Entertaining

9 Best Valentine’s Day Cocktails

Champagne is always a great idea for date night, but you can make it even more special by adding a splash of crème de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur that will turn your glass of bubbly a romantic shade of red.

Practice pronouncing this one correctly beforehand (view kah-ray), then seduce your date with this sultry, bittersweet blend of rye, sweet vermouth, Cognac and Bénédictine.

Sure to stand out in a crowd of pink drinks, this sweet and sour gin cocktail gets its purple hue from floral crème de violette.

This extravagant take on the classic Martini from Brooklyn’s Sauvage uses juniper-heavy gin and a complexly layered dry vermouth. It’s served with a sidecar of garnishes, including edible flowers, caper berries, juniper and lemon twists, for a fun choose-your-own adventure-style cocktail.

Our twist on the standard, syrupy sweet Chocotini forgoes store bought chocolate liqueur in favor of a homemade version. This rummy result achieves the ideal balance of sweet, bitter, spicy and fruity.

If you’re in the mood for a more traditional, decadent Chocolate Martini, go for this one from New York’s Ayza. Made with coffee liqueur, raspberry-flavored Chambord and heavy cream, it’s garnished with a Valentine’s Day-appropriate mound of dark chocolate shavings.

Trade out your normal glass of vino for a more sensual, full-bodied red wine cocktail, made with rich and jammy ruby port, bracing rye whiskey and bittersweet Cynar.

For an even more indulgent wine cocktail, whip up this warming hot chocolate inspired by red velvet cake. Fruity merlot, milk and two kinds of chocolate come together in this rosy-hued drink. A topping of sweet and tangy cream cheese whipped cream takes it over the edge.

Finish off the night with this gorgeous yet simple dessert cocktail from New York’s Butter and Scotch. Dry rosé wine and lightly bitter, orange-flavored Aperol keep this cocktail from becoming too sweet, while a scoop of strawberry ice cream makes it worthy of Valentine’s Day. Cozy up with two spoons and share it old-timey ice cream float-style with your date.