Four incredible and magical Color Changing Cocktails (Magical Galaxy Cocktails) with one secret ingredient! Bring out the secret mixologist in you and wow your friends and family with these fun and unique cocktails!
Don’t forget to watch the video where you can see all these cocktails in action.
And don’t miss the non-alcoholic galaxy lemonade recipe (color changing lemonade) that uses butterfly pea flowers!
Just as I promised, here are FOUR AMAZING Color Changing Cocktail recipes! These build on my post on how to make color changing alcohol, which discusses the science and technicality of achieving the same color changing effect using naturally acidic alcohol.
The secret ingredient for color changing cocktails
Again, I used the secret ingredient – butterfly pea flowers (or blue pea flowers), to create these cocktails. But this time, I added a dash of that magic into the alcohol itself by infusing the flowers in it.
All these cocktails work on the basis of butterfly pea flowers changing color in the presence of an acidic solution. I won’t go into detail about how that happens here, because I’ve explained that a couple of times before in my Galaxy Lemonade Slushie post, and Color Changing Pink Lemonade post, as well as with my whimsical Halloween cocktails Witches Brew Drink and The Phoenix Cocktail.
It’s also the same principle used in this delicious no churn galaxy ice cream.
What’s important is that it’s a unique and fun ingredient, and that it’s completely natural and turns from blue to purple to pink, when mixed with an acidic solution.
As a side note – for an added twist on your drinks and you’d like to infuse your cocktails with fat-based rich savory flavor, check out my post on fat washing alcohol (fat washed butter rum).
How to make color changing cocktails
There are TWO ways to make these cocktails.
- The alcohol itself can be color-changing by virtue of being infused with butterfly pea flowers. Check out this post here for an in-depth tutorial on how to make color changing alcohol.
- Use regular alcohol, but use COLOR CHANGING MAGIC ICE for the color change in the cocktail instead.
I named a few cocktails that I was going to do in my galaxy lemonade post, and here I’ll be sharing some of them with you!
- Kiwi Lime and Mint Magic Julep (or a Mermaid Magic Julep as I like to call it!)
- Glow in the dark Galaxy Magic Mule (A classic Mule made with tonic water)
- Lemon-Lime Magic Margarita (which looks like a Sunset Magic Margarita)
- Raspberry Gin Martini (made with frozen raspberries)
To enhance the color change in these magic cocktails, I use lemon or lime juice, or fruit juice mixed with lemon or lime to make it more acidic. Orange, pineapple or kiwi juice alone won’t be acidic enough to give that final purple/pink color.
I made these cocktails with color changing alcohol, BUT you can use the second option mentioned above, and just add a layer of COLOR CHANGING MAGIC ICE to your glass and the pour in regular alcohol for that lovely color changing effect.
For non-alcoholic versions, you can use pineapple and orange as a base, then add lemon syrup to it and serve it like the Color Changing Galaxy Lemonade here.
Yes, this may be a little more work for a cocktail, but imagine how fun it would be to impress your friends, family and guests with some mixology magic!
Kiwi Lime and Mint Magic Julep (which looks like a Mermaid Magic Julep)
I mixed kiwifruit and lime juice to create the base of this amazing drink. Then it’s muddled with some mint (and a dash of mint liqueur). Next, fill the glasses with crushed ice (or half-filled with crushed magic ice if you’re not using color changing alcohol). Add extra lime juice, followed by color changing vodka (or regular vodka) and club soda to make this Magic Julep.
Top with more crushed magic ice. The drink transitions from green at the bottom to pink, purple and blue at the top! Almost like a mermaid magic julep! 🙂
Glow in the dark Galaxy Magic Mule (A classic Mule made with tonic water)
I made one big change to the classic Moscow mule here. Instead of regular crushed ice, I use crushed tonic water ice. Frozen tonic water glows strongly under black light, giving you this amazing glow in the dark galaxy magic mule.
Fill the serving glass (glass Moscow mule mug or a highball glass) with crushed tonic water ice (half fill with color changing magic ice if you’re not using color changing vodka). Pour freshly squeezed lime juice and ginger syrup. Pour the color changing vodka on top, followed by tonic water.
I love this drink! It looks like an ethereal color changing mood ring! And under black light, it’ll glow brightly as you can see in the video!
Lemon-Lime Magic Margarita (which looks like a Sunset Magic Margarita)
Of course I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make a gorgeous margarita. I LOVE margaritas!
While you can add kiwifruit juice, orange juice or regular lemon/lime juice to make a wonderful margarita, I went with the simple combo of lemon and lime instead.
A gorgeous sunset in a glass awaits you after adding the color changing tequila and stirring the drink! 🙂
Color Changing Raspberry Gin Martini
Gin is the one clear spirit that doesn’t change to purple when mixed with butterfly pea flowers. I wanted to add a pop of color, so instead of adding too much crushed ice (since Martinis do not typically have crushed ice), I added frozen raspberries that will also add a lovely raspberry flavor as the drink is stirred in.
