25 Valentine's Day Drinks That Are Festive and Flavorful

Ginger-Beet Juice
Photo: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

Celebrate Valentine's Day with these tasty drink recipes. These alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are perfect for celebrating, thanks to their pink and red hues. Plus, these drinks also feature classic Valentine's Day ingredients like chocolate, strawberry and Champagne. Whether it's Red-Wine Hot Chocolate or Strawberry-Chocolate Smoothie, you'll fall in love with these drinks after the first sip.

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Red-Wine Hot Chocolate

Red-Wine Hot Chocolate

If you love red wine and you love chocolate, you'll love this rich, full-flavored red-wine hot chocolate. It's two of your favorite things together in one warm, cozy mug.

02 of 25

Ginger-Beet Juice

Ginger-Beet Juice
Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

In this healthy ginger-beet juice recipe, we pack in vegetables by adding kale and a carrot, and sweeten with an orange and apple. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this beet juice recipe in the blender.

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Strawberry-Chocolate Smoothie

Strawberry-Chocolate Smoothie

This creamy, rich strawberry-chocolate smoothie will satisfy any chocolate cravings. It's so decadent you might want it as a dessert, too.

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Classic Negroni

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This brilliant red bittersweet cocktail was first created in Italy about a hundred years ago and remains a widely popular aperitif. Made with staple home bar bottles, the Negroni is a great cocktail to brighten up your happy hour. Don't have gin? Substitute bourbon or rye whiskey to make a classic boulevardier!

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Pomegranate Gimlets

pomegranate gimlets

Cookbook author and TV show host Ina Garten gives the classic gimlet recipe a modern twist. She says, "I like to serve these Pomegranate Gimlets with Fig & Cheese Toasts, which is simply toasted bread, spread with fig preserves and goat cheese; they take no time to make and they're sweet and savory with the cocktail. But even something simple like salted cashews is good in a pinch."

06 of 25

Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink

Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink
Ali Redmond

Inspired by Starbucks' Pink Drink, we use fresh and frozen fruit to create a tangy, creamy beverage. The natural sweetness of the strawberries and passion fruit eliminates the need for added sugar. Coconut milk adds creaminess, while strawberries contribute to the gorgeous pink hue of this refreshing drink.

07 of 25

Whipped Frozen Pink Lemonade

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Feeling in the pink? It's berry easy to bring a blush to your cheeks when you whip up this creamy frozen pink lemonade made with frozen strawberries. It's the perfect balance of tangy and sweet--a better-for-you indulgence that you can whip up quickly with homemade lemon simple syrup. Use your favorite neutral-flavored nondairy milk in this vegan treat, though almond milk and other nut milks will add a stronger nutty flavor than coconut milk or oat milk.

08 of 25

Fruit & Yogurt Smoothie

Fruit & Yogurt Smoothie

This easy fruit smoothie with yogurt recipe calls for just three ingredients--yogurt, fruit juice and whatever frozen fruit you have on hand. Mix up your combinations from day to day for a healthy breakfast or snack you'll never get bored with.

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Prickly Pear Margaritas

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This fun and vibrant prickly pear margarita is perfect for a hot summer day--and for when you can get your hands on fresh prickly pears to make your own syrup. If prickly pears are hard to come by, you can substitute store-bought prickly pear syrup, which can be found at some liquor stores, specialty stores or online.

10 of 25

Beet-Infused Gin & Tonic

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Roasted beets add earthy sweetness to this riff on a summer classic from Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar in Duluth, Minnesota. You'll end up with a big batch of infused gin for easy gin and tonics down the road. Experiment as you will--its earthy flavor plays nicely with bitters and amaros in other cocktails.

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Dirty Shirley

2 Dirty Shirleys
Brittany Conerly

Here's a Shirley Temple for grownups! We found that typical Dirty Shirleys are cloyingly sweet. Our version uses half the amount of grenadine as other versions and a lower-in-sugar ginger beer instead of ginger ale or lemon-lime soda for a refreshing drink.

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Rose Mojito

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A homemade simple syrup fragrant with delicate rose petals is an easy way to elevate cocktail hour. Find dried rose petals online, or in the bulk herb section of well-stocked supermarkets and natural-foods stores.

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Strawberry, Basil & Lime Infused Water

berry basil and lime infused water

Meet your daily hydration goals with a refreshing fruity spa water. Adding sliced fruit and torn herbs is a simple way to boost the flavor of still or sparkling water without adding calories. It's also a beautiful beverage option for showers or parties.

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Creamy Watermelon Smoothie

Creamy Watermelon Smoothie
Victor Protasio

This creamy vegan watermelon smoothie has a subtle coconut flavor thanks to coconut-milk yogurt. Strawberries add color and banana adds a smooth texture while letting the watermelon flavor shine through.

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Nonalcoholic Strawberry Margaritas

Nonalcoholic Strawberry Margaritas

A frozen virgin strawberry margarita is a refreshing way to cool down on warm days. This margarita mocktail, which calls for only five ingredients, uses a bit of agave nectar to blunt the tartness of lime juice and fresh strawberries.

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Berry-Kefir Smoothie

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Get a probiotic boost at breakfast when you add kefir to your smoothie. Feel free to use any berries and nut butter you have on hand in this healthy smoothie recipe.

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Pomegranate Champagne Punch

Pomegranate Champagne Punch

For a nonalcoholic version, combine 2 1/2 cups seltzer and 2 cups pomegranate juice.

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Bourbon Hot Cocoa

Bourbon Hot Cocoa

Chocolate and bourbon? Say no more. Make this delicious hot chocolate recipe from scratch on a cold winter day.

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Cranberry-Prosecco Cocktail

Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail

A splash of cranberry juice in sparkling wine and a garnish of cranberries and rosemary sprigs makes an exceptionally festive party-ready cocktail that's easy to make, too.

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Cherry-Mocha Smoothie

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For a fast-paced breakfast on the go, give your blender a whirl. Heart disease doesn't stand a chance thanks to the healthy fats from the almond butter and health-boosting phytonutrients in the cocoa powder and cherries in this tasty breakfast smoothie.

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Tart Cherry Superfood Shots

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Photo by: Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D.

Give your mind and body a boost with this tart cherry superfood shot. Tart cherry juice is rich in heart-healthy polyphenols and anthocyanins, which can help fight free radicals and thwart inflammation. And some researchers have found that regularly consuming tart cherry juice may improve one's cognitive abilities. You can find 100% tart cherry juice in the juice aisle at most large grocery stores.

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Spiked Party Punch

Spiked Party Punch
Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst, Prop Stylist / Holly Raibikis

This easy, low-alcohol punch stays chilled as the decorative ice ring floats around the bowl. As it melts, raspberries and lemon slices are released, adding flavor and a healthy, edible garnish.

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Sparkling Strawberry-Ginger Lemonade

Red Drink for Juneteenth (sparkling strawberry ginger lemonade)
Cooks With Soul

This sparkling lemonade is inspired by red drink, a red strawberry soda that is traditionally served for Juneteenth. Read more about red drink in the essay "For Many in Texas and Beyond, It's Just Not Juneteenth Without Red Drink."

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Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie

Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie

Blend almond milk, strawberry and pineapple for a smoothie that's so easy you can make it on busy mornings. A bit of almond butter adds richness and filling protein. Freeze some of the almond milk for an extra-icy texture.

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Cranberry-Orange Punch

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This gorgeous fruity punch is perfect for any party--serve it on its own for a fun mocktail that will please kids and adults alike. Or, set out optional alcoholic mix-ins, like tequila and/or vodka, for a mix-your-own cocktail station.

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