Cocktail Recipes: 4th of July Edition

Must be 21+ or over legal drinking age to consume. Please drink responsibly.

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Most people don’t know this, but the 4th of July is my favorite holiday (besides Christmas). I love it all–the cookouts, friends and family, fireworks, and just celebrating America’s independence. My family always does a big cookout every 4th, but this year, my boyfriend and I will be hosting, and everyone knows that when it comes to hosting a good party, both good food and drinks are a requirement. You can’t have one without the other, and what would the Fourth of July be without some good cocktails?! So, I’ve decided to round up the most festive drinks for this holiday below. Let freedom ring while you sip on these red, white, and boozy cocktails this Independence Day.

*Disclaimer: I learned how to bartend using the free pour method, and that is still how I make drinks today. I’ve included some conversions from counting to oz below. If you don’t have any measuring tools available to use, you can use the free pour counting method. Simply count to that number in your head at a normal speed to get the right amount.

CONVERSION MEASUREMENTS:

• 6 count = 3 oz
• 4 count = 2 oz
• 2 count = 1/2 oz

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Mermaid Lemonade

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• Lemonade
• Blue Curacao
• White Rum
• Maraschino Cherries
• 1 Lemon Slice (to garnish)
• 16 oz Glass
• Ice

HOW-TO:

1. Fill glass up about 1/4 of the way with ice.
2. Add in a 3 count of blue curacao, followed by a 4 count of white rum.
3. Add more ice into glass. Fill up to just underneath rim.
4. Pour in lemonade.
5. Garnish with maraschino cherries and a lemon slice either in glass or on cocktail skewer.

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Red, White, and Blue Margarita

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED*:

*This drink is a layered drink and each layer will require different ingredients. You’ll also need a blender and traditional margarita glass or 16 oz glass. This recipe also yields 2 servings. For 1 serving, cut ingredients in half.

• For the Red Layer:
  • 3 cups of ice
  • 2 oz silver tequila
  • 1 oz triple sec
  • 2 oz grenadine
• For the Blue Layer:
  • 3 cups of ice
  • 2 oz silver tequila
  • 1 oz triple sec
  • 2 oz blue curacao
• For the White Layer:
  • 3 cups of ice
  • 2 oz silver tequila
  • 1 oz triple sec
  • 2 oz fresh lime juice (made from squeezing juice out of limes into separate glass)

HOW-TO:

1. Combine ingredients for red layer in blender and blend until everything’s even and smooth, then divide evenly into 2 glasses.
2. Repeat for blue layer, followed by white layer.
3. Serve immediately.

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Cherry Bomb Mimosas

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• Pineapple Juice
• Maraschino Cherry Juice
• Champagne
• 1 Orange Slice (to garnish)
• Champagne Flute
• Thin Spoon/Straw (to stir)

HOW-TO:

1. In champagne flute, pour in pineapple juice about 1/4 of the way. Add in a 2 count of maraschino cherry juice.
2. Stir ingredients with a thin spoon or straw.
3. Fill rest of flute up with champagne.
4. Garnish with an orange slice.

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My Sparkling Summer Drink

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• Prosecco
• Fresca (substitute a citrus flavored sparkling water or zero-calorie soda if necessary)
• 1 Orange Slice
• Ice
• 16 oz Glass

For more details on this drink, check out the full article here.

HOW-TO:

1. Fill glass halfway with ice.
2. Fill up 3/4 of glass with Prosecco.
3. Top with Fresca, stopping just below the rim.
4. Plop in an orange slice and enjoy responsibly! *You may squeeze the orange slice into glass then plop it in if you want to, though I don’t.

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Blue Crush Margarita

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• Silver Tequila
• Blue Curacao
• Triple Sec
• Fresh Lemon Juice (made from squeezing juice out of lemons into separate glass)
• Soda Water
• Ice
• Pint Glass
• Cocktail Shaker + Strainer
• Salt (for rim)
• 1 Lemon Slice (to garnish)

HOW-TO:

1. Fill cocktail shaker up with ice.
2. Pour a 4 count of tequila, a 3 count of blue curacao, a 2 count of triple sec, and a 2 count of fresh lemon juice into cocktail shaker.
3. Shake well–cocktail shaker should be cold to the touch!
4. Optional: if you want a salted rim, pour salt onto plate or napkin, wet rim of pint glass using a slice of lemon, then dip into salt.
5. Pour contents of cocktail shaker into pint glass. Add more ice, stopping just below the rim.
6. Fill up remainder of glass with soda water.
7. Garnish with a lemon slice.

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Sour Watermelon Slushies

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED*:

*This recipe requires preparation 1 day in advance.

• 1/4 cup Sour Patch Watermelons
• Vodka (I prefer Tito’s or Ketel One)
• Lemonade
• Sprite (substitute Sprite Zero for healthier option, this is what I like to do)
• 8 oz Glass
• Blender
• Ice
• Pink Food Coloring (optional)
• Pink and White Sprinkles (for rim)
• 1 Lemon Wedge
• Cocktail Skewer

PREP:

1. Pour 1/4 cup of Sour Patch Watermelons into glass, then fill up with vodka.
2. Cover, then allow to soak overnight.

HOW-TO:

1. Pour pink and white sprinkles onto separate plate or napkin. Mix together.
2. Wet rim of glass using a lemon wedge, then dip into sprinkle mix. Set aside.
3. Take glass with Sour Patch Watermelons and vodka and strain 3 oz of it into blender. Set aside candy.
4. Add in 1/2 cup of ice, a 2 count of lemonade, and a 2 count of Sprite/Sprite Zero.
   1. Optional: add in 1-2 drops of pink food coloring.
5. Blend ingredients well and evenly.
6. Pour into 8 oz glass.
7. Place 2 Sour Patch Watermelons on cocktail skewer and place in glass or above rim.

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Not Your Regular Strawberry Margarita

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 Container of Strawberries
• Silver Tequila
• Triple Sec
• Fresh Lime Juice (made from squeezing juice out of limes into separate glass)
• Strawberry Simple Syrup
• 1 Packet of Sugar (for rim) *You may substitute 1 packet of Splenda for a healthier option.
• 16 oz Glass
• Ice
• Cocktail Shaker + Strainer

STRAWBERRY SIMPLE SYRUP DIRECTIONS:

1. The night before making this cocktail, take about 1/2 of the strawberries out of the container.
2. Remove stem from strawberries and cut into thin slices.
3. In a saucepan, combine sliced strawberries, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar.
   1. Splenda or any other artificial sweetener may be substituted for sugar.
4. Bring to a boil on stove, stirring frequently, until strawberries have softened and the liquid has turned a deep, dark red.
5. Strain simple syrup into a container or glass through a fine mesh strainer.
   1. Strawberries can either be discarded or stored in fridge to be used for something else, like yogurt.
6. Cover simple syrup and store in fridge overnight.

HOW-TO:

1. Remove stems from 3-5 strawberries and cut into thin slices.
2. Put 4 slices of strawberries into cocktail shaker, pour in a 4 count of tequila, and a 1 count of strawberry simple syrup.
3. Muddle strawberries and tequila together with either a muddler, fork, or the back of a spoon by pressing strawberries into liquid to infuse strawberry flavor.
4. Add in a 2 count of triple sec, a 2 count of lime juice, and 1 count of strawberry simple syrup.
5. Fill rest of cocktail shaker up with ice.
6. Shake well! Cocktail shaker should be cold to the touch!
7. Pour 1/2 of packet of sugar onto separate plate, then wet rim of glass and dip into sugar.
8. Pour cocktail shaker into glass.
9. Garnish with 1 strawberry on rim.