Bold, beautiful, and brilliant – nothing makes an impression like red. Red cocktails are perfect for theme parties, adding a spooky touch to a Halloween get-together or a festive flair to a Christmas dinner.
Of course, no theme is necessary to enjoy red drinks.
A crimson cocktail can add a splash of color and “Instagrammable” decor to your next event.
If you want red mixed drinks, your choices of flavors and ingredients are virtually unlimited.
There are many ways beyond cherry juice or fresh raspberries to make red drinks and many things you can mix red coloring with.
Whether you want the sweetness of a Ginger, Orange, And Cranberry Martini or something classic like a Classic Negroni or Bloody Mary, there’s no shortage of red recipes out there.
Even some recipes you may have never heard of before like #19.
If you want inspiration for the perfect red cocktails – some for adults, some for kids – keep reading, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite red drinks.
1. Bloody Mary
When people think of red alcoholic drinks, the Bloody Mary is usually top of the list.
Known as the drink of choice for a boozy brunch, a classic bloody mary is good any time you want a bit of spice and flavor with your vodka.
The one con to this drink is that it’s a bit more involved than your basic rum and coke.
Most recipes list about 9 ingredients and that’s not including the shaker, strainer, and garnishes (usually celery and olives) to finish the recipe.
But, it’s a naturally-red cocktail thanks to a tomato juice base, and there’s a reason it’s been a classic for so many years.
Looking for another brunch cocktail but want something a bit less involved? Try a cranberry mimosa.
A classic mimosa uses orange juice, but this variation swaps that out for cranberry juice.
A great bonus is that this two-ingredient, simple recipe, (sparkling wine and cranberry juice) is worlds easier than a bloody mary and just as red!
You’ll notice that this recipe also chooses to garnish the glass rims with sugar.
The white rim with the red drinks makes it perfect for a winter holiday party.
There’s nothing like a frozen margarita to cool off with on a hot summer’s day.
This tequila-filled “fruit smoothie” is refreshing, tasty, and delightfully red.
This particular recipe calls for real strawberries, your choice of quality tequila, simple syrup, fresh-squeezed lime juice, triple sec, ice cubes, and a little bit of salt.
You’ll also need a good blender.
Once you have everything together all it takes is pouring everything into your blender and you’re done.
No multi-mixing steps or arduous fruit-chopping is required, so you can make multiple batches quickly for a party.
Red wine sangria is a tasty and relaxing drink to have at the end of a long day.
Make it as an after-dinner treat for yourself or mix a pitcher to serve your friends.
There are a lot of ways to make sangria.
The basics are fruit, wine, liquor (often its brandy), and a sweetener (sometimes sugar).
You can pick different fruit and wine combinations depending on your personal preference.
We suggest this recipe because it has a nice mix of colors (oranges and green apples) and flavors (orange liqueur and cinnamon sticks).
But, don’t be afraid to experiment and tweak things as you desire.
For those of you with a sweet tooth, this martini recipe is to die for.
If you don’t like the sweet stuff, this may not be your ideal cocktail, as it can pretty much serve as a dessert replacement.
Martinis are often hard and dry, but this one changes things up.
It’s perfect as an after-dinner dessert drink, especially for a festive occasion.
This vodka-based drink (though it can be swapped for the more classic gin) calls for sugared cranberries and ginger ale along with grand mariner rum.
The flavor combo is fun, sugary, and will appease even non-martini lovers.
The Red Moon is a red wine cocktail that’s not as fruity as sangria or as tart as some other bourbon drinks.
It’s pretty much a classic Manhattan, but red wine replaces the traditional sweet vermouth.
It’s an interesting take on the classic drink and it goes well with pretty much any meal that you would usually have red wine with.
With simple syrup and maraschino cherries, it’s a heavier drink perfect for fall or winter evenings when you want to “warm-up” with something rich and deep.
7. The Red Pom
Where would a list of red cocktails be without a pomegranate-infused drink?
This particularly attractive drink looks even better served in a martini glass.
But, it’s not all about appearances – the flavors are delicious.
This particular recipe calls for ruby red grapefruit juice, rum, crushed ice, and agave nectar along with real pomegranate seeds for both their look and a pop of tart flavor.
With a sage leaf for garnish, you’ll have a fragrant and tasty drink perfect for fall and winter.
This is a fruity, tropical-inspired red drink.
It uses fresh lime juice, coconut rum, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice to create a bright red drink perfect for summer gatherings.
You can play around with the ingredient portions to get a boozier mix or up the juice content to get a refreshing punch with a kick.
You could even leave out the alcohol altogether and serve this as a refreshing summer fruit punch for your kids.
Red White & Night was created with fourth of July parties in mind, but it’s great all year round.
This drink is unique in that it mixes red wine with vodka.
Yes, sangria also mixes liquor and wine, but it’s usually a brown liquor, like brandy, that complements the fruitiness of the wine.
Unusual and yummy, this cocktail is worth a try. It’s sort of like a twisted sangria thanks to the fresh lemon juice and sugared blackberry garnish.
Serve it in a tall glass (like a highball glass) over ice for a sweet and smooth experience.
But, remember to pace yourself – it’s all wine and vodka with little to cut the alcohol content.
