Red Lotus Cocktail Recipe

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 04/17/23
Red Lotus Cocktail With Lychee Liqueur

The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving

Sweet, simple and refreshing, the distinct flavor of the lychee fruit is the star of the red lotus cocktail. It is a very simple mixed drink that you may quickly find becomes a new favorite.

In this recipe, a sweet lychee liqueur accents that favorite combination of vodka and cranberry. It's an interesting play of flavors that is both intensely sweet and delicately refreshing. It is also just a little different from many favorite vodka cocktails, making it a nice drink to break up any routine.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. ​Pour the ingredients into a ​​cocktail shaker with ice.

  3. Shake well.

  4. Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with ice.

  5. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

  • The heavy fruit flavors mean that you can get away with a mid-ranged vodka in this drink, but you do want one that's smooth. Fortunately, there are many budget-friendly vodkas on the market today that taste great and are perfect for cocktails like this.
  • A fun garnish for the red lotus is three pitted lychees skewered on a cocktail pick. You can also stuff the lychee with cranberries or blueberries (similar to this eyeball garnish, but without the "gore").

Recipe Variations

  • Serve this drink a little taller by straining it into a highball glass then topping it with a light soda (e.g., club soda, lemon-lime, ginger ale) or sparkling wine. The strawberry notes in sparkling rosé would be a lovely addition.
  • This drink can also be made by the pitcher for a small party. You might want to switch the ratio slightly, pouring 1 part each vodka and lychee liqueur with 2 parts cranberry juice to lower the alcohol content.
  • Add a hint of citrus by garnishing the drink with a lime wedge, which the drinker can squeeze into the mix if they like. A twist of lime peel expressed over the drink then laid on the rim is nice as well.
  • Pour a flavored vodka to give the drink more depth. Citrus and vanilla vodkas are excellent choices, though you could add a complementary flavor such as any berry or apple.
  • Lighten up the drink by pouring white cranberry juice rather than the more common red variety. It tends to be less sweet and has more of a white grape juice profile.

How Strong Is a Red Lotus?

For a sweet drink, the red lotus is surprisingly potent. Since it is served short and most of the volume is made up of liquor, its alcohol content will be 20 percent ABV (40 proof) or so. That's half the strength of the vodka on its own and similar to the cosmopolitan.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
256 Calories
0g Fat
23g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 256
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Protein 0g
Calcium 1mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)