Holi 2025: Easy, quick Holi-inspired cocktails you can make at home

Having friends or family over for Holi celebrations? Ditch the plain, boring drinks and elevate your game with these with these easy-to-make, colourful cocktails that bring both flavour and fun to your festivities!

JAADU HAI NASHA HAI

By Cedrik Rodrigues, Manager – Beverages at Hitchki

Ingredients: 45 ml Tequila, 30 ml Orange Juice, 10 ml Lime Juice, 10 ml Sugar Syrup, 60 ml Sprite, 20 ml Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Syrup, 100 gms ice

Method: In a cocktail shaker, add tequila, orange juice, lime juice, sugar syrup, and ice. Shake well to mix and chill the ingredients. Strain the mixture into a glass filled with ice. Gently pour the butterfly pea flower tea syrup to create a layered effect. Top it off with Sprite for a refreshing fizz. Garnish with a slice of lime or an edible flower for an elegant touch.

RANG-BARSE SPRITZER

by JW Marriott Goa

Recipe: 60 ml – Gin, 30 ml – Coconut Milk, 10 ml – Rose Syrup, 60ml – Soda

Method: Shake gin, coconut milk, and rose syrup with ice. Strain into a glass and top with soda.

RANG-QUILA

Recipe: 60ml – Tequila, 1 – Fresh Passionfruit, 5 slices – Jalapeño and 10ml – Lemon Juice

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a glass.

KESARI

by Rahul Gain, assistant restaurant manager, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

Ingredients: Vodka – 30 ml, Irish cream liqueur – 20 ml, Thandai Mix – 15 ml, Milk – 90 ml, Condensed Milk - 10 ml, pistachio – 5 gms, Kesar foam

Method: In a shaker, add vodka, Baileys, thandai mix, milk, and condensed milk. Shake well to combine and chill the mixture. Strain into a glass filled with ice. Sprinkle crushed pistachios on top and add a layer of kesar (saffron) foam for an aromatic finish.

TWISTED COLADA

by Sameer Patel Mixologist, Moxy Mumbai Andheri West

Ingredients: 60ml White Rum, 45ml Cranberry Juice, 20ml Milkmaid (Sweetened Condensed Milk), 15ml Fresh Cream, Ice

Method: In a cocktail shaker, combine the white rum, cranberry juice, sweetened condensed milk, and fresh cream. Add ice cubes to the shaker. Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds until the mixture is well chilled and well combined. Strain the mixture into a chilled glass (a coupe or rocks glass works well). Garnish with a few fresh cranberries or a twist of lime peel for an extra touch.

VIOLET MULE

Ingredients: 60ml Gin, 30ml Blue Pea Tea (Blue Pea Tea), 20ml Sweet & Sour Mix, Top up with Tonic Water and Ice

Method: Shake gin, blue pea tea, and sweet & sour mix with ice. Strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with tonic water and stir gently. Garnish with edible flowers or a lime wheel. Serve and enjoy!

GULAB THANDAI

by JW Marriott Mumbai, Juhu

Ingredients (Serves 4-5): 10g Almonds, 5g Black peppercorns, 2g Fennel seeds, 2g Poppy seeds, 2g Watermelon seeds, 5g Green cardamom pods, 1L Whole milk, 200g Sugar (adjust as per taste), 100ml Rose water, 2g Saffron strands, 250ml Vodka, 120ml Irish cream liqueur, Chopped nuts (for garnish) (Almonds, pistachios, cashews)

Method: Blend almonds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, watermelon seeds, and green cardamom pods into a fine powder. In a saucepan, bring the whole milk to a gentle simmer. Add the prepared spice and nut powder, stirring well. Add sugar, rose water, and saffron strands. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Once chilled, mix in vodka and liqueur. Stir well. Pour into glasses over ice (optional). Garnish with chopped nuts and serve chilled.

RUM THANDAI

by Varun Sharma - Head of Bars for EHV International

Ingredients: Spiced Rum: 480 ml, 500 ml half and half (Regular Milk and Whole Milk), 500 ml Whole Milk, 50 gram Granulated Sugar

Thandai Masala Ingredients: Cashews, Melon Seeds, Saffron Strands, cinnamon powder, Nutmeg Powder, Rose Petal Spread (Gulkhand), Fennel Seed, Green Cardamom Powder, poppy seeds, Almonds, Pistachio, black Peppercorns

Method: Blend roasted cashews, almonds, pistachios, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, saffron, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, Gulkhand, and black pepper into a smooth paste. Heat milk and half-and-half with sugar and thandai masala, simmer for 5-7 minutes. Mix with spiced rum in a glass, stir gently. Garnish with nuts or saffron and enjoy!

BASIL - FIREBACK

Ingredients: · 60ml Gin and 60ml Guava Basil Cordial

Method: In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine gin and guava basil cordial. Stir well until chilled. Strain into a small Japanese stem glass over a block of ice and finish with a blue pea float.

YUUJIN

Ingredients: 60ml Feni, 90ml Grapefruit Shrub and 10ml Wasabi

Method: In a shaker, combine Feni, grapefruit shrub, and wasabi. Add ice and shake well to blend the flavours. Strain into a highball glass, top up with soda, and garnish with mustard leaves.