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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner so it is time to start planning. For a lot of people, that means planning Galentine’s Day activities! The ever-growing popular Valentine’s Day alternative that celebrates your friends usually involves fun activities, good food, and Valentine’s Day-inspired cocktails, or mocktails for our sober peeps. Think all things friendly, fun, and flirty. That means plenty of reds and pinks. The perfect cocktail or mocktail means we are looking for something tasty, but festive and, of course, cute.
What is Galentine’s Day?
Galentine’s Day is a holiday celebrating friendship and camaraderie, specifically friendships among women. It is often celebrated on February 13, but any day in February is up for grabs. The celebrations center around fostering and furthering friendships and showing your love and appreciation for your friends while celebrating.
How Do You Celebrate Galentine’s Day
Most Galentine’s Day celebrations focus on ways to show your friends you appreciate them while also enjoying their company. For most people, this usually means gathering for food and drinks. Hosts will usually host a brunch or dinner party themed and decorated around all things Valentine-like.
In addition to food and drinks, Galentine’s celebrations often include activities that are fun or cute and foster bonding. This can be making vision boards or crafting custom items like tote bags or charm bracelets. How you celebrate is up to you, the idea is to center the activity around something everyone can enjoy.
Good Galentine’s parties are all about cohesion, from the decor to the menu, everything blends well and you want that for your drinks as well. Make sure your drink choices compliment each other, and your foods, in both ingredients and looks. If you are making more than one drink, opt for recipes that have shared ingredients so you have less to manage and remember to buy.
These Valentine’s Day cocktails and mocktails are sure to impress your friends!
Valentine’s Day Cocktails
These cocktails use a variety of spirits, juices, fresh fruits, and garnishes to make tasty sips that look the part.
The Love Potion Drink
This aptly named mix is made of familiar fruity flavors and vodka, so it’s not too far from something you’ve tried before but different enough. It balances out acidic flavors from the fruits with a splash of grenadine so that the cute pink color grabs your guest’s attention. If it doesn’t, the adorable strawberry heart garnishes definitely will.
Strawberry Sour Candy Cocktail
This cocktail’s adorable pink mix is anchored with strawberry rum and strawberry schnapps and has added citric acid, so it is absolutely living up to its sour candy name! A sweet and sour match made in heaven, don’t forget your sugar rim and adorable candy garnish!
Cotton Candy Margarita
Tequila, Orange Liqueur, and Cream Soda front this show with an amazing garnish of cotton candy that brings the sweet. This mix plays into the playfulness of candy but blends the cotton candy and cream soda for a sweet Italian soda-like flavor with tequila! An obvious yes from us.
Heartthrob Margarita
This is another margarita but it adds in that Valentine’s Day flair with raspberry syrup. If you can’t get your hands on raspberry syrup, the recipe comes with instructions on how to make it homemade! The raspberry syrup and the citrus of the blood orange and lime play really well together and bring all of the margarita vibes.
Cupid’s Panties
So technically, this one is a shot! It contains alcohol, that’s the point. Cupid’s Panties is an adorable shot consisting of tequila rose, white chocolate liqueur, and whipped cream. It’s simple, but it gets the job done.
Lulu’s Cherry Gin Fizz
Lulu’s, yes the clothing Lulu’s, has created this signature cherry-based beauty. Cherry can be forgotten easily when this time of year with most things being strawberry-focused but this Cherry version of a Gin Fizz works well. Add a festive garnish and this sweet treat is a hit.
Sweetheart Cocktail
This unsuspecting sweetheart cocktail has a richer take on your traditional cranberry and vodka with the addition of amaretto. The almond liqueur brings a new depth of flavor to this sweet cocktail. The drink is simple but effective and leans more into the seductive reds associated with Valentine’s Day instead of pink.
Sweetie Martini
What is Valentine’s Day without Sweeties? This is the cocktail take on the classic V-Day candy. With white chocolate liqueur and almond liqueur, and grenadine, you might mistake this sweet treat for dessert. Either way, you’ll definitely want to pass these out to your friends.
Raspberry Lemon Drop
This mixed drink puts a pink spin on the Lemon Drop with a raspberry twist, and as we all know it’s impossible to say no to a lemon drop. It’s light and refreshing and reminds you a lot of a refreshing summer drink that will transition you well from the colder months.
Raspberry Pina Colada
White rum and raspberries combine in this tropical treat to create a light but sweet pink delight, perfect for setting the mood at a Galentine’s party! It’s creamy and sweet but the rum provides complexity and depth. Don’t forget the adorable heart candy garnish!
Raspberry Peach Frose
This Raspberry Peach Frosé is the perfect mix between rosé and a margarita! It’s a sweet treat with just the right amount of tanginess and you can make it in batches! This is the perfect drink if you’re hosting a Galentine’s brunch.
