4 Mixed Drinks To Serve On The Fourth Of July

The summer is right around the corner, which means the celebration of the independence of America is soon to be underway. Whether you’re hosting a large party or celebrating with just a few friends, there’s no excuse not to have a fabulous Fourth of July cocktail recipe handy. Now, mixed drinks can be hard to make, so it’s important that you are careful with your measurements to ensure a tasty and responsibly portioned drink. Many of these also require multiple ingredients, so consider making a list before heading to the liquor and grocery stores. These four drinks are all red, white, and blue-themed, so you can celebrate the Fourth of July in style!

1. Red, White, and Blue Jello Shots

I’m sure we’ve all heard of Jello Shots, right? Jello Shots are essentially exactly what they sound like; there’s some kind of hard alcohol, generally, vodka, infused with the Jello mix to make a sweet yet noticeably spiked party treat. These are incredibly easy and fun to make mixed drinks, and only require five total ingredients and a few shot glasses (disposable or glass). You’ll just need a bottle of vodka, water, Cherry or Strawberry Jello mix for the red shots, Berry Blue Jello mix for the blue shots, and an unflavored clear Jello mix for the “white” shots (you could also add a dash of sugar to these if you have it handy).

An easy way to make Jello shots is to start by boiling the water for the gelatin mixes. Once it’s boiled, take it off of the heat and pour into separate bowls, one for red, one for blue, and one for clear (white). Whisk the respective Jello mixes into their own bowls, and quickly add cold water and vodka to each of the mixes. Whisk each bowl evenly, and boom! you’ll have three big bowls of Jello shots! To portion, simply pour into small cups, shot glasses, sauce cups, or any other type of small containers you have handy. To layer the look, Once they are portioned, place the shots in the refrigerator to harden. Once they have that signature bouncy gelatin texture, they’re ready to serve!

2. Watermelon-Blueberry Cooler

Watermelon is an iconic summer treat, served and enjoyed by all ages. It has a very sweet yet subtle flavor, which makes it perfect for adding to mixed drinks, especially summery ones. With the watermelon, you have the red, and with the blueberry vodka added in, you have the blue. For this drink, you’ll need to have a blender handy to make the slushie-like texture of the cooler. For ingredients, you’ll need watermelon, blueberry vodka, lemon wedges/lemon juice, ice, and blue sugar for the rim of the glass.

This one is fairly easy to make, the main challenge is simply measuring everything out. For each drink (serving) you’ll want about 6 ounces of watermelon, 1 ounce of blueberry vodka, a lemon wedge, and an amount of ice that fits your preference. First, blend the watermelon, vodka, and lemon juice squeezed from the wedge until pureed. Then, add your preferred amount of ice, and blend once again until smooth. Before pouring into the glass, rub the lemon wedge over the rim of the glass, and then flip it over and place the rim in the blue sugar. This adds a tasty little garnish that helps keep the red and blue spirit of Independence Day alive!

3. Berry White Wine Sangria

Sangrias are mixed drinks that have a red or white wine base. Sangria comes from Spain, or Portugal, depending on who you ask, but either way, it’s a lovely drink to serve on the Fourth of July. Sangrias can be customized to your own preference, meaning you can choose whatever type of wine you’d like to add to this recipe. Although to keep the red, white, and blue theme intact, you’ll have a better result with white wine. There is also a bit of vodka added to this mixed drink, so if you’d prefer a drink without vodka, feel free to swap it for some other hard liquor you like, extra brandy, or simply go without it for a lighter, sweeter taste.

You’ll need a whole bottle of wine for this one, and as mentioned above, preferably a dry white wine. You’ll also need 1 cup of lemon-lime soda, 1/2 cup of raspberry vodka, 1/4 cup of brandy, and some fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Mix the wine, soda, vodka, and brandy in a large pitcher and set aside. Place a few raspberries and strawberries in the bottom of the glass and mush a bit to release the flavor and juices. Add ice and a few blueberries, and then fill the glass with the sangria mix. You’ll have a beautiful red, white, and blue-colored mixed drink to celebrate July 4th in the best way!

4. Blackberry Gin & Tonic

Gin & tonics have been a mixed drink staple since they became popular way back in the early 19th century. Soldiers who were part of the British East India Company in India would drink quinine in tonic water as a treatment for and preventative of malaria, which was common in that region. However, tonic water alone didn’t cover the taste of the quinine. British officers would begin mixing a bit of gin, sugar, and lime juice with the tonic water and quinine to make it more pleasurable to drink, and thus, the famous gin & tonic was created!

For Independence Day, which coincidentally represents America’s separation from Britain, why not enjoy a blackberry gin & tonic? Yet another relatively easy drink to make, the blackberry gin & tonic is one of those great mixed drinks to have at your party, especially if you’d like a bit of variety. Different from the other three options which all contain vodka, this drink obviously contains the hard liquor gin instead. To make a single serving blackberry gin & tonic, you’ll need 6 blackberries, 1 lime wedge (or lime juice), 1-ounce simple syrup, 2 ounces gin, and 3 ounces of tonic water. You’ll need something to shake the mix in, so get some type of covered container and place the blackberries on the bottom. Mush them up, add the lime juice, gin, syrup, and a few ice cubes. Give this mixture a shake, and add to a glass filled with ice. To finish the drink, pour the tonic water on top, and garnish with blackberries, and a lime wedge!