I did add some ice though, just to help accent the color changing layer. Serve this drink as a layered drink, and let your guests stir the drink to see the gorgeous color change with a touch of dark pink from the raspberries!
Recipe video for magical color changing cocktails
Here’s another Color Changing Cocktail – with the addition of SHIMMERY LUSTER DUST. Definitely check out The Phoenix Cocktail recipe + Video here.
Click here for all the color changing alcohol recipes!
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Magical Color Changing Cocktails (Galaxy Cocktail)
Ingredients:
Kiwi Lime Julep
- ¾ oz kiwifruit juice not pulp
- 1 slice kiwifruit
- ¼ of lime
- 10 mint leaves
- ¼ oz lime juice
- ½ oz agave or simple syrup
- ½ oz creme de menthe
- 1 ½ oz butterfly pea infused vodka
- Crushed ice and crushed magic ice
Color Changing Sunset Margarita
Lemon Ice
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup water
Color Changing Sunset Margarita
- Wedge of lime and salt for the rim
- 3 oz of lemon and lime juice
- 1 oz sugar syrup
- 1.5 oz triple sec
- 1.5 oz butterfly pea infused tequila
- Crushed lemon ice and magic ice
Raspberry Martini
- 4 frozen raspberries
- Crushed ice
- 1 oz lemon juice
- ¾ oz simple syrup
- ¾ oz vermouth
- 1.5 oz butterfly pea infused gin
- Crushed magic ice optional
Glow in the dark Galaxy Magic Mule
Tonic water ice
- 1 cup of tonic water
Ginger Syrup
- 4 inch x 2 inch at least large piece of ginger (skin already peeled)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup agave
Glow in the dark Galaxy Magic Mule
- 3 oz lime juice
- 1.5 oz ginger syrup
- Crushed tonic water ice
- Extra tonic water or club soda
- 3 oz butterfly pea infused vodka
Instructions:
Kiwi Lime Julep
- Add the kiwifruit juice, mint leaves, kiwi fruit, lime quarter, and sugar syrup in a julep cup. Muddle until the mint leaves are crushed.
- Add creme de menthe and crushed ice to fill the glass. Pour the lime juice over the ice, followed by the butterfly pea infused vodka.
- Top with crushed color changing magic ice and serve. Let your guests stir the drink to see the color change.
Color Changing Sunset Margarita
Lemon Ice
- Mix the lemon juice and water together. Pour into an ice tray and freeze overnight. Crush the ice in a blender and store in the freezer until needed.
Color Changing Sunset Margarita
- Rub the lime around the edge of the glass and salt the rim.
- Half fill the glass with crushed lemon ice.
- Pour the lemon lime juice, simple syrup and triple sec. Stir to mix.
- Using the back of a spoon, layer the butterfly pea infused tequila. Top with color changing magic ice. Serve with a slice of lemon and lime.
Raspberry Martini
- Place the frozen raspberries in the glass. Top with a little crushed ice.
- Pour the lemon juice, simple syrup, vermouth and stir to combine.
- Pour the butterfly pea infused gin, carefully, using the back of a spoon to create a layer. Serve.
Glow in the dark Galaxy Magic Mule
Tonic Water Ice
- Pour the tonic water into ice cube trays and freeze over night. Crush the ice in a blender and store in the freezer until needed.
Ginger Syrup
- Cut the piece of ginger into slices. Place the ginger slices in a small processor with a ¼ cup of water, and ½ cup of agave syrup. Blend until the ginger is completely blended with the liquid.
- Transfer the ginger-agave mix into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes and let the syrup infuse with the ginger for about 30 minutes. Strain (using a nut milk bag), and store in a sealable bottle and store in the fridge until needed.
Glow in the dark Galaxy Magic Mule
- Fill a Moscow mule glass tumbler or highball glass with the crushed tonic water.
- Pour the ginger syrup and lime juice over the ice.
- Next, pour the butterfly pea infused vodka, And top with tonic water or club soda.
- This drink will glow under black light – the effect is more impressive when there are pieces of tonic ice in the drink.
Video:
Tips & Tricks
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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SHARON LOVE says
Hi, I love the idea but do I buy these flowers dried or is is there a plant I should buy?
Dini says
Hi Sharon!
You can buy the flowers dried, or powdered 🙂 They also now sell them as tea bags too, but I prefer to get the dried flowers or in powdered form (great for lattes).
I hope that helps!
Kenneth says
I love the recipe, gonna use it in some ways soon! Thanks for the idea!!!! it really helps…
Jonathan says
Underneath the Color Changing Raspberry Gin Martini recipe and photo, it says:
ALL FOUR MAGICAL COLOR CHANGING COCKTAIL VIDEOS –
but there’s no link to click. How do we see the videos?
Dini says
Hi Jonathan
Thank you for letting me know! Currently I am unable to update links on my post, due to some technical difficulties. But the video automatically is placed towards the beginning of the post instead of near the recipe. I will move it down when the technical issues are resolved, but for now you can still view the video even though it’s in a different place.
The video may also not be visible if the web browser is running an ad block. In that case, try disabling the ad block and refreshing the page?
