Hop to it! This Easter pour some fun and colorful cocktails like a Bubbly Bunny or white chocolate Peter Cottontail.
“It’s a spin on the traditional chocolate martini,” explained Melissa Gregory, event coordinator at Bourbon Blue in Manayunk. “It’s a little bit lighter flavor-wise. It’s not going to be too overly sweet.”
Serve it in a pastel, sugar-rimmed martini glass or break out the bubbly for a twist on a mimosa, featuring champagne and tart cherry juice.
“I like the uniqueness of the cherry because you don’t see the tart cherry in a lot of drinks,” she said. Plus, “it will be nice and pink.”
Also pretty in pink: a Peeps Cocktail with cherry vodka, triple sec, half-and-half and grenadine.
Prefer something nonalcoholic? Young and old can dive into a Swimming Peeps Mocktini.
“Growing up, Easter was always about chocolate – chocolate and Peeps,” recalled Perry “PJ” Dortone of PJ Bartending in Broomall, whose creamy chocolate martini is more of a “dessert-type treat.”
His berry-rich spring sangria tastes as good as it looks. And if you love jelly beans, try a passion fruit jelly bean martini.
“It’s nice and simple,” Dortone described. “People like it because it tastes like a passion fruit jelly bean.”
Peter CottontailINGREDIENTSSimple syrup
Colored sugar crystals2 ounces vanilla vodka
1/2 ounce light creme de cacao3 ounces milk or cream
Splash grenadineINSTRUCTIONSRim martini glass with simple syrup and colored sugar crystals. Add remaining ingredients to mixing glass, over ice. Shake hard and strain into sugar-coated martini glass. Serves 1.
RECIPE COURTESY OF BOURBON BLUE
Bubbly BunnyINGREDIENTS5 ounces brut champagne
1/2 ounce tart cherry juiceTart cherry with stem
INSTRUCTIONSPour tart cherry juice into flute and top with champagne. Garnish with tart cherry. Serves 1.
RECIPE COURTESY OF BOURBON BLUE
The Swimming Peeps MocktiniINGREDIENTS
1 (0.13-ounce) package blue, berry-flavored unsweetened drink mix
1 cup of lemonade2 drops of blue food coloring
1 Peeps Marshmallow ChickINSTRUCTIONS
Mix all ingredients together in a martini glass. Top with a Peeps Marshmallow Chick and enjoy! Serves 1.
RECIPE COURTESY OF OUR MINI FAMILY
Peeps CocktailINGREDIENTSLemon wedge
Colored sugar1 1/2 ounces cherry vodka
1/2 ounce triple sec3 ounces half-and-half
Dash of grenadine1 Marshmallow Peep
INSTRUCTIONSRim a martini glass with the lemon wedge and then dip the rim in colored sugar. Set aside. To a shaker filled with ice, add the cherry vodka, triple sec, half-and-half and grenadine until chilled. Strain into prepared glass and garnish with the Marshmallow Peep. Serve immediately. Serves 1.
RECIPE COURTESY OF LOVE BAKES GOOD CAKES
Creamy Chocolate MartiniINGREDIENTS
2 ounces vodka1 ounce creme de cacao
1 ounce Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1 ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream1 ounce heavy cream
Chocolate shavings for garnishINSTRUCTIONS
Add liquids to shaker with ice and shake hard. Strain into a martini glass. Shave chocolate on top by scraping chocolate bar with a knife. Serves 1.
RECIPE COURTESY OF PJ BARTENDING
Spring SangriaINGREDIENTS1 1/2 ounces brandy
1 bottle Pinot Grigio1 1/2 ounces vodka
1/2 gallon white grapefruit juice
Blueberries, strawberries, lemon, lychee or passion fruit
INSTRUCTIONSCombine liquids in large pitcher with ice. Add blueberries, strawberries, lemon, lychee or passion fruit.
RECIPE COURTESY OF PJ BARTENDING
Passion Fruit Jelly Bean Martini
INGREDIENTS1 handful of passion fruit jelly beans
2 ounces vodka5 ounces passion fruit juice
INSTRUCTIONSMuddle jelly beans in the bottom of a shaker. Pour vodka on top and fill with passion fruit juice. Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Drop in a jelly bean. Serves 1.
RECIPE COURTESY OF PJ BARTENDING