, Campari, cassis, and sweet vermouth. And seasonal fruits are ready to help: Cranberries, pomegranate, and blood orange are not only vivid, but acidic and interesting when well-matched with their liquor-counterpart.
We've also included some riffs on classics, like a paloma spiked with cranberry and a Manhattan kissed by Cassis—but any of these Valentine's Day cocktails will set the mood for a special night.
Cranberry-Champagne Cocktail
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/cranberry-champagne-cocktail-7001428-c66371f352e64d5ca4a41edbc193bf51.jpg)
Our all-American riff on the classic Kir Royale swaps the usual blackcurrant liqueur for cranberry sauce, ready-made or homemade.
Amaro Spritz
Looking for a light-on-the-booze cocktail that's colorful, refreshing, and just right for toasting with your sweetheart? Try our Amaro Spritz—all you need is Campari or Aperol, tonic water, and lemon slices for garnish.
Viola Kir Royale
This boozy take on the usual Champagne-and-cassis cocktail adds vodka and replaces the cassis with a sweet purée of violas or pansies that gives the drink a gorgeous violet hue.
Pomegranate Cosmopolitans
In this suave interpretation of a Cosmopolitan, use pomegranate juice in place of the usual cranberry. Fresh lime juice wakes the shaken drink while orange liqueur smooths the tart edges.
Kumquat Champagne Cocktail
The aromatic skins of impossibly cute kumquats transform dry Champagne into a sunny walk in a citrus grove. Just close your eyes and dream about your next trip.
Apérol Gin Punch
If you're gathering with your loved ones, this rosy Lillet, gin, and Apérol punch is just the thing to serve. We love that it's bright with botanicals.
Cranberry Manhattan
Whisky, cranberry sauce, vermouth, and a dash of bitters make a very good, colorful drink.
Bleeding Heart Martini
Pickled baby beets bleed beautifully into clear, cold gin and add a sophisticated nibble to your last sip.
Manhattan Kir Royal
The addition of vermouth and Angostura steers a classic Kir Royale into Manhattan territory—the meeting of two great cocktails, like two well-suited humans. Cassis and amber bitters turn it appropriately pink.
Campari, Gin, and Orange Liqueur
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/campari-gin-orange-liqueur-cocktial-mld106339-ocms-2000-b692998cace14f6e8083b2fe7c96c04a.jpg)
This three-ingredient cocktail is just as the name suggests: It's an upgrade on the classic Campari-orange juice combo. Made crimson by Campari and balanced by the spicy bitter-orange sweetness of the liqueur Créole Shrubb by Clement, the drink is regularly blended on the sunny Caribbean isle of Martinique.
Chambord Royale
Can you have too many Champagne cocktail recipes in your repertoire? No, you cannot. This sparkler calls on Chambord for color and character—the French blackberry liqueur tints your drink cerise and reminds you of the color of love.
Cranberry Paloma
Cranberries are underappreciated when it comes to cocktials. Their tannins and astringency add body to drinks, and then there is that color. Combining grapefruit with this native American favorite makes for a brilliant interpretation of the peerless (yet pale) tequila drink.
Venus Blush Cocktail
Prosecco and Apérol cut with blood orange juice and seltzer is a gorgeously low-ABV refresher for a Valentine's breakfast or brunch. Pass the French toast!
Pom Surprise
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/pom-sunrise-cocktail-BD105262-203121a142904dabae5b3e037e38915b.jpg)
Antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice and freshly squeezed tangerines (plus their intense zest) are shaken up with good vodka and bitters—making this cocktail positively healthful.
Aperol Negroni
Gin is blended with Apérol and sweet and dry vermouths, then poured into a glass rinsed with anise-strong Absinthe to create this red-hued sip.
Cranberry Martini
Freezing the martini glasses adds a sense of occasion to the condensation that will gather on your glasses of your ruby drink as you sip.
Red Wine Spritzer
Here's a drink for the lucky valentine sipping in a mild winter climate. Red wine is seriously undervalued as a cocktail ingredient; its fuller body (thanks to grape-skin tannins) lends itself well to gentle blending. A dash of a bittersweet apéritif like Apérol puts a wiggle in its hips, and a spritz of seltzer lightens the alcohol load.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/fizzy-finales-627d3e90-1119-2000-horiz-1222-dd780c832f92481d994d04c9d390663f.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/champagne-cocktail-half-baked-harvest-1-1217-bd1a733cb9e247bd9633c1445612d07e.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/la100282_1003_spookyspirits_vert-2000-bdfd5e4495a24ceb89565af579edaa40.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/good-things-winter-cocktails-102792648-2000-03b704d41bdb4c4c8eac5461fc2ca5f9.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/manhattan-7000860-0518-onecms-2000-7570963c73574ac0ad7c754a7fa02dca.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/build-self-serve-bar-easy-entertaining-getty-0623-3e609c9936ec42c3921d03f3250b9632.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/shaken-pina-colada-7000400-0418-42a9cf9b83454d348a6de6d6b13e6fb4.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/kirsch-martinis-7877-bf8d6d17-08fa3732cd0040818034c5380ade19a8.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/daniel-websters-punch-102802486_vert-50b0c1b93f87469cb57f110fd5faee90.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/eggnog-beauty-opener-476-exp3-d112429_vert-d57625ff47c0465a82063123541090f6.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/pomegranate-cosmo-7001025-onecms-2641aa6ccf8249a399f6e29b6de54951.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/drink-beverage-grapefruit-pomegranate-3HdZ42KVqc88eBKqj2MPJ3-1221-32bb444bb6654c5ab27968b52ee96a73.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/fondue-for-two-7877-2a19f4aa-aa8f67e626674427a17919cd0f2ce3a5.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mocktail-hour-0419-5c14156e-2000-c78074bc43b04bfdac62df4c4ce391e2-horiz-8a5d4e7978724550b1624ceffd0463c0.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/rw-anthony-rusty-cocktails-horiz-1123-6388d77b2439470a98a951c5b81e2471.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/boozy-fruit-cup-017-nocrop-md110236_vert-4afa7f937d4544959136edb8a6e2c567.jpg)