The 4 Most Patriotic Fourth of July Drink Ideas
Learn how to make patriotic cocktails for your Fourth of July events. Become a better mixologist with these red, white, and blue drinks.
The Fourth of July is almost synonymous with red, white, and blue. You have from now until this patriotic holiday to discover tri-color, refreshing beverages for your weekend events.
If you don’t know where to start, check out this list of four classic Fourth of July drinks below. We’ll show you how to use ingredients like blue curaçao and grenadine for a splash of color and others like champagne for a touch of class.
Whenever you’re planning a big event, try sticking to easy drink recipes to please a crowd. All of the recipes below result in sharing-size batches, and except the Jell-O shots—which take a bit of patience, planning, and foresight—these drinks won’t add any stress to the planning for your Fourth of July cookout. This way, you can focus on entertaining your guests and enjoying your patriotic food and drink.
Four easy, colorful Fourth of July cocktails
Fourth of July shots
This recipe is a patriotic cocktail legend with a tropical twist. If you're looking for a way to infuse your Fourth of July drinks with Malibu rum, you’ve found it. And, if you don’t love Malibu, you can always make this cocktail recipe with vodka or a less flavorful spirit.
Whenever making layered Jell-O shots, you have to prepare each color separately. Jell-O takes at least two hours to firm up, so be sure to make this cocktail beforehand.
Begin with the blue layer by first cooking the gelatin following the package instructions, and then, once cooled, add in one-half cup of Malibu rum. Pour the blue Jello-O into the bottom of a plastic shot glass and refrigerate. The top layer of red Jell-O follows the same preparation process as the blue layer, but the white middle layer requires a different approach.
To make the white layer, mix Coconut Cream Jell-O Pudding, one-fourth cup of Malibu, and 1 ¾ cup milk in a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture for two minutes, then immediately pour it over the hardened layer of blue Jell-O in the shot glasses. This layer doesn’t take long to firm up, so leave the glasses in the refrigerator only while you’re making the red layer. Pour the red Jell-O on top, chill, and serve.
Bartender’s Tip: Whenever making many Jell-O shots, place the individual glasses in a casserole dish. This allows you to quickly move them with the whole container from the refrigerator instead of transporting each little glass.
Layered frozen margaritas
You may not associate the fourth of July with tequila drinks, considering that this spirit is usually used to celebrate Mexican events. But what’s a party without margaritas?
You make this cocktail in layers by creating each separately in a blender and then adding one on top of the other. Start with the red layer by liquifying 2 cups of ice, 2 ounces of silver (blanco) tequila, 1 ounce of triple sec, and 2 ounces of grenadine. Divide the red slush between 4 big margarita glasses or mason jars. Then rinse your blender and start the blue layer. Blend 2 cups of ice, 2 ounces of silver tequila, 1 ounce of triple sec, and 2 ounces of blue curaçao, and pour on top. For the final white layer, blend 2 cups of ice, 2 ounces of silver tequila, 1 ounce of triple sec, and 2 ounces of lime juice.
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Red, white, and blue sangria
This year, skip the Fourth of July punch and opt for the refined version of this fruity alcoholic drink: Sangria. This recipe is loaded with fresh fruit and is almost too pretty to drink.
To make, stir one 750-milliliter bottle of white wine, 2 cups of sliced strawberries, 2 cups of blueberries, 1 cup of raspberries, and one-half cup of brandy or orange liqueur in a large pitcher. Cover the pitcher with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. When ready to serve, stir in one 750-milliliter bottle of champagne or sparkling wine. If you want to cut back on the booze in this recipe, lemon-lime or club soda. Divide the drinks between highball or other tall cocktail glasses over ice cubes. Garnish with apple slices cut out using a star-shaped cookie cutter and serve with red-striped paper straws. We won’t tell if you keep making this perfect summer drink even after your July party.
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Firecracker popsicle-tail
Champagne makes everything better, including popsicles. When this bubbly beverage is used in a cocktail, it’s normally the star ingredient. Many champagne cocktails don’t contain more than just a couple of add-ins, allowing the wine to shine.
Make your Fourth of July drinks with champagne by simply inserting inverted red, white, and blue rocket popsicles into separate glasses of bubbling wine. Put the popsicles in before pouring the champagne to better estimate the volume of each glass and prevent spillage. If you don’t want to stick popsicles into an expensive bottle of champagne, you can also use cava, prosecco, or whatever sparkling wine you have on hand. You can even make this a mocktail by using sparkling cider or water.
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If you’re prepping for a big party, let Gopuff lend you a hand. You can order everything you need—from food to booze—in seconds from your phone and focus on getting your decorations and guest list just right while you wait for your order to arrive.
