The Sparkly Final Touch That Makes Any Homemade Cocktail Feel Fancy

Who doesn't love a fancy cocktail? While slurping fruity Jell-O shots from disposable cups can be a lot of fun, there's something peaceful about savoring a French 75 in a champagne flute or warming your bones with an amber-hued hot toddy. The first experience is designed to energize and keep the party going, but the second is meant to provide a soothing, luxurious feeling, whether you're attending a dinner party or enjoying your own company at home.

Building a delicious and beautiful cocktail can also be an almost meditative form of self-care. Yes, the alcohol will certainly calm your nerves, but focusing on the sensory act of making the drink can also completely change your headspace, especially if you choose to pamper yourself with something a little special, such as edible gold leaf or glitter.

Shimmery spirits are nothing new, with sparkly cocktails gaining popularity every New Year's Eve — Blue Moon even released a glittery beer to celebrate 2024's solar eclipse — so this upgrade is pretty accessible to everyone. However, it's important to ensure the glitter you're using is safe for consumption before adding it to your drink. Be sure to double-check that the label says "edible" or "food grade," rather than just "non-toxic." In most cases, it's safest to purchase edible glitter from a baking supply vendor. You'll also want to make sure any gold leaf you consume is 24 karat or mixed only with food-grade silver, as consuming certain other metals can make you sick.

Once you've sourced safe, food-grade glitter and gold leaf, it's fairly easy to make almost any cocktail (or mocktail, if you prefer) shimmer like the stars on a clear night. Of course, like any other aspect of mixology, there's an art to adding sparkle to your spirits. This fancy upgrade works better in some cocktails than others, with thicker drinks requiring a little ingenuity if you're determined to make them shine.

For instance, if you want to add a bit of apropos sparkle to a bourbon-forward, three-ingredient Gold Rush cocktail, all you have to do is drop a pinch of your shiny ingredient of choice into the drink when you're adding the garnishes. Since this sepia-colored drink is transparent, it'll be easy to admire the sparkly additions while you sip. The same goes for something like an Aperol spritz or a Grand 75, which is a spin on the French version that uses Grand Marnier and looks gorgeous in a bedazzled with gold foil in a coupe glass.

If you're more of a white Russian, grasshopper, spiked cappuccino sort of person, you can still enjoy a little sparkle with your drink, you'll just have to use a different technique. Since these cocktails are opaque, any gold mixed right into them will easily get lost. Instead, consider rimming your cup with a touch of shine by dipping it into a little water and then into your sparkly embellishment of choice before building your drink.