Toast To Love (Or Singledom) With One Of These Valentine's Day Inspired Cocktails

Whether your love life is flourishing or currently at a standstill, the time to pay tribute to Saint Valentine has arrived. So as you spend a romantic evening with your true love or skip the festivities and partake in Galentine’s Day instead, here are 14 Valentine’s Day inspired cocktails that we think you’ll adore.

The Sassy Lassie. (Courtesy Photo)

1. Amarula Sunset:

2 1/2 oz. Amarula

1/2 cup Vanilla Ice Cream

2-3 teaspoons Strawberry Puree

Fresh Strawberry, for garnish

Directions: Blend ingredients and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with a delicious Amarula-filled fresh strawberry.

2. Flirty Fizz:

1 part Pinnacle Original Vodka

2 parts Lemon-Lime Soda

Splash of Cranberry Juice

Directions: Mix over ice and share with your one true love.

3. The Sassy Lassie:

2 oz. Usquaebach Reserve blended Scotch Whisky

1 oz. Amaro Lucano

2 Strawberries

Dash of Chocolate Bitters

Shaved Dark Chocolate, for garnish

1 slice of Strawberry, for garnish

Amour Rouge. (Courtesy Photo)

Directions: Add strawberries and bitters to a mixing glass and muddle. Add ice, scotch and amaro. Stir until very cold. Strain into a cocktail coupe. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Fit a strawberry slice to the rim of the glass.

4. Berry Sweethearts:

2 oz. Tequila Avión Silver

3/4 oz. Lime Juice

1 tbsp. Black Currant Jam

Blackberry, for garnish

Lime wheel, for garnish

Directions: Combine all ingredients in an ice filled shaker, shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a Collins or highball glass. Garnish with blackberry and a lime wheel.

5. Amour Rouge:

1 part Grey Goose Vodka

1 part Pineau des Charentes

1/2 part Crème de Cassis

2 tsp Lemon Juice

1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters

1 small cluster Red Currants, for garnish

Lemon twist, for garnish

Directions: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all ingredients. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with zest of lemon and cluster of red currants.

Ruby Romance. (Courtesy Photo)

6. Ruby Romance:

1 oz. Viniq Ruby Shimmery Liqueur, chilled

Strawberry Moscato, chilled

White Chocolate Chips, for garnish

Strawberries, for garnish

Simple Syrup, for garnish

Pink sugar crystals and edible pink hearts, for garnish

Edible glitter dust, for garnish

Directions: Start making garnish by mixing sparkly pink sugar crystals and edible pink hearts together in a bowl. Dip rim of champagne flute in simple syrup on a plate and then dip glass lightly in sugar heart mix. Add chilled Viniq Ruby Shimmery Liqueur and Strawberry Moscato to champagne flute. Melt white chocolate chips, dip clean strawberry half way in chocolate. Place strawberries upside down on an egg carton tray and sprinkle with diamond shimmer edible glitter dust. Add chocolate covered strawberries as garnish. (Note: Edible glitter dust, edible hearts & sparkly sugar crystals available at your local craft store in the baking isle.)

7. A Kiss Before Midnight: (Created by Mixologist Alex Fletcher)

1 1/3 oz. Baileys Salted Caramel

1 oz. Zacapa Rum 23

2 oz. Chilled Espresso

1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Crushed Pretzels for Ggarnish

Directions: Place chocolate chips in a metal mixing bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring a boil. Hold the bowl of chocolate chips over the saucepan and slowly stir chocolate until melted. Once melted, lace the rim of a martini glass in the chocolate and dust with crushed pretzels. Place glass to the side. Combine Baileys Salted Caramel, Zacapa Rum 23 and chilled espresso in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain contents into garnished martini glass.

A Kiss Before Midnight. (Courtesy Photo)

8. Pomp Fizz: (Created by Zachary Taylor, Dirty Water)

1.5 oz. Patrón Reposado

.75 oz. Lemon Juice

.5 oz. Cinnamon Syrup*

1 heaping barspoon of Pomegranate Seeds

Prosecco

Pomp Fizz. (Courtesy Photo)

Directions: Build in shaker, adding tequila, juice, syrup, seeds and then ice. Shake vigorously and fine strain into a champagne flute. Top with Prosecco and then drop a bar spoon of pomegranate seeds into drink. Add 1 dash of angostura bitters to float on top.

*Cinnamon Syrup

1 cup Water

1 cup Sugar

2 sticks Canela (Mexican cinnamon), broken into pieces

Directions: Combine sugar, water and cinnamon in a sauce pan over medium heat and simmer until sugar is completely dissolved and a prominent cinnamon flavor develops. Transfer to a glass jar and Let cool. Store in refrigerator up to one month.

9. Locked Lips:

1 1/2 oz. Diplomático Reserva

1/2 oz. Vermouth Royal Rouge

1/3 oz. Orange Curaçao

1 small dash Grenadine

Directions: Stir ingredients with cracked ice, and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange zest twist.

The Smoked Blossom, Berry Sweethearts, Locked Lips, and Amarula Sunset. (Courtesy Photos)

10. Meehan’s Black Flip: (Created by Jim Meehan and Jeff Bell)

2 parts Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

1 1/2 parts Cruzan Black Strap Rum

1/2 part Demerara Syrup

1 whole Egg

Directions: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and swirl to decarbonate beer. Dry shake, shake with ice, and strain into a chilled fizz glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Meehan’s Black Flip. (Courtesy Photo)

11. Rescobler: (Created by Riccardo Tuttolomondo)

15 ml Lime

10 ml Sugar

2 Blueberries

2 Raspberries

45 ml Cerasuolo

15 ml Gin

Rescobler. (Courtesy Photo)

Directions: Muddle 2 blueberries and 2 raspberries. Add to shaker with ice, lime, sugar, gin, and Cerasuolo, and shake. Served with crushed ice in mug.

12. The Smoked Blossom: (Created by Dudley Delhagen, 2015 DeKuyper Cocktail Master)

1 part John DeKuyper & Sons Fleur Elderflower Liqueur

2 parts Connemara Irish Whiskey

1/2 part Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 part Simple Syrup

2 dashes Orange Bitters

1 Lemon twist, for garnish

Directions: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

13. Sangria Rosa:

1 1/2 oz. Rosa Regale

2 Strawberries

2 Pineapple cubes

1 1/2 oz. Raspberry Vodka

1/2 oz. Simple Syrup

1/2 oz. Lime Juice

1 oz. Soda

Pineapple Leaf, for garnish

Directions: Muddle 1 strawberry and pineapple. Add ice, raspberry vodka, simple syrup and lime juice, and shake. Add Rosa Regale and soda. Swirl and strain into 14 oz. glass over ice. Garnish with a Pineapple Leaf, skewered Pineapple and Strawberry.

Sangria Rosa. (Courtesy Photo)

14. Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Margarita: (Serves 2)

3 parts Sauza Silver Tequila

1 parts DeKuyper Triple Sec Liqueur

2 part Pucker Strawberry Schnapps

6 parts Sour Mix

2 Chocolate-Covered Strawberries, for garnish

Chocolate shavings for rimming

Directions: Add all ingredients to a blender, puree until smooth. Serve in glasses rimmed with chocolate shavings and garnish each with a chocolate-covered strawberry.