Dragonfruit Pink Martini
Hi, Barbie! This cute Barbie-inspired Dragonfruit Cocktail is the absolute perfect choice for a Galentine’s gathering! While it is a summer-inspired drink, the dragonfruit syrup can be made easily year-round which means you can whip it up just in time for Galentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day Mocktails
Valentine’s Day Mocktails that offer up options that look the part, and taste the part. Whatever your heart desires.
Sweetheart Punch
Punch is a tried and true option for parties because they’re easy to prepare ahead. This sweetheart spin on a classic Sherbert punch is stepped up a notch with perfectly themed garnishes to compliment the sweet color. Sweetheart Punch is a fizzy raspberry punch that gives off the perfect Valentine’s Day vibes!
Raspberry Mojito
Sticking with the raspberry theme, we have the raspberry mocktail. This bright mix of raspberry, lime, and mint is just what you need to get the good times going! the minty flavor is a subtle but well-balanced element to compliment the puckering sweetness of the raspberries.
Pretty Pink Sparkling Punch
Looking for something a bit lighter and delicate? This lemon and cranberry sparkling punch is light in flavor and color, perfect if you’re going for a more delicate look and theme. The flavors are also a good blend of tart and sweet, so it’s likely to be a crowd-pleaser. This recipe was created for Mother’s Day but we think the flavors and delicate look can fit into your Galentine’s plans.
Cosmo
This mocktail’s take on a Cosmo is a citrus and cranberry delight. Even better, it comes in two versions! One with non-alcoholic spirits for those wanting to just substitute, and one with standard ingredients. Both versions are tasty! Add in some curated garnishes and gorgeous glasses and you’re ready to go.
Bubblegum Mocktail
Want something a bit more playful? Consider this super easy bubblegum mocktail. It is absolutely on the sweeter side but with a simple combination of bubblegum and cranberry juice, it is also super easy to make! It does take time though, so be sure to prepare it ahead of time.
Blood Orange and Rosewater Mocktail
If bright citrus and floral flavors sound more up your alley, this blood orange and rosewater mix is for you. The rosewater is light enough to perfectly balance out the blood orange, not overwhelm it. This mocktail appeals to those who prefer something light on the tongue but bold in flavor, it’s a hard one to pass up.
Pomegranate Mocktail
Pomegranate and ginger ale are usually more popular for holiday drinks but these fruity flavors and bright red colors make this mocktail a perfect contender for Valentine’s Day, or Galentine’s Day parties. Just consider swapping out the garnishes for something more thematic.
Shirley Temple
Some things are just perfect the way they are, and one of those things is a well-made Shirley Temple. The drink is perfect for all occasions, but especially for a Valentine’s Day refresh. If you want to step it up a notch, consider creating a Shirley Temple bar with the ingredients all laid out so your guests can customize them to their liking. Offer up both Sprite and ginger ale, grenadine and maraschino cherry juice, and all of the fixings and garnishes to compliment.
Pomegranate and Rosewater Spritzer
Here is a personal favorite Valentine’s Day mocktail of mine, a fizzy mix of pomegranate and rosewater. If you prefer something with a deeper flavor profile or floral notes, this is the one for you. The pomegranate and lime bring the tart while the rosewater adds a floral note and an air of sweetness. It also looks gorgeous in the glass.
Non-Alcoholic Sangria
Fruity overload is absolutely a good thing with this Sangria mocktail. The perfect balance of fruit flavors are easily combined to make this drink! Make a batch ahead of time and give the flavors time to meld and the drink to chill, your guests will thank you for it.
Sweet Italian Soda
If you’re more inclined to the sweet and creamy, consider something more playful with this take on an Italian soda. Bonus, the recipe allows you to switch the flavors to whatever fits you best. Offer up Vanilla, Strawberry, Cherry, or Raspberry options to your guests. You can also make it a DIY station or bar style for an interactive element.
Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
Let’s be realistic, it’s pretty cold in February in plenty of places. So, if you find yourself inside on a colder day, this is the perfect drink to add to your menu. This red spin on a cozy hot chocolate will definitely put your friends in a good mood. it’s rich and decadent and looks the part all while tasting amazing.
Menu planning for a fun night-in should not be stressful and since you’re usually focused on the food, the drinks can often take a back seat. Hopefully one, or a few, of these sweet spirits lessened the load for you! Pick some out, prepare them in advance if possible, sit back, and enjoy celebrating your friends and friendship!
Shunning stupid Cupid this year? Check out these Anti-Valentine’s Day Mocktails and Anti-Valentines Day Party Recipes!
