Purple Rain Cocktail Recipe

This Purple Rain cocktail is as pretty as it is delicious and refreshing. The combination of blue cracao, cranberry juice, and grenadine gives the cocktail its wonderful color and tart, fruity flavor, while vodka adds a nice kick.

Fruity cocktails are always on our menu during the summer. Refreshing mixed drinks like our best pineapple margarita recipe, tequila berry cocktail or mango mai tai are perfect for lounging by the pool or enjoying a backyard cookout with family and friends.

Now, we've added this Purple Rain cocktail recipe to our rotation, and it's been a big hit, especially at barbecues with dishes like our smoked hamburger patties recipe.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Simple Ingredients: This cocktail looks fancy, but it's actually only made with five simple ingredients.
• Easy: Just mix and pour. There's no layering, muddling, or anything else involved!
• Refreshing: The combination of blue cracao, cranberry juice, and grenadine creates a delicious, refreshing flavor.
• Versatile: This cocktail is perfect for the summer, but you can really serve it any time of year.

Ingredients

Take a look at how simple these ingredients are!

• Vodka: Adds neutral flavor but gin, tequila blanco or white rum add bolder flavor.
• Blue Curacao: The ultimate orange, citrus flavor. An orange liqueur like triple sec with a drop of blue food coloring for a DIY blue curacao.
• Cranberry Juice: The perfect sweet, sour and mildly bitter addition. Opt for pomegranate juice or lemonade for a more tart flavor. Grape juice adds sweeter flavor or blackberry juice adds a tart flavor but both add a deeper purple color.
• Club Soda: Club soda is ideal for some bubbles. You can also use tonic water, lemon-lime soda or ginger beer which adds a warm, spiced flavor.
• Grenadine: (optional) Adds a sweet, tart, fruity pomegranate flavor. Raspberry or strawberry syrup will also work if needed. Simple syrup creates a less tart cocktail. Skip the grenadine altogether for a drier cocktail.

See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

Variations

• Add Berries: Try adding fresh blueberries or blackberries to the shaker for added depth of flavor and more texture.
• Purple Rain Martini: Shake vodka, blue curaçao, cranberry juice, and a splash of lemon juice. Serve it up in a martini glass—sleek, bold, and sophisticated.
• Berry Purple Rain: Muddle fresh blueberries or blackberries in the shaker for added depth and texture. Garnish with skewered berries.
• Purple Rain Slushy: Blend with the ice before serving.

How To Make A Purple Rain Cocktail

All it takes to make this cocktail is a little shaking and pouring. That's it!

Step 1 Fill Shaker: Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Then, add vodka, blue curacao, cranberry juice, and grenadine (optional).

Step 2 Shake and Pour: Shake until blended and chilled, then strain into a tall glass filled with ice.

Step 3 Add bubbles: Top with Club soda.

Step 4 Finish: Garnish with a lime.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this sweet and tart cocktail with flavorful smoked brats or if you're feeling fancy, pair this cocktail with smoked lobster tails.
• The fresh, bright flavors of this salsa pesto with salty tortilla chips for dipping create a nice counterpoint to the sweet and tangy flavor of this drink.