A little goes a long way!
If you like whiskey but want something a little more interesting, then this is the red cocktail for you.
The Irish Redhead recipe is a fun way to enjoy a whiskey-based drink with just enough mixers to make it more festive than a shot on the rocks.
It’s on the sweeter side, but you can always mix and match portions to your liking.
In addition to whiskey, you’ll need lemon-lime soda (or club soda if you don’t want too much sweetener), grenadine, and blood orange slices for an interesting garnish.
Simple, clever, and quick, it’ll look like you spent more time making it than you did.
11. Lady In Red
This is an elegant (and sweet-ish) sloe gin cocktail that will look great in your best glassware and taste like you went to a high-end cocktail bar.
The raspberry syrup and lemon juice in this cocktail make it taste refreshing while the egg white keeps the consistency foamy and interesting.
It’s not something you see every day, but a great way to impress guests.
It’s simple enough to prepare and the color comes out a nice shade of ruby.
Make sure you have some fresh raspberries around to garnish the chilled cocktail glass.
12. Classic Negroni
A lot of colorful drinks rely on juice or soda, making for a lot of very sweet options.
But, just because you want a red drink you don’t have to have a sugar rush.
A classic Negroni is a great way to serve up some ruby drinks without drowning the good stuff in sweetener.
It’s also quite easy to make. All you need is Campari, gin (pick your favorite), and red vermouth.
You can choose between sweet or semi-sweet vermouth per your preference.
13. Singapore Sling
The Singapore Sling is the kind of gin-based drink that calls for a beachfront to sip it on.
It’s tropical, refreshing, and has a high alcohol content.
The downside is that it’s a bit of a challenge.
You’ll need a whopping 8eightingredients to prepare a traditional Singapore Sling.
But, if you’re up for it and want the perfect red beach drink, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.
14. Kir Royal
The Kir Royal is fancy, French, and bubbly.
This deep red cocktail is light and fruity, making it the perfect pre-dinner drink that won’t weigh you down.
The Kir Royal will look cool in a champagne glass with some fresh blackberries for garnish.
It’ll look fancy, but it’s only two ingredients (champagne and blackcurrant liqueur or Crème de cassis).
It’s a great way to wow your guests without having to try too hard.
There are many versions of the vodka spritzer but this one uses three types of berries to get something with a bit more flavor.
It uses strawberries and raspberries, so you’ll get a nice red color even with the added blueberries.
If you don’t own a muddler don’t worry – you can use a fork to mash your berries.
16. The Jack Rose
The Jack Rose is also very easy to make.
This vintage and classic cocktail uses apple brandy as its base and is mixed with grenadine and lemon juice.
You should shake it with ice and strain rather than letting it get watered down.
It’s like a slightly sweeter version of a sidecar and is much prettier to boot.
If you want to up the presentation try serving it with a lemon peel garnish.
Fun fact – it was supposedly a favorite of author John Steinbeck.
You can throw that in as a conversational fun fact while you’re serving these to your guests!
17. Bramble
The bramble is kind of like a gin sour, but with more of a blackberry flavor.
This pleasant take on the sour is slightly fruitier.
The jam-like crème de mûre makes this cocktail stand out from just any other berry drink.
Served over crushed ice, the bramble is satisfying without being too heavy.
It’s easy enough to prepare and mix but served in nice glassware, it will look like a professional made it.
Who knew blackberry brandy went with so many things?
In this case, it mixes with lemonade, grape juice, lemon-lime club soda, and sugar.
This drink is pretty much a fruit punch with a twist.
Most fruit punches rely on orange or grapefruit juice, but this slush has a completely different flavor profile.
If you want a fun and festively deep red drink then this is the perfect choice for any gathering.
It’s also another great option if you want to leave the alcohol out completely for kids.
19. The Red Death
The aptly named Red Death probably isn’t going to kill you – but it might give you a killer hangover if you have too many!
It mixes four types of alcohol with pineapple and orange juice.
It’s a punch that, well, packs a real punch! The fruity flavors very effectively hide how much alcohol you’re drinking.
The Red Death is popular for Halloween parties for the color and to get the festivities going.
The bottom line
No matter what your favorite flavors and mixers are, there’s a simple to extraordinarily complex red cocktail out there for you.
If you’re a budding bartender or cocktail enthusiast, try to work your way through this list of recipes.
Any of the brilliantly colored drinks on this list are sure to delight your friends and family, as well as all your taste buds.
19 Red Cocktails
Looking for the perfect red mixed drinks for your next event?
Ingredients
- Bloody Mary
- Cranberry Mimosa
- Strawberry Margarita
- Red Wine Sangria
- Ginger, Orange, And Cranberry Martini
- Red Moon Over Manhattan
- The Red Pom
- The Red Menace
- Red White And Night
- Jameson Irish Redhead Cocktail
- Lady In Red
- Classic Negroni
- Singapore Sling
- Kir Royal
- Triple Berry Vodka Spritzer
- The Jack Rose
- Bramble
- Blackberry Brandy Slush
- The Red Death
Instructions
- Skim through our Red Cocktails list.
- Select the drink recipe you’re looking for.
- Prep the ingredients as instructed.
- Spill your thoughts on our Facebook page!