Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a Sparkling Shamrock Cocktail

Enjoy the luck of the Irish this March 17th with this amazing St. Patrick’s Day cocktail. The perfect blend of delicious sweetness and buzzing tartness, with the added fun of sparkling bubbles, this is the only way to celebrate the Irish holiday. Or any spring day for that matter!

A glass of Sparkling Shamrock Cocktail next to a jug and some blue straws.

What drink is popular on St. Patrick’s Day?

You can’t beat a sparkling shamrock cocktail on St. Patrick's Day! My favorite out of all the St. Patrick’s Day cocktails, this drink is light and sweet, making it the perfect thing to sip on during a warm spring day.

Here's another popular St. Patrick’s Day drink you’ll love:

How to make this St. Patrick’s Day cocktail alcohol-free

Great news: this St. Patrick’s Day drink tastes just as good with and without the alcohol. So if you want to make it alcohol free, go ahead. Simply follow the recipe at the bottom but skip the vodka. That’s all.

Vodka has one of the subtlest flavors out of all the spirits, so you really won't notice it's not there. You don’t have to worry about substituting it with anything, either. Simply skip it and you’re good to go.

A glass of Sparkling Shamrock Cocktail on a blue and white serviette next to a large jug.

Must-have ingredient for this St. Patrick’s Day cocktail

I don’t usually make recipes with special ingredients, but this St. Patty’s Day drink is an exception. To make it, you’ll need Le Monin elderflower syrup. Le Monin syrups are far superior to any other syrups and a little goes a long way, believe me.

There are plenty of other cocktail recipes you can use Le Monin elderflower syrup for, too. Sparkling Elderflower Punch, anyone? It definitely won't go to waste.

Can’t get your hands on Le Monin elderflower syrup? Okay, I’ll let you in on my substitute secret. The elderflower syrup from IKEA will do in a pinch. The store isn’t all meatballs and furniture!

How to scale the recipe

The St. Patrick’s Day recipe below is enough for a single serving of this Sparkling Shamrock Cocktail. If you’re throwing a St. Patrick’s Day party, here are the quantities you’ll need to make a jug (about 8 servings) of this sparkling green cocktail.

  • 12oz/350ml vodka
  • 16oz/475ml lemon-lime soda, like Sprite or 7UP
  • 8oz/235ml apple juice
  • 2oz/60ml elderflower syrup
  • Juice from 1 lime

Pour all the St. Patrick’s Day cocktail ingredients into a jug and give it a stir. Place it in the fridge for up to 2 hours to chill (any longer than that and the bubbles from the lemon-lime soda will fizz out) before serving.

Add some ice into individual glasses before serving to make it extra refreshing. Don’t add ice into the jug or you’ll end up watering down this St. Patrick’s Day drink.

📖 Recipe

A close-up shot of a green St. Patrick's Day cocktail in a glass.

Sparkling Shamrock Cocktail

Enjoy the luck of the Irish this March 17th with this amazing St. Patrick’s Day cocktail. The perfect blend of delicious sweetness and buzzing tartness, with the added fun of sparkling bubbles, this is the only way to celebrate the Irish holiday. Or any spring day for that matter!
Print Pin Rate
Course: Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Cuisine: Irish
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 151kcal
Author: Nicola

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz/45ml vodka
  • 2 oz/60ml lemon-lime soda like Sprite or 7UP
  • 1 oz/30ml apple juice
  • Squeeze of fresh lime juice
  • Dash of elderflower syrup

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake.
  • Pour into a glass over ice and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Sodium: 9mg | Sugar: 11g

About Nicola

I’m Nicola, the face behind Happy Healthy Motivated – your go-to guide to becoming your best you!
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  1. Krissy @ Pretty Wee Things

    Love this! Even if not for St Patrick's day, any warm summer's day deserves this! x

    • Nicola Quinn

      Thanks, Krissy. And your totally right - you could enjoy this cocktail any time - not just on St Patrick's Day!

