A patriotic holiday calls for some patriotic-themed drinks, wouldn’t you agree? Every year on July 1st, many of us wear red and white to celebrate Canada Day in style. This year let’s take things further and sip red and white drinks, too!
Sure you could drink a standard glass of red or white wine. But I say a special occasion like the nation’s ‘birthday’ calls for a special drink!
Luckily there are lots of options if you’re looking to make some specialty refreshments for Canada Day. Below, I’ve rounded up 15 must-try cocktails for Canada Day this year.
Looking for red non-alcoholic cocktails? Those are here too!
After being in lockdown from COVID-19, working from home for months, not being able to hug loved ones, Canada Day is our comeback holiday. While you should still keep in mind safety precautions and social distance measures, Canada Day celebrations don’t have to be totally cancelled.
In fact, it’s the perfect occasion to have a small gathering outdoors and enjoy the company of family and friends that you haven’t seen in months. From a safe distance, of course.
Get started on planning your Canada Day celebration with my Pinterest board for Canada Day.
I’m a fruity drink kinda gal. Always have been. In this post I’ve listed my top white and red fruity drinks. If you’re like me, you’ll want to try everything on this list. Though I wouldn’t recommend trying all of them in one day, so be sure to pin this page to come back throughout the rest of the summer.
Red and White Alcoholic Cocktails for Canada Day
Berry Jam Bramble
This summer drink is made with gin and jam. No need to make extra syrups or mixers. The jam makes this an easy cocktail to pull together last minute. It’s refreshing and would be absolutely perfect for enjoying at an outdoor barbeque for Canada Day.
Lychee and raspberry gin smash
I love this combination of flavours. Don’t be scared at the thought of finding lychee juice at your grocery store. It’s much more common than you’d think. I usually find it in the juice aisle where the mango nectar can also be found. Also, be sure to pick up canned or fresh lychees to garnish this gin smash beautifully.
The red and white layers are what make this a must-try cocktail for Canada Day.
Strawberry Basil Martini
A more sophisticated option that happens to be one of my favourite cocktails. There are a few ways to make this at home. My recipe uses an easy strawberry simple syrup that you can make an hour or more ahead of serving.
Negroni
Campari and sweet vermouth give this classic cocktail an unmistakable red colour. Fruity and bitter, this would be great served to guests that don’t love sipping on something too sweet.
Tip: Garnish with an orange slice skewered on a Canada Flag cocktail pick for a patriotic take for Canada Day.
Toasted coconut frozen mojitos
A frozen mojito, what could be more perfect and refreshing for summer? You could even serve with a classic frozen strawberry daiquiri for a pair of red and white drinks to serve.
Cherry Lime whiskey sour
Cherry and lime are two flavours that always bring my memory back to my childhood and the wildly sweet slushies I would drink every summer. This is the grown-up version of the cherry and lime flavour combination.
Tip: Try making this cherry lime whiskey sour a classic Canada Day cocktail by using Canadian rye whiskey in place of bourbon.
Strawberry Frosé
Crisp rosé wine and fresh strawberries, I wish I was sipping on this right now! Toss all the ingredients into a blender and it’s ready to serve. What could be easier?
Strawberry Watermelon Sangria
Nothing says ‘party’ like sangria. Fresh strawberries and watermelon are complemented by sprigs of mint to make this sangria totally refreshing. The best part is that this sangria doesn’t need to sit for a few hours to let the fruit juices melt into the rosé wine. Just mix and serve right away.
Call me a Cab Wine Cocktail
What a name! I love the layered effect of the red wine on top of the white lemonade. Now that’s how you get a red and white cocktail for Canada Day.
Red and White Non-alcoholic Mocktails for Canada Day
Copycat Passion Tea Lemonade from Starbucks
People of all ages love this popular menu item from Starbucks. The “Passion Tea” flavour is made up of hibiscus, lemongrass and apple. The lemonade adds a refreshing tartness. A unique blend of flavours that everyone at your Canada Day barbeque will love.
Cherry Limeade
Did you love drinking frozen limeade growing up? It’s just like lemonade but with irresistible limey-ness. I credit my mother for fully developing my love for lime flavoured drinks because we always had frozen limeade in the freezer during my childhood. You too can make memories with this cherry limeade.
Strawberry Basil Hibiscus Iced Tea
A summer staple in my fridge. A slow brew on the kitchen counter and I’ll be sipping on this one for weeks at a time. The bright hibiscus iced tea is made a punchy red from the homemade strawberry-basil syrup.
Lemonade Blackberry Bramble Mocktail
The complex flavour combination in this sophisticated spirit-free cocktail will make anyone think they were sipping on an overpriced craft cocktail. Tart, herby and frozen berries make this an amazing option to serve a truly upscale non-alcoholic drink.
Miami Vice Mocktail
A vacation classic. Of course, you could use frozen mix (the iconic Bacardi frozen daiquiri and pina colada cans from the grocery store). But this homemade version cuts all the mysterious sugar of factory processing.
Hawaiian Party Punch
This one comes together in just minutes. A perfect Canada Day punch recipe for a small crowd of all ages.
Bonus: Miami Vice Boozy Popsicles
While these aren’t drinks, they are boozy and possibly the most fun idea on this list. Imagine being out on your patio, the sun is ablazin’ and it’s hotter than anyone ever thought Canada would be.
Now imagine that scenario with a delicious cocktail popsicle in your hand.
Isn’t that so much better?
Will you be making some red and white drinks this Canada Day? Let me know in the comment section below!
I’ll have one of each please!