Sparkling Gin Basil Lemonade

Cheers! What’s better than lemonade on a hot summer day? Maybe a sparkling gin basil lemonade! Adults deserve refreshment, too! This cocktail recipe comes together in a few minutes and will serve a crowd! Cheers!

All year long, I love to make fun cocktails to share with friends. But, in the summer, the cocktails often need to be transportable so I can bring a fun drink to dinner (it’s BYOB in the summer!) or to the pool while the mommies hang out and our kids play.

As with other “herby” cocktails in my repertoire, this sparkling gin basil lemonade was created out of a thirst for lemonade and an excess of basil. What goes great with basil and lemonade? Why not gin?

You can whip this cocktail up in a few minutes. I already had a lemon simple syrup in the refrigerator from another cocktail project, but I really wanted to bring in the basil flavor as well so I made a basil simple syrup to complement the lemon. Making simple syrups is really, well, simple!

Heat sugar and water (equal parts), bring to a boil, add herbs, reduce to simmer, simmer 5 to 10 minutes, let cool. Done and done. If you make extra simple syrup, put it in a jar and stick it in the fridge – it will last for a couple of weeks.

This recipe will make a generous pitcher of sparkling gin basil lemonade. You can modify the recipe to make a smaller amount.

Print

Sparkling Gin Basil Lemonade

Light, crisp, refreshing! You are going to love this Sparkling Gin Basil Lemonade

Course Cocktails

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author Erin Brighton

Ingredients

• 3 cups gin
• 1 cup triple sec (super inexpensive mixer! get it!)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
• 1 cup basil simple syrup
• 1 cup lemon simple syrup
• 2 Polar seltzers (20 oz each)
• Extra basil leaves and lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

1. Making simple syrups are easy! Heat equal parts water and sugar. For this recipe, 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar (or 3/4 cup sugar) for each simple syrup. Add a generous handful of basil for the basil simple syrup and a 1/2 of a lemon, sliced, for the lemon simple syrup. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. Combine gin, triple sec, freshly squeezed lemon juice, basil simple syrup, lemon simple syrup. Stir to combine. Chill.
3. Right before serving, add 2 bottles of seltzer water. Garnish with basil and lemon slices.
4. Serve over ice.
5. Optional: 2 cups basil simple syrup instead of 1 cup basil and 1 cup lemon simple syrups.