This refreshing cherry gin cocktail is made with muddled cherries and mint, fresh lime juice, bitters, and simple syrup. All of which is topped with club soda and elderflower tonic water to give it some bubbles! It’s great for when you need a refresher or something to pair with a nice brunch!
If you’re a non-alcoholic drinker like us, it seems like the only “fun” drinks available to you are soda, lemonade, and kombucha. And while we do have a refreshing lemonade that resembles a cocktail, we wanted to create something a little closer to the real deal. That being said, there’s a growing number of non-alcoholic spirits out there so people like us don’t miss out on all the exciting drinks.
This cherry gin cocktail uses a gin alternative that makes it feel more “grown up” than any fruit flavored kombucha. Gin seems to have the most non-alcoholic alternatives compared to other spirits, so you’re bound to find something you like for this recipe. We also listed a few of our favorites down below for you to try out.
Happy mixing!
Ingredients
- Black Cherries: We use black cherries since they are generally sweeter. They also give this drink it’s pretty red color.
- Fresh Mint: Muddle the leaves with the cherries to extract the flavor.
- Ice: You’ll need some for chilling the drink in the shaker and more for your glass.
- Non-Alcoholic Gin: There are so many options out there now! A simple google search will yield plenty of zero proof gins. Our favorites are Damrak and Lyre’s.
- Fresh Lime Juice: You’ll need ¾ oz.
- Angostura Bitters: You can find these at a grocery store, but if not, you’re sure to find a bottle at the liquor store.
- Simple Syrup: This sweetened up the drink a bit to balance out the tartness from the lime juice and tonic water.
- Club Soda: For a bit of bubbles!
- Elderflower Tonic Water: We love the taste of elderflower tonic water! It’s bubbly, slightly tart, and has a hint of sweetness.
Method
For this cherry gin cocktail, all you need is a muddler, a cocktail shaker, and two strainers. From there, it’s all about combining the ingredients together and giving it a good shake. Below are pictures to guide you through this recipe.
Step 1: After muddling the cherries and mint, add ice to the cocktail shaker along with the rest of the ingredients.
Step 2: Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds until everything is well combined. The longer you shake it, the more flavor you’ll get.
Step 3: Double strain into a highball or collins glass filled with ice.
Step 4: Top with club soda and elderflower tonic water. Then garnish with a sprig of mint and enjoy!
FAQ
Technically no, but since a serving is only a few drops, the amount of alcohol is negligible. Pure vanilla extract is made with alcohol and people use it all the time in their baked goods. Like vanilla, bitters are a flavor enhancer and shouldn’t give you any sort of buzz. If you want, you can always omit it. It won’t make too much of a difference in the overall taste.
Good news is is that there are tons of gin alternatives out there now. A quick Google search will provide you a plethora of options. The liquor store in our area carries Ritual Zero Proof’s gin, so you might have some luck finding one there. However, you can you can find other options online. Our favorites are Lyre’s and Damrak.
– Cocktail Shaker: A cobbler or Boston shaker will do.
– Muddler: If you don’t have one, you can use the bottom side of a thick wooden spoon or a mortar and pestle.
– 2 Strainers: Since we’re muddling the mint and cherries, it’s best to double strain so you don’t end up with tiny bits of leaves and fruit skin. Our shaker had a built in strainer, so we only needed one.
More Non-Alcoholic Cocktails You’ll Love
A Few Tips
- If your cherries are too sour, add a sugar rim to your glass before building your drink! It should balance out the tartness.
- The longer you shake it, the more the flavorful your cocktail will be.
- If you forget to pit your cherries, no big deal. Just make sure to throw them away in the trash and not the dish disposal. Doing so could damage the blade in your sink.
Recipe
Cherry Gin Sparkling Cocktail
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: American
Description
This refreshing cherry gin cocktail is made with muddled cherries and mint, fresh lime juice, bitters, and simple syrup. All of which is topped with club soda and elderflower tonic water to give it some bubbles! It’s great for when you need a refresher or something to pair with a nice brunch!
Ingredients
- 3 black cherries, pitted
- 8–10 mint leaves
- Ice
- 2 ½ oz non-alcoholic gin
- ¾ oz lime juice
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 2 oz club soda
- 2 oz elderflower tonic water
- Mint, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cherries and mint. Be sure to squish the cherries until completely flattened. You want to get as much of the juice out as you can.
- Fill the shaker with ice and add the gin, lime juice, bitters, and simple syrup.
- Cover and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Double strain into a highball or Collins glass filled with ice.
- Top with club soda and elderflower tonic water.
- Garnish with a sprig of mint. Enjoy!
Notes
If you prefer not to add bitters, feel free to omit them.
Keywords: cherry gin, cherry sour cocktail, non-alcoholic, virgin cocktail
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