17 Red Cocktail Recipes You'll Want To Get Caught Red Handed With
These cocktails are Red (Delish's Version).
Red alert! We need your attention, please, as red cocktails are having a moment. As it turns out, there's almost too many reasons to get caught red handed with a festive red cocktail these days. Between Valentine's Day and Taylor Swift-Mania converging with the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl (or perhaps all three!), we're turning to these 17 bright red cocktail recipes to help perk up our home bartending game. Whether you're in the mood for something romantic (like a Kir Royale) or classic (like a Negroni), there's a cocktail (and mocktail) here for everyone.
It's hard to deny how delightful it is to have a fun little cocktail in hand, especially something ruby red. They always feel chic and complex, even if you only threw together a mixer and your favorite alcohol. If you're new to home bartending (or simply don't have a whole bar's worth of alcohols to play with), the best and most classic cocktails only require a few ingredients anyways, and that includes the red ones, too. Don't believe us? Try our cranberry mimosa, strawberry mezcal margarita, or pomegranate martini for a party-ready signature cocktail that seriously pops.
Have a few more tools at your home bar or want to really up the stakes? Our cherry Sazerac gets a lot of play for us all year round (and not just at Mardi Gras). Want to make sure everyone's included at the party? We always keep the ingredients for our blood orange mocktail spritzer on hand (and low-key we always drink one in between full-proof drinks, it's that good). When in doubt, we're very convinced we've got the best Bloody Mary recipe around, just in case you're trying to improve upon your own recipe.
Cranberry Mimosas
While the classic combo of 4 parts champagne and 1 part fresh orange juice can certainly hold its own, this recipe adds in a fun holiday twist by swapping the orange juice with fresh cranberries, cranberry juice, rosemary and a hint of lime. Very similar to the Poinsettia cocktail (which often adds orange liqueur or vodka), this version requires fewer ingredients while still being incredibly delish.
Get the Cranberry Mimosas recipe.
Strawberry Mezcal Margarita
With an earthy, slightly smoky flavor, mezcal brings a uniquely savory quality to the typically tequila-based margarita. Add some fresh strawberries, and you have the perfect balance of sweet, tart, and a hint of smokiness. If you're looking for a way to shake up your classic marg, this is it.
Get the Strawberry Mezcal Margarita recipe.
Best Bloody Mary
If you’ve only ever had a Bloody Mary made from a store-bought mix, you’re in for a treat. Ever the popular brunch cocktail, a good homemade recipe is a must-have, whether you’re drinking them on Sunday mornings, as a hangover cure, or on airplanes (it’s a thing—check the study!).
Get the Best Bloody Mary recipe.
Pomegranate Martini
More like a cosmopolitan than a classic martini, this recipe replaces the cosmo’s traditional cranberry juice with pomegranate. Garnish with a sugar rim and a fresh rosemary sprig for the perfect drink to serve at all cold-weather gatherings.
Get the Pomegranate Martini recipe.
Blood Orange Mocktail Spritzer
Alcohol-free cocktails should never be an afterthought! This blood orange and ginger spritzer hits all the right notes: a little sweet, a little sour, and a little spiced. Finished off with a bouquet of fresh garnishes, it’s the perfect wintry cocktail to toast with all season long.
Get the Blood Orange Mocktail Spritzer recipe.
Kir Royale
When it comes to sparkling wine-based cocktails, few beverages are as classy and sophisticated as a Kir Royale. The Kir Royale is a fixture at holiday celebrations, soirées hosted by the likes of Ina Garten and Martha Stewart, and even episodes of Emily in Paris, making it a great cocktail to enjoy on Valentine's Day.
Get the Kir Royale recipe.
Cherry Sazerac
New Orleans made the Sazerac famous, is a classic cocktail for Mardi Gras, and, we think, a perfectly festive drink to have with your boo. We added a little maraschino juice to this whiskey and cognac cocktail for a little fruity sweetness. It's bittersweet!
Get the Cherry Sazerac recipe.
Strawberry Daiquiri
Frosty and eye-catchingly vibrant, the frozen daiquiri’s blend of juicy, red strawberries brightened with zesty lime is too refreshing to deny. Only requiring four ingredients, it’s the perfect drink for chilling out on any day.
Get the Strawberry Daiquiri recipe.
Americano
For those new to the world of Campari and vermouth-based cocktails, think of them as a pre-dinner beverage that'll pair perfectly with a homemade Valentine's Day dinner. 😉
Get the Americano recipe.
Virgin Cranberry Basil Sangria
Sangria without the wine? Yes, please. The fruit is the real star here—use whatever’s in season and get creative with the combination (think cranberries, orange slices, and rosemary for the holidays and mixed berries and mint for summer).
Get the Virgin Cranberry Basil Sangria recipe.
Negroni
Bittersweet with hints of botanical flavors, this 3-ingredient cocktail will always be a favorite at Delish, even after it’s surpassed by the next IInternet-famous cocktail. Whether you’ve been itching to try this “it” drink before ordering it out, have been a die-hard negroni stan way before it became popular, or are looking for a way to make it your own, our tried-and-true recipe is here for you.
Get the Negroni recipe.
Kalimotxo
All it takes to make a Kalimotxo is two ingredients: Coke and red wine. We know it might seem crazy, but this combo truly is something special. Though it's a simple drink, we do have a couple tips. Firstly the red wine you buy should be cheap. We're mixing it with Coke, so need to spend more than $10. No need to buy Spanish, but if you want to go for authenticity, get a Tempranillo or a Rioja.
Get the Kalimotxo recipe.
Cranberry-Aperol Spritz
Cranberry adds a festive, colorful twist to your favorite cocktail, the Aperol spritz. Still bubbly and refreshing, it will make you feel like you're sipping the drink in the Mediterranean during a chilly Valentine's Day.
Get the Cranberry-Aperol Spritz recipe.
Frozen Strawberry Margarita
While we love our classic margarita recipe, when we’re craving something a bit more fruit-forward (and icy cold), we turn to these frozen strawberry margaritas. While these are a staple summer drink to cool off during those too-hot days, these margaritas go beyond one season: since they work best with frozen strawberries, so you can make it year-round! Get to blending—happy hour starts now.
Get the Frozen Strawberry Margarita recipe.
Lemon Blueberry Daiquiris
Inspired by our love of our lemon blueberry margs, these brightly colored daiquiris are extra special. Between the fruity sweetness of the berries and the bright, citrusy flavor, the rum tends to fade to the background, making these surprisingly drinkable despite the strength.
Get the Lemon Blueberry Daiquiris recipe.
Cape Codder
The Cape Codder (or Cape Cod cocktail) is simply the more official–and cute–name for a vodka-cranberry. It’s a simple, classic cocktail that can be ordered in any bar and is one of our faves as far as 2-ingredient-cocktails go.
Get the Cape Codder recipe.
Pomegranate Mimosas
Sweet and slightly tart, these ruby-red mimosas are our favorite festive cocktail pick for any date night or Galentine's Day party. Looking for the top-rated bubbly to use? We've narrowed down the best sparkling wines for all your mimosa needs.
Get the Pomegranate Mimosas recipe.
