Creative Valentine's Day Cocktails You Can Make At Home

D'USSE

Did you know that Cognac is actually an aphrodisiac? It was often sought as an aphrodisiac in the French court – most notably, Henry IV, drank a shot of cognac with egg yolk every morning to boost his "virility." D'USSE makes it easy to create flirty and tasty cocktails.

THE STORM
1½ parts D'USSÉ™ VSOP Cognac
½ part triple sec
½ part grenadine
1 part cranberry juice
1 part ginger beer (or ginger ale)

SERVE: Build first four ingredients with ice in a rocks glass and top with ginger   beer.
GARNISH: Orange wheel

Valentino

Sometimes you just want a bit of bubbly on Valentine's Day. Recreate the Valentino cocktail, offered over at Le Club Avenue in Long Branch, NJ. General Manager Thierry Carrier, uses passionfruit puree, strawberry liquor, vodka, and grenadine to create a special Valentino Mix to add to sparkling wine. Don't forget the garnish of a strawberry leaf! He also suggests serving it up in a champagne glass for an even more elegant effect.

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 oz. house-made Valentino Mix
Top with Varichon dry sparkling wine
Garnish: Strawberry w Leaf
Glassware: Champagne Glass

VALENTINO MIX:
3/4 Qt. Passion Fruit Puree
3 oz. Vodka
1.5 oz. Fragoli Wild Strawberry Liqueur
1 oz. Grenadine

Mundo Love

If you're looking for something sweet and tart then definitely try out Mundo's vodka and Chambord-based cocktail. The bi-level restaurant, located in the Paper Factory Hotel is mixing up the Mundo Love, an elixir that is sure to incite passion and excitement. If you like raspberries and cranberries, you're in luck. The color of this cocktail is gorgeous and perfect for Valentine's Day celebrating. Cheers.

INGREDIENTS
1 oz. raspberry vodka
1 oz. citrus vodka
½ oz. Chambord
¾ oz. lemon juice
1 tbsp. simple syrup
2 tbsps cranberry juice.

Bottled Sparkling Negroni

You'll win brownie points for making the adorable Bottled Sparkling Negroni, courtesy of Mr. Purple. Combine Bombay Sapphire gin, Campari, Dolin Rouge vermouth, and water, let it chill, and carbonate. This works best bottled in 187 ml glass bottles. Throw a cap on top, refrigerate, and you're all set. Don't forget to wrap a little notecard around it for effect. Your Valentine is sure to love this festive drink.

INGREDIENTS
1 oz. Bombay Sapphire gin
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Dolin Rouge vermouth
2 oz. water

Method: Combine ingredients, chill, and carbonate. Bottle in 187ml glass bottles. Cap and refrigerate.

Il Bacio

Create a beautifully feminine cocktail courtesy of Osteria Morini in SoHo. The Il Bacio is not only lovely to admire at but it tastes as elegant as it looks. This vodka based drink combines strawberry puree, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg whites. The process is a little different, starting with a dry shake followed by adding ice and shaking again. After straining it into a coup glass, don't forget to top with dried rose bud and petals.

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ oz. Grey Goose
1 oz.   Strawberry Puree
¾ oz.   Lemon Juice
¼ oz.   Simple
1 Egg White

Method: Combine ingredients in a tin shaker and dry shake. Add ice and shake. Double strain into glass. Garnish with dried pink rose bud and petals.

Winter Rose

The folks over at New York Yankees Steakhouse know how to make one mean cocktail. Their Winter Rose drink is perfect for Valentine's Day and is filled with flavor thanks to a base of gin, Aperol, and Pama liqueur. The addition of cranberry bitters, red cranberry juice, and a sprig of rosemary makes it truly unique. Just make sure to chill your martini glass before straining for that extra touch of sophistication.

INGREGIENTS
1 1/oz. Brockman's gin
1/2 oz. Pama liqueur
1/2oz. Aperol
2 dashes of cranberry bitters
1-2 rosemary sprigs
2oz. Red cranberry juice

Method: Combine all ingredients in mixing tin and shake with ice. Strain and pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.

The Love Bird

Casa Neta has created a very special cocktail to sip on this Valentine's Day. Fans of mezcal will enjoy sipping on The Lovebird. It's made with Sombra Mezcal, Avua Amburana Cachaca, Aperol, pineapple juice, lime juice, and cinnamon syrup. Plus, it's served with plenty of mint leaves in a pretty adorable glass. You'll definitely want to make this one at home.

