Mix Things Up: 3 Valentine's Day Drinks to Try for Date Night

Valentine's Day is right around the corner–a time to express your love through food, candy, cards, and drinks. So, play a little music to set the mood and surprise your significant other with dessert and drinks. The quality time of an at-home date night certainly beats waiting in line at restaurants and picking from an overpriced menu. Plus, this will let them know you're willing to go the extra mile.

To get you started, here are three Valentine's Day drinks and easy-to-make desserts that pair perfectly. 

The Sweet and Refreshing Route:

Cocktail: French 75

We won't be surprised if your date falls head over heels with this refreshing cocktail. French 75 is the perfect combination of gin, champagne, and lemon.

• 2 oz. 100 Mill Street Gin
• 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 oz. simple syrup
• 2 oz. Casa Farrelli Prosecco
• Long spiral lemon twist for garnish

Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds.

Strain cocktail through a strainer or a slotted spoon into a large flute. Top with Champagne and add a lemon twist for garnish.

Dessert Pairing: Angel Food Cake

We know it's not exactly warm and summery on Valentine's Day, but you can still enjoy a light, refreshing cocktail and an equally light and delicious dessert to celebrate the occasion. And angel food cake is the perfect choice. Serve it with whipped cream and fresh berries. 

Ladies First:

Cocktail: Pink Lady

Even the name of this one has Valentine's Day written all over it. The Pink Lady is the perfect cocktail for your sweetheart, although the drink itself isn't as sweet as you may think. The dry, tart kick of flavor is what makes a Pink Lady so irresistible!

• 1-1/2 oz. Bombay Dry Gin
• 3/4 oz. Laird's Applejack
• 1/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1-2 dashes of grenadine
• 1 egg white
• Maraschino cherry for garnish

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Note: If you're feeling uneasy about the egg white or are vegan, either omit it from the recipe or use Aquafaba (chickpea liquid) with this recipe! It shouldn't greatly impact the taste of this cocktail.

Dessert Pairing: Lemon Raspberry Tiramisu

Compliment the lemon and cherry flavors found in your Pink Lady cocktail with a lemon raspberry tiramisu. 

The Tart Take:

The Cocktail: Coco-Ras-Tini

Valentine's Day and chocolate go hand-in-hand. So, why not surprise your date with a delicious Chocolate Raspberry Martini? 

• 1 oz. Le Beau Vodka
• 1 oz. Chocolat Deluxe Chocolate Liqueur 
• 1 oz. Tattersall Creme de Cacao
• 1 oz. Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
• 2 oz. half & half
• Fresh raspberries for garnish

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with raspberries.

Take it a step further and drizzle chocolate syrup on the inside of the glass. Note: the chocolate syrup that hardens works well because it doesn't drip down the sides.

The Dessert Pairing: Chocolate Raspberry Tart

Your date is sure to be impressed by this beautiful, cohesive pairing. This raspberry tart recipe is delicious, easy to follow, requires no baking time, and can be made ahead of time to chill in the fridge until you’re ready to indulge! For the sake of this pairing, we recommend using only dark chocolate so the sweetness of the chocolate doesn’t overpower the drink, and the raspberries can pop against the slight velvet bitterness of the cocoa. 

Whether this is your first or fiftieth Valentine's Day together, it's bound to be your best one yet. Cheers!