The 4th of July is just around the corner and if you’re looking for some fun, festive food you’re going to want to add this 4th of July drink mocktail to your list. With it’s layers of red, white and blue, this 4th of July drink is a perfect addition to any celebration and it’s easy to make too. It just requires a little patience when pouring.
Fantastic flavor combinations
While I love making drinks from scratch, this 4th of July drink mocktail is made from pre-made drinks. In order to get the layers to stack up correctly when you pour, you need to make sure you have certain densities and certain sugar content to make it work. It seemed like that might get really challenging with homemade drinks and if I’m hosting a get-together, sometimes easy is the way to go – especially if it’s a mocktail that the kids will want. And trust me, my kids love this one.
In making this I found that you can actually use a number of different pre-made drinks to make layers similar to this. However, not all of them taste so great in combination. Using the drinks that I suggest for the 4th of July drink mocktail you will make a drink that tastes like a fruity, tropical paradise. Think a cherry Pina Colada with a hint of berry.
If you love Pina Coladas, try this Pomegranate Pina Colada {HERE}! And if you’re looking for a delicious dessert for the 4th of July, try this Red, White and Blue Trifle {HERE}, or this American Flag White Cake {HERE}.
Layering your 4th of July drink mocktail
As I mentioned, the trick to getting your layers to stack is the density and sugar content in the different drinks. This drink can get a littler persnickety to make so I’m going to tell you exactly what I used. My layers consist of a Pina Colada mix (non-alcoholic), Cherry 7-Up with grenadine and blue berry Kool-aid from the squeeze bottles.
I tried some other options, including straight coconut water, V8 blue raspberry Splash drink and cranberry juice. However, nothing stacked as well as my combo here or if it did, the taste profile was off (I’m looking at you, coconut water).
I’ve seen other recipes where they use Gatorade as their blue too but it’s usually the low-calorie Gatorade and I would prefer real sugar over any sort of manufactured sugars. (It contains Splenda and acesulfame potassium.) At least with Kool-Aid and the other drinks, I know what I’m getting.
If you want to use other ingredients, make sure to look at the grams of sugars included before you do your stacking. That said, also take into consideration the weights of the liquid. I’ve used a thinner volume Pina Colada Mix once and it did not work.
Some rules are always made to be broken
I found the sugar rule to be a good hard and fast rule for this 4th of July drink for just SOME of the combos. But I did break it too. My Pina Colada mix (Mr. & Mrs. T Pina Colada Mix {HERE}) was a heavier mix with a consistency a bit thicker than milk. Even though its sugar content was lower than my Cherry 7-Up and grenadine, I found that it worked best on the bottom due to the heaviness of the liquid.
This is a long way of saying, play with your layers before serving. Here’s the exact products I used to make my pretty, delicious 4th of July drink mocktails.
Making it more adult
I originally made this 4th of July drink as a mocktail for my children. However, if you want to make it an adult cocktail, I suggest adding some Malibu Rum to the Pina Colada layer BEFORE creating the drink. Mix the rum and the Pina Colada Mix ahead of time in a separate pitcher and then pour from that pitcher.
Tips for making the 4th of July Drink Mocktail
- Remember the sugar and density guidelines I mentioned above.
- Layer the drink SLOWLY and individual glasses. The faster you go, the more likely everything is it mix in the glass. This drink does become like a little science experiment.
- For the best taste, stir everything together with the straw. I cringe a little bit in writing that. It will completely mess up your layers and the drink will turn purple. But, I promise it tastes much better when it’s all combined.
- You can add ice to the glass if you like or chill the drinks separately before mixing.
Thank you so much for following along today! I hope that you love this 4th of July drink and that it helps to create a fun red, white and blue atmosphere for your celebration. For more summer drink ideas, click {HERE}.

4th of July Drink Mocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Pina Colada Mix Mr. & Mrs. T Pina Colada Mix will work best and taste best.
- 3 oz. Cherry 7-up
- 1 oz. grenadine
- 2-3 oz. Blue Berry Kool-aid Squeeze bottles give you the best color, taste and layering ability.
- Ice for the glass
- Optional: Whipped Cream and sprinkles
Instructions
- Fill up a tall glass with ice
- In a separate glass combine Cherry 7-up and grenadine.
- Pour your Pina Colada mix over the ice. Fill to a little less than 1/3 of the glass.
- Slowly add your Cherry 7-Up mix to the glass. Pour close to the ice to avoid excessive fizzing. Fill about 1/3 of the glass
- Once your fizz has settled, slowly add the blue Kool-aide to the glass. Pour close to the ice to avoid excess mixing with your red layer.
- Top with whipped cream and red and blue sprinkled. Enjoy!
I love pina coladas! I have absolutely never been able to make a good one at home, but I love them at the beach.
This drink looks like a lot of fun to make. Looking forward to giving it a try.
This looks and sounds so delicious…I think it would be even better with a splash of vodka
I do not think I have ever seen a drink as beautiful as this! WOW I can’t wait to show off to my husband I can make this now LOL
What a cool drink. I need to make one for a party.
What a pretty and fun drink! It is nice to be able to make this for the whole family. Sounds delicious.
I LOVE how these came out. I want to make some!
This drink is perfect for the season.
Wow! I really love the look of this drink! It look do perfect! I would really love to try this!
wow! This is so festive and chic! My family will go crazy over this cocktail!
I just love a good mocktail. I honestly hate that a lot of the more appealing looking alcoholic beverages can look so fun to young children so it’s always nice when a drink can look fun AND sharable!
I love the flavor combinations. I’d give this a more than 5 star rating if I could.
So pretty and you are right the layering is the hardest part it is a drink you can not rush for party it takes time to get it right for sure, but they look so good!
Such a nice combination of flavours and colours. Great to have on hand for guests who opt for non-alcoholic beverages.
oh Wow! This is very pretty! This is perfect for any occasions! I’d even want to have this over game night!
What a fun and festive drink! Will have to make it.
That drink looks so refreshing! The colors are lovely and it looks beautiful overall.
Love this! I don’t drink so this would be perfect!
This looks so yummy and perfect for the 4th of July!
I don’t like the fake or low sugar drinks either. Not only do you wonder about what’s really in them but they don’t taste as good as real sugar, ever.
Thank you for sharing this! It looks beautiful and delicious!
I am pinning this recipe next as it looks so refreshing and colorful! I love that they are patriotic and they’re perfection for the 4th of July! Thank you for sharing and I am making these for the 4th!
It’s the Fourth of July tomorrow and I’m on a pinch to bring something for the party! This was quick, easy, and pretty!