INGREDIENTS
2oz Sombra Mezcal
1oz Avua Amburana Cachaca
1oz Aperol
4oz Fresh Pineapple Juice
.5 Lime Juice
.5 Cinnamon Syrup

Twelfth Night

Derrick Turner over at Harding's knows exactly what ingredients to combine to make a sweet & spicy concoction. This Valentine's Day, create a chocolatey treat using vodka, orange juice, semi sweet chocolate, pepper, cane sugar, and egg white. The secret ingredient? Dry ice.

INGREDIENTS
1.75oz vodka
.50oz Orange Juice
.25oz Melted semi sweet chocolate
1/4 tsp pepper
.25oz cane sugar
1 egg white

METHOD
Combine all ingredients into mixing tin with no ice. Dry shake very hard for 15 to 20 seconds
Open the tin up, add ice to it
Shake hard for 10 seconds
Rim Collins glass in water, then dab it in coco powder
Add ice to glass
Double strain into ice

My Funny Valentine

Skylark
200 W. 39th St., 30th Fl.
New York, NY 10018
212-257-4577

Grab a seat at Skylark and enjoy the beautiful views of Manhattan. Cheers to another Valentine's Day from the 30th floor with their special drink of the evening, My Funny Valentine. This beautiful cocktail is made with St. Germain, Singani 63, pomegranate liquor, lemon juice, Peychaud's and lavender bitters, and garnished with a lovely rose petal. It's the perfect mix of sweet and sour.

In a tin:

-2 oz Singani 63
-.75 oz St Germain
-.75 oz Pomegranate Liquor
..25 oz Lemon Juice
-2 Dashes of Peychaud's Bitters
-2 Dashes of Lavender Bitters
-Shake with ice and into a martini glass
-Garnish with a rose petal

Between the Sheets

This crafty cocktail is as sensual as it sounds. It's also plenty strong, as its a sidecar with a twist, and perfect during dinner... or right before hitting the sheets. This neat drink is best served in a stylish coupe glass which will also make a great gift for your Valentine.

INGREDIENTS
1 part light rum
1 part cognac
1 part triple sec
1/4 part fresh lemon juice
1 flamed orange peel (garnish)

METHOD
1. Put all ingredients into shaker along with ice.
2. Shake well, and then strain the drink into a coupe glass.
3. Flame an orange peel (squeeze an orange peel over a flame over the cocktail), and then discard the peel.

Merry Valentine

Sip on the Merry Valentine cocktail at by CHLOE and get whisked away to a tropical haven. This festive pink drink is made with agave nectar, triple sec, tequila, lime juice, and Merry Prankster and is just as tasty as it is pretty. It's served in a stemless wine glass and garnished with edible flowers. Need we say more? Grab it at the restaurant on Valentine's Day or make it at home.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 oz. Agave Nectar
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1.5 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Lime Juice
2.5 oz. Merry Prankster

Garnish w/ lime wedge & edible flowers

PREPARATION:
1) Fill glass with ice
2) Add 1.5oz Silver Tequila
3) Add .5oz Triple Sec
4) Add .5oz Agave Nectar
5) Add 1oz Lime juice
6) Add 2.5oz Merry Prankster
7) Pour contents into shaker and shake vigorously
8) Pour back into stemless wine glass, garnish with lime wedge and edible flowers

Mojito

Mojitos may be most associated with summer, but just think of them as another way to bring some heat to your Valentine's Day. Plus, it helps that this cocktail is often named as a favorite. For the perfect concoction, be sure to make in a highball glass and pair it with the gift of a new cocktail shaker set.

INGREDIENTS:
1 part simple syrup
1 part fresh lime juice
2 parts white rum
2 parts club soda
6 mint leaves
Garnish: 1 mint sprig

METHOD:
1. Lightly muddle the mint in a shaker.
2. To the shaker, add the rum, lime juice, as well as simple syrup. Also fill the shaker with ice.
3. Shake well.
4. Pour the cocktail into a highball glass (don't strain).
5. Finish the drink with some club soda, and garnish with the mint sprig.

Cranberry Love Vodka

What's more romantic than a red-colored cocktail, the color of love? This is a classic recipe, one that can be made whenever you're in the mood for a cocktail that has just the right amount of sweetness. Be sure to chill the cocktail glass before serving too, and serve with a lemon garnish. Find some fun glasses, straws or anything to add something special to your drink.

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 parts vodka
2 parts cranberry juice
1 squeeze of lime juice

METHOD:
1. Put all ingredients -- along with ice -- in a cocktail shaker.
2. Strain the ingredients and pour into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Finish with a garnish of lemon.