7 Vanderpump-Approved Tips For Making Decadent Valentine's Day Dessert Cocktails - Exclusive
Valentine's Day is all about showing people whom you love how much you appreciate and care for them. Oh, yeah, and it's also about the terrific array of foods that accompany the holiday. We're talking about the best Valentine's chocolates, elaborate dinners, and of course, the showstopping cocktails. Even if you don't have a Valentine this year, you can still indulge in the best that the holiday has to offer by trying your hand at making a tasty and seasonally-inspired dessert cocktail.
If you're planning to enjoy this Valentine's Day at home, or you just want to step up your cocktail game with more seasonal selections, we got some tips from the experts on how to craft boozy drinks that embody the spirit and flavors of Valentine's Day, courtesy of the staff from Pinky's by Vanderpump at Flamingo Las Vegas. In no time, you'll be crafting over-the-top chocolate martinis and outrageous, effervescent tipples that are guaranteed to win over the hearts and taste buds of everyone who gets to sip them.
Balance out the flavors in your cocktails
Balance is key for everything, including cocktails. Pandora Vanderpump Sabo, the mixologist at Vanderpump Family Brands, recommends taking a balanced approach to cocktail making, including the beverages that are "sweet and sinful" — like the chocolate martini. "I love a touch of something bitter or unexpected in my dessert cocktails, like a few dashes of chocolate bitters or even some spicy bitters," she says. These flavors will work in harmony with the sweet ones, in turn creating a beverage that's easily sippable and tasty. "Something with an edge really brings out the sweetness and makes for a delicious experience," Sabo says.
There are many dessert cocktails that are made better with bitters, including everything from white Russian and lemon drop martini to Irish coffee and amaretto sour. Start exploring these combinations by adding small amounts of bitters and tasting as you go. These flavorful additions will allow you to make cocktails that are not only complex and enjoyable, but also avoid falling into the sugar-bomb territory.
Play with more unconventional flavors
Valentine's Day cocktails are often associated with all things red and sweet. But, that doesn't mean you always have to opt for heavy ingredients that easily take over and overwhelm your senses. "Yes, a play on an espresso martini or a chocolate martini is always a great go-to, but you don't have to be limited to those," says Pandora Vanderpump Sabo. Instead, she suggests opting for complex liquors, like cognac and spiced rum, or going with elderflower liqueur for an after-dinner drink. While these alcohols might not scream Valentine's Day right off the bat, they offer a delectable pairing for other mixers. "You can create something decadent with a hint of sweetness that's perfect to close out your night!"
Using unconventional boozy additions also opens up the opportunity to create beverages that are light and refreshing, like our Valentine's Day Floradora cocktail. The effervescent combination of raspberry-infused gin, rose water, and ginger ale is the perfect pick-me-up to start your special evening out right.
Let the classics be an inspiration
If you don't consider yourself a well-trained mixologist, fear not. There are various ways you can use the classics, including both cocktails and desserts, to craft unique Valentine's Day beverages that taste and look amazing. Pandora Vanderpump Sabo suggests first considering what type of dessert you like to eat and then basing a beverage on that choice. For example, Vanderpump's Birthday Baby cocktail is a riff on a white chocolate-covered strawberry. Sabo suggests looking for inspiration in other desserts, including Almond Joy, apple pie, and even tiramisu.
Although having a theme for your beverages is important, you can also fuel your creative genius by thinking about the flavors and components of your favorite cocktails. For example, you can try a play on an espresso martini and incorporate caramel and apple to contrast the bitter notes of the cocktail. Another idea is to amp up a classic mudslide by adding Nutella.
Use garnishes to elevate your cocktail
Making the boozy base of your creative Valentine's Day cocktail is part of the fun. The other, and arguably more enjoyable, part is getting to play with cheeky garnishes to turn the beverage into something absolutely over the top. "Dessert cocktails are not serious," says Pandora Vanderpump Sabo. "They're the perfect time to dress up a glass with fun garnishes — sprinkles, cookies, you name it."
Lisa Vanderpump thinks the same, especially when it comes to the Birthday Baby cocktail — which is about as stunning to look at as it is to sip on. "The visuals are very important to me and, with the sprinkles and signature flamingo macaron, this cocktail is decadent and gorgeous," she says.
That being said, you don't have to whip up a batch of macarons to give your Valentine's Day cocktail some pizzazz. For one, cocktail garnishes are designed to enhance the flavors and aromas in your drink, so you'll want to select something that's as much about function as it is about form. Think fruits and citrus peels — and if all else fails, add a piece of Valentine's Day candy on top.
Opt to add color with fresh fruit
Valentine's Day cocktails are all about the pinks and the reds. Luckily, there are tons of different ingredients that you can utilize to integrate these colors into your beverage. Take a page out of Vanderpump's playbook and use a variety of fresh fruits and fruit juices to color your beverage. A great example is the non-alcoholic Flamingo Pink made with strawberry, coconut cream, lemon, soda, and aquafaba. If you're looking to cool off from something hot and steamy, consider trying a frosé inspired by Vanderpump's Rizz Rosé, with vodka, rosé wine, lemon, strawberry, raspberry, and St. Germain.
You can also play with different freeze dried fruit powders, like blueberry and strawberry, to add a pinch of color and fruity flavor to your beverage without diluting the alcohol. While a little pinch may not totally alter a dense and heavily-flavored chocolate martini or a mudslide, it does allow you to personalize your beverage and give it a unique, colorful Valentine's Day twist.
Make your cocktail an experience
Sipping on a tasty Valentine's Day cocktail with a loved one is an experience in itself. But, one thing that you should expect if you visit one of Vanderpump's locations or if you try making one of its signature cocktails at home is that there is going to be something fun, pink, and whimsical attached to it.
Vanderpump à Paris, for example, served a Lovelocked Cocktail in 2024. It came with a padlock attached to one of the glasses, while the key was located at the bottom of the other glass. As you sip, you can unlock the padlock and write your initials on the back. When the guests finish with their meal, the padlocks are added to the wall to signify an everlasting commitment. While it might seem a little gimmicky, not to mention cheesy, adding some sort of fun twist to your cocktail will elevate your entire experience. These ideas don't have to be super complicated (and involve a trip to the hardware store) either. For example, you can easily add an experiential component to your Valentine's Day cocktail by writing or decorating the glasses and using them for future Valentine's Day spent together.
Integrate other aphrodisiacs into your drink
When people think of Valentine's Day, there are often several different foods that come to mind — mostly things like strawberries, caviar, and chocolates. One thing that these foods have in common is that they are all considered to be edible aphrodisiacs in one way or another. Whether their connection to all things romantic is rooted in science or just myth, eating these items on Valentine's Day surely makes things extra special. And with a little inspiration from Vanderpump, you can also indulge in them in your cocktails, too.
Pinky's by Vanderpump offers a unique cocktail called the Pump & Bump — made with the standard martini add-ins and a spoonful of caviar on top. While martinis (and caviar, nonetheless) may not be considered dessert cocktails, you can mimic the idea by using other ingredients with aphrodisiac-like qualities in your tipples. Think honey, pomegranate, strawberries, and of course, chocolate, for your dessert cocktail course.