35 Easy 4th of July Cocktails That’ll Steal the (Fireworks) Show
Whether you’re throwing a party or just keeping things low-key with your family, these patriotic cocktails will definitely impress (especially the red, white and blue ones). Best of all, most of them call for just a few ingredients, so they’re easy to whip up while keeping your eye on the barbecue. Here are 35 easy 4th of July cocktails that our forefathers could totally get behind.
RELATED: The 50 Best Fourth of July Recipes for a Summer Cookout
1. Sparkling Red, White and Blue Sangria
Brandy and sparkling white wine make this flag-inspired sipper possible. Tip: Use a cookie cutter to punch apple slices into stars for a patriotic finishing touch.
2. Red, White and Blue(berry) Margaritas
The only right way to spend the 4th? Red, white and buzzed. This blended beauty should do the trick with layers of strawberry, blueberry and coconut margarita.
3. Firecracker Berry Margarita Floats
When it comes to floats, our philosophy is go big or go home. So, vanilla ice cream in our marg fits the bill, not to mention the decorative, over-the-top fruit skewers.
4. Raspberry-Lime Champagne Punch
Champagne is très chic, but any sparkling white wine (like prosecco or cava) will work fine. Drop a few blueberries into each glass to make it festive.
5. Frozen Sangria
The blender is your BFF when it comes to frosty cocktails. Give three types of berries and fresh orange juice a whirl.
6. Grilled Strawberry Lemonade
Bust out your barbecue skills for happy hour. The fruit gets charred on the grill before reaching the pitcher, bringing out more of its flavor. It’s virgin, but we give you permission to add vodka.
7. Blackberry Grapefruit Margaritas
Citrus and tequila team up with sweet muddled blackberries for a vibrant drink. Bonus points for coating the glass rims with red, white and blue sprinkles.
8. Blackberry Pineapple Smash
Two of summer's favorite fruits in one glass. The best part? It works with basically any silver liquor you have. We'll take ours with salt.
9. Spiked Pink Lemonade
This spiked lemonade is guaranteed to be a picnic favorite. How does the vodka-laced bev get its blush color, you ask? Fresh strawberry-watermelon purée.
10. Blueberry, Gin and Sage Punch
Serving a crowd? Break out your biggest punch bowl or drink dispenser for your fanciest party cocktail yet. P.S.: The blackberries are strained, so you get all of their sweet flavor without a single seed.
11. Blackberry and Meyer Lemon Gin and Tonic
Fresh mint and simple syrup make for a drink that's equal parts herbaceous and sweet. To make your own simple syrup, bring 1 cup water to a boil on the stove and stir in 1 cup sugar until dissolved.
12. Peach Prosecco Punch
If you have four ingredients and five minutes, your new go-to bubbly drink is within reach. The secret is bottled peach nectar.
14. Red, White and Blueberry Jello Shots
These are so much cuter than what you concocted in your dorm room. You'll get three layers of flavor (hello, tart cherry, coconut and lemon) in every bite.
15. Blueberry Mojitos for a Crowd
Okay, these are less red, white and blue and more pretty in pink. But garnish with a few blueberries and it'll totally complement the drink's reddish hue.
16. Blueberry Lemonade
The season's signature drink just leveled up. Think fresh-squeezed lemons and the easiest blueberry simple syrup ever. Pass the vodka.
17. Pomegranate Blueberry Floats
USA's colors shine bright in this combo of pomegranate soda, blueberries and ice cream. Add a dash of vodka and you're in business.
18. Blue Lagoon Cocktail
Despite its Bahamas-blue color, blue curaçao actually tastes like citrus. Add extra cherries for a festive finish.
19. Smashed Berry Rosé Spritz
We're suckers for patriotic garnishes, especially when they're made of juicy nectarines. This cocktail's loaded with tequila, fresh basil and St. Germain (that's elderflower liqueur).
20. Hibiscus Cherry Vodka Spritz
Honey, pineapple juice and dried hibiscus flowers make one fancy drink you'll keep in your arsenal for good. Garnish with blueberries and cherries, or coat the glass rim with blue sugar sprinkles.
21. Easy Berry Sangria
Fresh fruit. Sugar. Lemon-lime soda. A bottle of rosé. Well, that was easy. Nightcap on the patio, anyone?
22. Bourbon Cherry Old Fashioned
Do you have whiskey lovers coming to the barbecue? Consider them covered. Swap out honey for sugar to get a grit-free sip every time.
23. Blackberry Champagne Mule
A classic cocktail with a fruity, sophisticated twist. We're toasting America's birthday right before dessert.
24. Blackberry Bramble
A bramble is an old-school British cocktail made with dry gin, lemon, simple syrup and blackberry liqueur. This one gets spiked with ginger soda, too.
25. Cherry Floats
The homemade, three-ingredient cherry syrup is a real game changer. Add a splash of coconut rum or vanilla vodka for a grown-up spin.
26. Beer Margarita
If there are beer nerds at the barbecue, spirits alone aren't gonna cut it. Enter the beer margarita, a mind-blowingly refreshing combo of tequila, lime juice and your favorite pilsner.
27. Peach Moonshine
Bet you never thought you'd be up for drinking Everclear again, huh? This summery sipper is a far cry from the jungle juice you had in college. Think fresh peaches, two fruit juices, peach schnapps and cinnamon.
28. Salted Watermelon Paloma
Believe it or not, this seasonal gem only takes ten minutes to whip up. You can pull it off even faster if you blend and strain the watermelon juice ahead of the big day. (And in case you need help cutting the watermelon...)
29. Portable Summer Sippers
You shouldn't have to miss out on your own cookout because you're busy playing bartender. Instead, mix up a big batch of vodka coolers, pour them into plastic bags and freeze until slushy or solid. Now, choose your fighter: raspberry-lime or lemonade iced tea?
30. Strawberry Champagne Mojito
Bubbly is *always* invited to the barbecue. Once you make the three-ingredient strawberry simple syrup, most of your work is done. (Oh, and this is the easiest way to open a Champagne bottle, BTW.)
31. Tropical Wine Slushies
Who knew Moscato got along so well with mango, pineapple and strawberries? Use frozen fruit instead of fresh to get the perfect frosty consistency without diluting the cocktails.
32. Boozy Lemonade Granita
Does it get more American than sipping from-scratch lemonade on the 4th of July? We think not. Even better, this take calls for spiking it with vodka or gin and serving it in hulled-out lemons. Genius.
33. Cherry Pie Iced Tea
This seasonal star made with fresh cherry syrup is technically alcohol-free, but we're betting it'd pair beautifully with everything from bourbon to vodka to spiced rum.
34. Summertime Rosé Tequila Sangria
Refreshing rosé wine + earthy tequila + bright lime + bubbly kombucha = an easy home run. Go ham with the pitted cherries and fresh blueberries to up the red-white-and-blue ante.
