This classic Gin Fizz recipe is light, refreshing, and topped with a smooth, creamy foam. It’s a well-balanced cocktail with a bright citrus finish.
The Gin Fizz is a one of those classic cocktails that is impressive every time you make it: even if you’ve made it dozens of times like I have! The flavor is light and sweet tart, with a pop of lemon and a botanical finish. The best part is that flour of creamy white froth on top, which adds a smoothness to each sip.
This drink holds a special place in my heart. When Alex and I decided to become homemade cocktail experts, this was one of the first cocktails we learned to master. As a fan of sours margarita or a whiskey sour, the Gin Fizz is where I turn when I’m looking for a fun and simple gin drink!
Why You’ll Love This Gin Fizz Recipe
- Smooth, creamy foam: An egg white makes a frothy topping that’s impressive without any equipment (or use my vegan alternatives).
- Balanced flavor: Fresh lemon juice, quality gin, and simple syrup make a sweet tart pop of flavor.
- Bar-quality at home: It looks like a drink from an upscale cocktail lounge!
- Quick to make: It’s ready in 5 minutes once you have your ingredients prepped.
5 Star Reader Reviews
“Just found you guys, tried the gin fizz recipe, my wife and I absolutely LOVED IT, and this is coming from a Chilean guy that loves making pisco sour. Thank you so much! Looking forward for some more recipes.” –Daniel N.
“I just made this for fun because I happened to be making dinner with chickpeas. What a revelation, really easy to get a good foam, and the taste was much lighter than with egg white. Will definitely be doing again.” –Edward H.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The gin fizz is a classic sour cocktail made with gin, lemon, simple syrup and soda water. The first printed recipe was in an 1876 cocktail book, and the drink became very popular in the 1900’s. The gin fizz ingredients are:
- Gin: I typically use a London Dry gin like Beefeater London Dry or Malfy for their balanced botanical flavor. In this drink, I avoid overly floral gins like Tanqueray or spice-forward options. Locally distilled gin is a plus if you fan find it!
- Lemon Juice: Always use fresh-squeezed lemon juice: it’s essential for creating that classic sour profile. Bottled lemon juice just doesn’t work!
- Simple Syrup: I prefer using simple syrup, but maple syrup is my favorite substitute. It adds subtle caramel notes without tasting maple-forward.
- Egg White: This creates the signature foam. If you’re uncomfortable with raw eggs, substitute 2 tablespoons of aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas). Another popular egg white substitute for cocktails is this Fee Brothers Cocktail Foamer.
- Soda Water: The final touch that gives the drink its “fizz.” I like using soda water from my SodaStream, but store-bought club soda works perfectly.
How to Make a Gin Fizz
The key to a perfect gin fizz recipe is mastering what’s called a dry shake. It’s a two-step shaking process that professional bartenders and mixologists use to create a thick egg white foam.
- Start by placing 2 ounces gin, ¾ ounce lemon juice, ½ ounce simple syrup, and 1 egg white in your cocktail shaker.
- Shake vigorously for 15 seconds without any ice: this “dry shake” allows the egg white proteins to start forming that frothy texture.
- Fill your shaker with ice cubes and do a hard shake for 30 seconds until the outside feels cold. This chills the drink and strengthens the foam.
- Strain into a low ball glass and add a splash of soda water. Garnish with a lemon twist if you like!
Pro Tip for Perfect Foam
Common mistakes include not shaking long enough during the dry shake (which makes a weak foam) or adding too much soda water. For even better foam, I learned in my mixology certificate that you can add a metal spring from a blender bottle to your shaker: it actually works!
Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the classic gin fizz, here are a few fun variations to try:
- Ramos Gin Fizz: This is the most famous variation that was invented in New Orleans. It adds lime juice, heavy cream, and orange blossom water, making a drink that tastes like liquid lemon meringue pie.
- Sloe Gin Fizz: This fruity option swaps regular gin for the berry-flavored sloe gin.
- Tom Collins: This classic cocktail is essentially a gin fizz without the egg white, served over ice in a tall glass.
- Bee’s Knees: Another classic cocktail, this has similar ingredients but swaps in honey syrup for the simple syrup.
Let me know what you think of this gin fizz recipe and if you try any of the variations!
PrintGin Fizz Cocktail
Pin RecipeThis classic Gin Fizz recipe is light, refreshing, and topped with a smooth, creamy foam. It’s a well-balanced cocktail with a bright citrus finish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- Lemon twist for garnish (optional)
- Soda water
Instructions
- Place the gin, lemon juice, syrup and egg white in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
- Fill the shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds until cold.
- Strain the drink into a glass and top with the soda water; the egg white foam forms on top. If desired, garnish with a lemon twist. Serve immediately.
Notes
Simple syrup substitute: Maple syrup is our favorite substitute for simple syrup in a cocktail; it adds subtle caramel notes without tasting like maple.
Egg white substitute: For vegan, substitute 2 tablespoons aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas. Another popular egg white substitute for cocktails is this Fee Brothers Cocktail Foamer.
Foam tips: For maximum foam, make sure your egg is fresh and shake vigorously during the dry shake phase.
Gin recommendations: I like Beefeater and Malfy for their balanced botanical flavors. Avoid overly floral options like Tanqueray.
More Gin Cocktail Recipes to Try
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/nSvweou
Comments
Post a Comment