14 Valentine’s Day Cocktails That Are Delicious, Fun, & Festive

No drink has ever screamed Galentine’s Day louder than an ice cream float made with red wine. This recipe tastes best using a merlot, pinot, or red blend and a high-quality vanilla, strawberry, or black cherry ice cream. Even if wine’s not usually your thing, these will be so fun to try together.

A French 75 is an effervescent delight for gin lovers, and this version from Dude That Cookz takes it up a notch using a homemade raspberry simple syrup. Making it yourself adds 10 to 15 minutes onto the task, but you’ll taste the difference (and so will your very impressed sweetheart).

A Caipirinha is a Brazilian cocktail that’s typically made with cachaça (a liquor similar to rum), sugar, and lime. This blood orange version simply combines a couple ounces of the spirit, some super-fine sugar, and half of a blood orange for a hot pink, boozy, delightful little drink.

It’s pretty, it’s pink, it’s downright perfect — a paloma is a crowd-pleasing cocktail but not served all too often, so it still feels a little special. This recipe calls for just a dash of rose water, which will make them feel elevated and on-theme.

Maybe it’s just because we all associate them with Sex and the City, but a round of cosmos for the girls just feels festive, don’t you think? Serve up these classic drinks with a maraschino cherry garnish and a lemon twist.

A simple red wine spritzer is just plain good, and it requires just a tad more effort than pouring two glasses of wine and being done with it, so your date will feel extra special. Brooklyn Supper’s recipe calls for lot of limes, a little simple syrup (could be flavored if you’re feeling fancy), seltzer, and bitters.

No one has ever been handed a bellini and been disappointed. This strawberry lemonade variety from Damn Delicious is a nice switch-up from the usual peach bellini, and looks pretty in pink. Garnish with fresh strawberry halves and serve.

You need like three ingredients and three minutes to whip up a couple of these grapefruit and elderflower “Frenchies.” Just grab your favorite gin or vodka, grapefruit juice, St. Germain, ice, and a garnish of your choice (rosemary, lavender, any herb would do nicely, really).

This recipe calls itself a cherry bomb, so yeah, sign us up. You’re going to roast halved, sugared cherries and stir them, along with some oranges, into a red zinfandel and cherry liqueur blend. Top with sparkling rosé when you’re ready to serve.

If you want a drink that still feels wintry, a cranberry and thyme G&T will definitely do the trick. This one from A Cozy Kitchen calls for homemade cranberry simple syrup (with a dash of vanilla, yum), so set aside about 15 minutes to pull that together. Then just combine with your gin and tonic of choice, garnish, and toast to love.

Whiskey sours aren’t for everyone, but if your partner loves them, they’ll really dig this interesting mix of flavors. Plum syrup, lemon and ginger juices, and a little candied ginger topper all combine into a pink frothy drink they’ll be delighted to sip all evening.

A little vodka, some elderflower liqueur, fresh berries, and a splash of kombucha — mix it all together and you have a delicious, fruity elderflower fizz cocktail ready to serve. Use a pink or red kombucha to ensure your drink stays a festive color.

A watermelon margarita is very summery for February, but with a color like that, it could be just the drink you’re looking for. Try doing a sugar rim and adding some heart garnishes or drink picks to complement the hot pink hue.

If your date loves a classic old-fashioned — no frills or fun colors, please — you can still do something a little special. It takes about 30 minutes to make your own bourbon-soaked cherries from Gimme Some Oven; then, just let them sit for a few days in the fridge before serving. Any you don’t use as garnishes on date night, you’ll catch them eating right out of the jar the rest of the month.