Purple cocktails are just so fun for Halloween or your girl's night-in party where you are blaring Prince's "Purple Rain" as loud as you can. The purple rain drink can also be called the drunk witch cocktail for your Halloween party but regardless of the time of year, this purple cocktail is made with vodka, curaçao, grenadine, pineapple juice, and cranberry ginger ale. Besides being pretty in color it tastes so good.
The fun part of this cocktail is that you can also adjust based on the flavors you really like. To make a fun purple drink, you can make it in several ways, but here are the basic ingredients you will need.
What is in a Purple Rain Cocktail
In order to make a purple drink, you have to mix red and blue together. Seems pretty simple. We learned this when we used watercolors in first grade. For this Purple Rain drink, it is no different. Now, where you get the blue and red from can have flexibility. Here is what is in a purple rain cocktail:
- Vodka - Your favorite vodka is best here. If you are not a vodka fan, white rum can also be substituted in this drink.
- Curaçao - Blue has to come from somewhere so might as well be this bright blue liquor.
- Grenadine - The juice in the maraschino cherries is my go-to for grenadine.
- Pineapple Juice - This actually could be omitted if you don't love pineapple juice. But I do so include it.
- Cranberry Ginger Ale - If you can't find this soft drink, cherry 7-Up will also work. Also, just cranberry juice and traditional lemon-lime soda could work too.
- Colored Sugar - This is also optional but an orange or green sugared rim is fun around Halloween
How to Make the Purple Rain Drink?
Start by pouring the vodka, curaçao, grenadine, and pineapple juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake the drink for 20 seconds. Rim a glass with the colored sugar if you are using it, fill the glass with ice and then pour the contents from the shaker into the glass filling it halfway.
At this point, the cocktail will be more blue than purple. This is because the blue needs a bit more red color to bring the purple out. Hence the reason for the cranberry ginger ale.
Top the purple rain drink off with the cranberry ginger ale. The results are a dark purple drink. If it isn't purple enough, try adding a touch more grenadine. Then top off with one of those maraschino cherries.
This cocktail isn't just a fun purple color but also delicious. I love cocktails with pineapple in them though.
Fun Colored Drinks
Grinch Punch - Christmas Green Punch
Purple Rain Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 shots vodka
- 1 shot curaçao
- 1 shot grenadine
- 2 shots pineapple juice
- 1 cup cranberry ginger ale
- 1 teaspoon colored sugar for the rim
- 2 maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour the vodka, curaçao, grenadine, and pineapple juice into the shaker.
- Rim the glasses with colored sugar, if you are using them. Fill with ice. Shake the shaker and then pour into glasses until each is half full.
- Top off with the cranberry ginger ale. Garnish with a cherry.
Nutrition
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Steph
Leah I love your recipes! When you say 1 shot, does that mean 1 oz? And your ice! Do you have an ice maker you use or do you buy ice for your drinks? Our ice maker doesnt make great cubes for pretty drinks! Thanks!
Leah Beyer
Hi Steph, a shot is 1.5 ounces. And that ice is amazing. It comes from this counter top ice maker: https://amzn.to/3ESoGDT