10 Romantic Cocktails

Gift your love a little treat with one of these delicious, sweet cocktails! If you're enjoying a romantic dinner at home then go the extra mile for your wonderful partner and throw an after-dinner cocktail hour. It might seem kitsch but nothing says I love you quite as nicely as a handmade, strawberry mojito!

1/ Strawberry Mimosa

A romantic twist on the brunch standard, swap the orange juice for muddled strawberries and give breakfast in bed that extra Valentine zest!

You'll Need:

• 100g of chopped strawberries
• 15g of white sugar (1 tablespoon)
• 250ml of champagne, plus more for topping off the flute
• Sliced strawberries, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor, blend strawberries, sugar, and champagne until fully combined, then pour into champagne flutes and top with more bubbly.
2. Garnish with a strawberry slice and serve.

2/ Pink Champagne Margaritas

The best of both worlds! Take champagne to the next level with this light, boozy and really pretty cocktail.

You'll Need:

• 120 ml fresh lime juice
• 240 ml silver tequila
• 250ml of pink lemonade
• 1 bottle champagne
• Lime wedges, to rim the glass
• Salt, to rim the glass

Directions:

1. In a large pitcher combine champagne, lemonade, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.
2. Next, take a cocktail class a rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge. Take the rim and rub it around a plate filled with kosher salt.
3. Fill the same cocktail with ice and pour the pink champagne margarita mixture into the glass. Repeat the process until all the mixture has been used.

3/ Orange Mango Tequila Sparkler

Who doesn't love light citrus and tequila! This sparkler makes for the perfect dinner drink, not too sweet, not too rich, just perfect.

4/ Chocolate Martini

The perfect drink for the sweet tooth in your life, this martini is dessert in a glass! Rich and boozy it makes for the perfect after-dinner treat.

You'll Need:

• 30ml of creme de cacao (such as Giffard)
• 30ml of vodka
• 15ml of milk or dairy alternative (1 tablespoon)
• 30ml of chocolate liqueur, plus more for rimming glass
• 1 tsp of cocoa powder, to rim the glass

Directions:

1. Add a small amount of chocolate liqueur into a small rimmed plate. Add a small amount of cocoa powder to another plate. Dip the rim of an inverted cocktail glass into the liqueur, then into the cocoa powder. Set aside.
2. Add the chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao, vodka and half-and-half into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
3. Strain into the prepared glass.

5/ Raspberry Martini

This raspberry martini is a vibrant red cocktail full of berry flavour! Treat yourself to this beautiful sweet drink.

You'll Need:

• 60ml of vodka
• 25ml tablespoons of cranberry juice (not sweetened)
• 15ml of fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon)
• 22ml of raspberry syrup (1 1/2 tablespoons)
• Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 15 seconds until cold.
2. Strain the drink into a cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with raspberries and serve.

6/ Kir Royale

The best cocktails are rooted in simplicity, and there’s really nothing better than this three-ingredient drink!

You'll Need:

• 30ml crème de cassis (or substitute Chambord or crème de mure)
• 120ml of Champagne
• Raspberries, for garnish

Directions:

1. Pour the crème de cassis, Chambord, or crème de mure into a champagne glass. Top it off with champagne.
2. Garnish with raspberries if desired. Serve immediately.

7/ Strawberry Sangria

Sweet, cold and 100% delicious! We're absolutely in love with strawberry sangria.

You'll Need:

• 400g whole fresh strawberries
• 30g granulated sugar
• 1 bottle dry rosé wine
• 120ml of cup triple sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• Soda water, for serving
• Fresh mint, for garnish

Directions:

1. Reserve 6 strawberries and set them aside. Slice the remaining strawberries and place them in a blender. Sprinkle them with the sugar and stir.
2. Let the strawberries stand for 20 minutes at room temperature. Then add ½ cup of the wine to the blender and blend until strawberries are fully pureed. Pour the through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher and use a spatula to press the strawberry puree through. Discard the seeds.
3. Add the remaining wine and Grand Marnier to the pitcher. Then add the fresh mint, orange and lemon rounds. Slice the 6 reserved strawberries and add them to the pitcher.
4. Stir and refrigerate the pitcher for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours. (Don’t go beyond 4 hours or the fruit texture starts to degrade.)
5. To serve, pour the sangria into ice-filled glasses and top with a splash of soda water (if desired). Add fruit to each glass, preferably on long skewers for easy snacking.

8/ Pomegranate Gin Fizz

Pink and pretty, a gin fizz is a wonderful after-dinner palate cleanser. Easy to sip, easy to enjoy and easy to make!

You'll Need:

• 60ml of gin
• 120ml of pomegranate juice
• 15ml of lemon juice (1 tablespoon)
• 22ml of simple syrup (1 1/2 tablespoons)
• 1 egg white
• 30ml of soda water
• Rosemary sprig, for garnish

Directions:

1. Place the gin, pomegranate lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
2. Fill the shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds until cold.
3. Strain the drink into a glass and top with the soda water; the egg white foam forms on top. If desired, garnish with a rosemary sprig. Serve immediately.

9/ Rosé Punch

If you're having a romantic lunch then this rosé punch is a great accompany a light meal while you enjoy the crisp Irish air!

You'll Need:

• 750ml bottle rosé
• 80ml of vodka
• 355ml of blackberry sparkling water
• Juice of 1 lime
• 30ml honey (Two tablespoons)
• 1 lime, sliced
• 50g of blackberries, plus more for garnish
• 25g of raspberries, plus more for garnish
• 25g of sliced strawberries
• Ice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and stir to combine.
2. Serve over ice and garnish with berries.

10/ Strawberry Mojito

A sweet take on a personal favourite cocktail! This strawberry mojito is a crowd pleaser and a guaranteed success on Instagram.

You'll Need:

• 6 strawberries
• 1 lime, chopped into large chunks
• 10g granulated sugar (2 teaspoons)
• 2 mint sprigs, leaves picked
• 100ml white rum
• Sparkling water, to serve
• Ice

Directions:

1. Divide the strawberries, lime and sugar between two tall glasses and muddle by gently crushing with a muddler or the end of a bar spoon. The fruits should start to release their juices, which will mix with the sugar.
2. Put half the mint leaves in the palm of one of your hands, then clap the other hand on top of the leaves – this bruises them just enough to release their flavour. Drop the bruised mint leaves into one of the glasses, then repeat with the remaining mint, dropping it into the second glass.
3. Add a handful of ice to each glass, followed by the rum. Stir, then top up with sparkling water. Stir briefly until just combined, then serve.

- Gráinne