The Oaks Lily – Kentucky Derby Cocktail

The night before the Kentucky Derby is the lesser-known Derby and Oaks race. The signature cocktail, The Oaks Lily, is a fun and unique addition to your Kentucky Derby Party drink line-up. It’s a great drink to offer in addition to, of course, the Mint Julep.

The cocktail’s pink hue is a tribute to the garland of stargazer lilies placed on the race’s winning horse. Race-goers often dress in pink as well, and the race has an association with breast cancer awareness. All fun reason’s to serve this fun cranberry and vodka horse race inspired cousin of the Cosmo.

These easy and delicious Derby cocktails are great for those who want a non-bourbon drink. Personally, I’m a bourbon girl, but sometimes it’s fun to lighten things up with a vodka-based cocktail that showcases the other flavors in the drink. The Oaks Lily cocktail meets that mark.

These cocktails are traditionally garnished with blackberries on a pick – and our Derby hoagie picks are perfect to string those blackberries on.

The Oaks Lily Cocktail Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 1/2 ounce orange liqueur
• 3 ounces cranberry juice
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• Garnish: 2 blackberries
• Garnish: lemon wheel

Instructions

• Add the vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a highball glass.
• Fill glass with ice and stir gently to combine.
• Thread blackberries onto a cocktail pick or party flag.
• Place blackberry pick and lemon slice on the cocktail as a garnish.
• Serve.

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Oaks Lily Cocktail

A Cosmo-like Vodka Beverage that is the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby's sister race, Kentucky Oaks.

Prep Time15 mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Blackberries, breast cancer awareness, Cranberry based cocktail, Derby party cocktails, Kentucky Derby Party, Kentucky Oaks horse race, Oaks Lily Cocktail, Pink Drinks, Vodka based cocktail

Servings: 1 drink

Equipment

• highball glass
• cocktail picks

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Vodka
• .5 oz Orange Liqueur
• 3 oz Cranberry Juice
• .5 oz Lemon Juice
• .5 oz Simple Syrup
• 3 whole Blackberries (as a garnish)
• 1 slice Lemon (as a garnish)

Instructions

• Add the vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, lemon juice and simple syrup into a highball glass.
• Fill glass with ice and stir gently to combine.
• Thread blackberries onto a cocktail pick or party flag.
• Place blackberry pick and lemon slice on cocktail as garnish.
• Serve.

Round out the rest of your Kentucky Derby Party planning with other fun recipes from our blog and decorations and paper party supplies from the shop. We have a ton of fun party supplies to make planning your party easy and all right in one place. (A little peak at our Kentucky Derby Collection is below.)

Pin this Oaks Lily cocktail recipe on Pinterest and create a complete Kentucky Derby Party board to plan your whole event. Check out our Kentucky Derby board on Pinterest for ideas and inspiration. You’re going to want some cute cocktail napkins to put all those drinks on too – so shop below!

Check out our Signature Derby cocktail the “On Their Mark” here on our blog as well.

Pin The Oaks Lily recipe for later.