I hope that helps.
Katie Bryan says
Hi, I’m attempting the kiwi lime julep but just can’t find kiwi fruit juice anywhere in Australia. If using fresh kiwi fruits do you juice them like a lemon or scoop out the inside and blend then strain? I tried the latter however it wasn’t like juice consistency, it was quite thick and puréed even after tediously pushing through a strainer and turned a dark greeny brown colour almost. I also tried juicing but hardly any juice comes out of them but it was a much more vibrant green. Help!
Katty says
Hi. Can u pls explain butterfly pea infused vodka, how much vodka and butterfly pea u use?
Dini says
Hi Katty
The link for making butterfly pea infused vodka is just above the recipe card. But I’ve linked it in this comment too. Just click here.
Hope that helps!
Brian says
Pretty drink! but i searched 15 grocery stores and no one sells “kiwi juice” 🙁
I had to blender and filter 2 kiwi just to get an ounce of pure juice. What a pain in the rear end.
Dini says
Hi Brian
Yes, kiwi juice is hard to find in some places. Where I lived at the time I made this, I could not find kiwi fruit juice available anywhere either and I had to blend and strain kiwi fruit to get the juice too.
Boyd Kobe says
Gorgeous looking cocktails! Sounds so delicious too. Can’t wait to try these!
Courtney Renee' Harper-Mast says
How do you make the infused gin? Looking at the martini! TIA
Dini says
Hi Courtney,
I’ve published a separate post where I talk about how to make the color changing infused alcohol (including infused gin). If you click the link above the recipe in this post, it’ll take you to the recipe for the color changing infused alcohol.
Amie says
Does the magic crushed ice have a flavor that interrupts the flavor of the drink?
Dini says
Hi Amie!
The butterfly pea crushed ice doesn’t really affect the flavor of the cocktails. It’s a herbal tea with a subtle flavor that’s overpowered by the flavors of the cocktail.
I hope that helps!
Christine says
Hi Dini,
Great Post! I’m totally enchanted by the pretty drinks.
I have a problem though, I tried making the Glowing Mule by changing the vodka to Gin and using Yuzu instead of lemon juice. I retained the tonic crushed ice and color changing ice in my experiment. But the drink won’t glowwwwww. 🙁
Do you know why?
Dini says
Hi Christine!
I am so sorry it didn’t glow! 🙁 I can’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t glow.
I know this is a simple thing, but could you let me know if you used a black light to make it glow? Sometimes the black light can be faulty too!
Let me know!
Cheers 🙂
Wendy says
Ohh i see, im going to try withouting using the tonic ice and butterfly pea ice instead of normal tonic water and butterfly pea tea (I might add some syrup for sweetness ) c the outcome. Hope i can success
Dini says
Hi Wendy! That works 🙂 Just follow the recipe in this post (as I use butterfly pea ice and simple syrup for the Kiwi julep) and you will be able to make a classic julep with a color change! Good luck!
Wendy says
Oh i see,I’m going to make this but I have a problem .I want to present it to my friends but I dunhv icebox to keep the crushed ice
Wendy says
Can I make it as non alcoholic without putting the vodka,gin and tequila with the butterfly pea tea?
Dini says
Hi Wendy!
Yes you can make this non alcoholic! Just brew the butterfly pea flowers in hot water, and use it in place of the alcohol. I love making crushed ice out of the butterfly pea tea and adding that to the drink to create a galaxy look! You can check out how I do that for my non alcoholic Galaxy lemonade here – https://www.theflavorbender.com/galaxy-color-changing-lemonade-slushie/ 🙂
Wendy says
Thank you!! It was amazing !! I’m going to try the glow in dark Galaxy magic Mule , can I ask what ingredients make it glow in the dark ?
Dini says
Your welcome Wendy! 🙂
You will love the Galaxy Magic Mule! It’s the tonic water that makes the drink glow in the dark – more specifically, Tonic water has quinine in it, which is the substance that makes it glow (under black light). Freeze the tonic water for a brighter glow, like in the post! 🙂
Wendy says
I’m thinking to add the kiwi lime julep at the galaxy magic mule does it work ?
Dini says
It will. Tonic water/ Tonic water ice will make any drink glow under black light 🙂 Use crushed ice made with tonic water to get the glow in the dark effect! Just in case you haven’t had tonic water before, I wanted you to know that Tonic water is slightly bitter because of the presence of Quinine too!
M Sahita says
Hi Dini,
Very cool and impressive recipes! Quick question for you: Can I infuse the butterfly pea in the sugar syrup instead of the alcohol to make the kiwi lime julep? Thank you!
Dini says
Hi
You can infuse the syrup with butterfly pea, if you make simple syrup from scratch. However bear in mind that the cocktail uses less simple syrup than alcohol.
Hope that helps
cakespy says
I’m not sure how i missed this recipe the last time I was on your blog a few days ago. Obviously it’s unicorn approved and right up my alley!
Art from My Table says
I’m certain that this is the prettiest drink I’ve ever seen!