14 Pitcher Cocktails Perfect for Easter Brunch

updated Feb 16, 2021

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Credit: Joe Lingeman
Sparkling Raspberry Ginger Beer

Pitcher cocktails are some of the very best drink you can serve at Easter brunch. They are beautiful and flavorful, they don’t take much effort on the hosts’ part (no standing at the counter with a shaker in hand) and they’re just a little more elegant than beer or even wine. Since Easter often marks the beginning of spring — it is also the perfect time to enjoy the end-of-winter citrus and early spring berries in the same pitcher.

Pitcher cocktails are often built on fruit juice and alcohol with some kind of bubbly beverage added to finish. You can mix up the base of most pitcher cocktails well in advance and then just pour on the Champagne (or ginger beer) and add ice just before serving. Having glasses and garnishes right neat the finished pitcher makes for easy self-service.

Next to Easter classics like egg casseroles, slow cooked hams, and robust roast lambs, it is also important that your Easter drinks be a little tart, bitter, or sweet to contrast the rich food at the table. These 16 pitcher cocktails are a cinch to make, pretty on your Easter table, and taste just as vibrant as they look.

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Strawberry & Limoncello Rosé Sangria

While this recipe calls for rosé Champagne, you can most definitely substitute it with another sparkling rosé wine to help keep costs down.

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Cucumber Gin & Tonic Pitcher Cocktail

This is the most refreshing pitcher cocktail we know thanks to the muddled cucumber that flavors the gin before the bubbly tonic is added.

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The Perfect Mimosa

A few simple steps result in the ultimate version of this brunch classic. This recipe makes one cocktail but is easy to batch.

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Sparkling Raspberry Ginger Beer

This bourbon cocktail is very light and easy drinking and pairs perfectly with spring berries and Easter ham.

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Spicy Pineapple Punch

For something a little more vibrant, this pineapple punch gets a bit of sweet heat from the jalapeños, and a peppery bite from the tequila!

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Blood Orange French 75

A riff on the classic Champagne cocktail — The French 75 — this pitcher cocktail can be made with sparkling wine. Sweetened with simple syrup and punched up with gin and blood orange gin, this is a great brunch cocktail for Easter Sunday.

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Sparkling Strawberry Cucumber Sangria

This pretty drink gets an earthy flavor from the cucumber and a tartness from the strawberries, balanced with sweetness from the Cointreau. It pairs particularly well with a lamb dish for lunch or dinner on Easter Sunday.

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Bridal Shower Sangria

Consider this an "any brunch sangria" because this white wine and raspberry pitcher drink is easy enough for Easter brunch, too.

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3-2-1 Pitcher Margaritas

Margaritas aren't traditionally associated with Easter brunch, but is there a better expression of the transition from winter to spring than citrus juice, orange liquor, and tequila? Probably not.

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Bittersweet Hibiscus Pitcher Cocktail

Made with tangy hibiscus, this tart and bitter cocktail goes well with super sweet Easter desserts like coconut cake or even Easter peeps.

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Blood Orange Mimosa Pitcher Cocktail

Here, ruby-toned blood oranges take the place of regular oranges to make one show-stopping twist on the brunch favorite.

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Spiked Strawberry Lemonade

Make a double batch of the strawberry lemonade base here and you can have a punch for adults and kids. Just make sure you clearly label which pitcher has the white rum added and which is just cool classic lemonade.

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Breakfast Sangria

This colorful sangria is a fun twist on the usual mimosa. The citrus fruit releases its sweetness into the orange liquor and Prosecco, and the whole thing is topped off with grapefruit-flavored sparkling water.

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Elderflower & Lemon Sparkling Sipper

Make this 3-ingredient cocktail in one pitcher for easy pouring and serving. It's the perfect light and simply brunch sipper.

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Strawberry Mojito Pitcher

If you're on the West Coast or in the South, where fresh strawberries are starting to show up at the farmers markets, celebrate by making this cocktail. For the rest of us, grocery-store strawberries will have to do. Regardless, the result will be a bright, fresh cocktail that tastes like spring.

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Grapefruit Mimosas for a Crowd

This pitcher cocktail is as simple as it gets: Combine grapefruit juice and sparkling wine and enjoy. It's worth seeking out good-quality grapefruit juice here to really make this drink special.

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