  2. jollyjillys

    that sounds so nice I am going to try it and i know hubbie will love it as vodka is his fave lol

    • Nicola Quinn

      Thanks so much! I hope you both enjoy it 🙂

  3. Merlinda Little ( @pixiedusk)

    Sounds so lovely! I agree with Krissy, this should be a summer staple =) #magicmoments

    • Nicola Quinn

      Thanks so much, Merlinda.
      And you two are definitely right!
      Looking forward to making this again when the weather is a bit warmer.

  4. Joy @ Yesterfood

    This sounds perfect for me- I love vodka cocktails (although I won't turn down Bailey's!!). Thank you for always sharing such wonderful recipes with us at Treasure Box Tuesday- pinned! 🙂

    • Nicola Quinn

      Thanks so much, Joy. Bailey's always wins me over, too! 🙂

  5. Joy @ Joy Love Food

    This looks so delicious and refreshing! Thanks for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend? 🙂

    • Nicola Quinn

      Thank you so much, Joy. You've just summed the drink up perfectly!

  6. Kim

    Sorry just wondering are you Irish?

    • Nicola Quinn

      Hi Kim,
      Nope - I'm not Irish. And I'm really sorry if I've offended you - I never intend to offend anyone at all through my blog posts. As this is an entirely personal blog, everything I write is my own opinion which some people agree with and some people disagree with entirely. Anyway, I'd like to thank you for stopping by and hope you have a wonderful St Patrick's Day dinner - it sounds delicious!

  7. Kim

    I wouldn't ask only I am and I have never once even seen green beer nor do I see St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to drink excessively. I was looking up some nice drinks to have after dinner, which is going to be roast lamb with garlic and rosemary by the way as most Irish would traditionally have colcannon around Halloween. Its more an Autumn/Winter dish than a spring dish as Kale would be a winter veg. I think that this sounds like a lovely refreshing drink to enjoy as maybe an aperitif or after but as most people in my family don't drink too much it will probably be the only drink of the evening. I know some people use St Patrick's Day as a way to over indulge in drink but please don't assume that everyone does and you should really be careful what you blog as your own experience isn't necessarily the norm.

  8. All that's Jas

    This looks just so perfect I had to include it in the 35 St. Patrick's Day Must Haves. Thank you for linking up at Thursday Favorite Things and hope to see you again!

    • Nicola Quinn

      Thank you so much for the feature, Jas! Just heading on over to check it out right now 🙂

  9. Kim

    Look I really did take offense which i don't normally do. I sorry if I sounded harsh but it gets a bit tiring listening to what is basically a racial stereotype. Mostly made up and exaggerated and by American marketing ideas. I hope that some time in the future you get to enjoy a normal, quiet paddy's day which is always a fun way of celebrating a serious issue, Irish independence and those who fought and died for the Irish to have it. So if you want to celebrate St Patrick's day the right way forgo the begorrah and leprechaun nonsense, wear a bit of shamrock and say a prayer for those who are still fighting for justice and equality. Then spend time with those you love enjoy good food (which your blog is filled with) and maybe a drink or two and please try to be a little more sensitive.

    And seriously I never even seen green beer!

  10. Bonnie @ The Pin Junkie

    Just stopping by to let you know your sparkling shamrock cocktail is featured in a St. Patrick's Day roundup over at The Pin Junkie. Thanks for sharing!

    • Nicola Quinn

      Thank you so much for the feature, Bonnie! Just heading on over right now to check it out 🙂

  11. Paula

    Fantastic drink. If you don't have elderflower syrup sub with a drop of honey. If you have wildflower honey even the better.

    • Nicola Quinn

      Thanks so much, Paula. I've never tried the cocktail with honey before - what an amazing idea!

  12. Lindsey B.

    Hello,

    I am in the process of writing some blogs for my online clothing boutique. The blog I am currently writing is called "10 Boozy Cocktails for Your St. Patrick’s Day Party.” I would love to feature one of your images in my blog and of course I will link back to you. May I have permission to do so? Thank you for your consideration.

    Lindsey

    • Nicola

      Hi Lindsey!
      Thanks so much for your interest. As long as you do not copy the recipe and you do link back to my site, I'm more than happy for you to use my cocktail and image in your round-up. 🙂