35 Gin Cocktail Recipes That Are Anything But Basic
Gin is meant for so much more than gin and tonic.
Bored of always drinking the same old gin and tonic? Same. For too long, gin has been reduced to that simple, two-ingredient cocktail. But with so many different possible flavor profiles, gin is one of the most complex and interesting cocktail bases. Check out our 35 easy-to-master gin cocktail recipes to impress your friends at your next party.
1. Verde Gimlet
Ingredients:
1 part Ancho Reyes Verde
1 part Hendrick's Gin
1 part Lime
½ part Rich Simple Syrup (2:1 Sugar: Water)
Slice of Cucumber
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Directions:
Add all ingredients to shaker, add ice, and shake hard to chill and dilute. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a cocktail coupe, then garnish with a cucumber wheel.
Courtesy of Hendrick's Gin
2. The Tommyrotter Martinez
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Tommyrotter Cask Strength Bourbon-Barrel Gin
1 ½ oz. Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica Formula preferred)
¼ oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur-2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
Directions:
Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Courtesy of Tommyrotter Distillery
3. Brooklyn Garden
1 ½ oz Hendrick's Gin
½ oz. St. Germain
¼ oz. Agave Nectar
½ oz. Fresh Lime
2 ½ oz. Spinach/kale/coconut H2O/celery/ginger
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a shaker and give a medium strength shake for about 5 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a cucumber sliced on the bias.
Served at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
4. Van Brunt Gimlet
Ingredients:
2 oz. Plymouth Gin
1 oz. Lime Juice
0.75 oz. Pomegranate Grenadine
Spray of Rose Water
Lime Wheel, for garnish
Directions:
Combine ingredients, shake, and strain into a coupe glass.
Served at The Dorsey at the Venetian
5. Spanish-Style Spring G&T
Ingredients:
1.5 parts Hendrick's Gin
4 parts Q Tonic or Q Indian Tonic
Seasonal Garnishes (we used peeled rhubarb, strawberry and basil)
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a copa or burgundy-style red wine glass. Stir to combine and garnish freely.
Courtesy of Hendrick's Gin
6. Infused Cucumber G&T
Ingredients:
1.5 Hendrick's Gin
4 parts Q Tonic
3 Cucumber Ribbons, per drink
Directions:
Lay cucumber ribbons against the inside of a tall Collins glass end to end from bottom to top. Carefully add cube ice. Top with gin and tonic and garnish with lime.
Courtesy of Hendrick's Gin
7. Green Witch
Ingredients:
2 oz. Greenhook Ginsmith Gin
¼ oz. Strega Liquore
¾ oz. Giffard Pamplemousse
¾ oz. Lime Juice
Absinthe
Rosemary sprig
Directions:
Shake Gin, Strega, Pamplemousse and Lime Juice.Place rosemary in highball glass. Use atomizer to spritz rosemary with absinthe. Light rosemary on fire to quickly toast. Add ice to glass and pour contents from shaker over ice. Top with splash of club soda.
Courtesy of Greenhook Gin at Due West Restaurant in NYC
8. Gin Mare
Ingredients:
1 oz. Gin Mare
Bui Tonic Water
Directions:
Add Bui Tonic water to Gin Mare, then garnish with orange and lemon slices, plus rosemary.
Courtesy of Fairmont Mayakoba
9. Gin-Fitzey
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. GinSimple Syrup
½ Lime (sliced into 3 wedges)
Splash of Lemon Lime Sparking Ice
Lime, for garnish
Directions:
Add gin, simple syrup, and lime wedges to shaker. Muddle. Add ice. Shake and strain into highball glass. Add a splash of Lemon Lime Sparkling Ice. Garnish with lime twist.
Courtesy of Sparkling Ice
10. Strawberry Rhubarb G&T
Ingredients:
1.5 parts Hendrick's Gin
3 parts Q Tonic
1.5 parts Strawberry Rhubarb Simple Syrup*
Fresh Strawberries and Basil, for garnish
Directions:
Add gin and simple syrup to a glass, add ice, top with Q Tonic, and garnish with strawberries and basil.
*Add 1 cup each of chopped fresh rhubarb and strawberries, 3/4 cup raw cane sugar, and 1 cup water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes until fruit breaks down. Strain through a chinois and chill.
Courtesy of Hendrick's Gin
11. Blood Orange Mule
Ingredients:
2 oz. No. 209 Gin
½ oz. Lime Juice
¼ oz. Royal Ginger Lime Simple Syrup
3 oz. Bette Jane’s Blood Orange Ginger Beer Garnish
Rosemary Sprig
Directions:
Shake ingredients minus ginger beer over ice. Strain over ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with Rosemary
12. The Rickey Reynolds
Ingredients:
2 ½ oz. Aviation American Gin
¾ oz. Freshly pressed lime juice
1 tsp. Simple syrup
Soda water
Directions:
In a collins glass, add ice, spirits & mixers. Top with soda water. Stir Garnish with a lime wedge.
Courtesy of Aviation Gin
13. Rosa Is Red
Ingredients:
5 oz. Rosa Regale
1 oz. London Dry Gin
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
3/4 oz. Lavender Simple Syrup*
1/2 oz. Blood Orange Juice1 Strawberry, sliced
Orange Peel, for garnish
Directions:
Combine gin, lemon, blood orange, and lavender simple syrup into shaking tin and fill half way with ice. Shake for 3 seconds and strain into a wine glass with ice and top with sparkling rose. Drop strawberries into glass and garnish with orange peel.
*Bring one cup water to a boil with 1 Tblsp. lavender sprigs. Add 1 cup of sugar and stir until dissolved. Take off heat and let cool. Strain out lavender and refrigerate up to one week.
Courtesy of Rosa Regale
14. Muses
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Hayman's 1850 Reserve Gin
3/4 oz. Fresh Lemon
1/2 oz. Chamomile Infused Honey Syrup
Champagne Foam (made with Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label, yellow chartreuse, raspberry, mint, agave nectar, and lemon juice)
Directions:
Combine ingredients, shake, and strain into a champagne glass.
Served at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
15. Pink Martini
Ingredients:
1 ¼ oz BLOOM Jasmine & Rose Gin
¾ oz Chamberyzette Strawberry Aperitif0
½ oz olin Blanco
Directions:
Served straight up and garnish with a single rose petal
Courtesy of Bloom Gin
16. American Werewolf
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. St. George Terroir Gin
1 oz. Bruto Americano
¾ oz. Sweet vermouth
Directions:
Stir all ingredients with ice to chill, then strain into a rocks glass and serve over ice. Garnish with fresh rosemary.
Courtesy of St. George's Spirits
17. The Secret Garden
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. The Botanist Gin
¾ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ oz. Elderflower Liqueur
1 ½ oz. Sparkling Rosé
Directions:
Add The Botanist Gin, Fresh Lemon Juice and Elderflower Liqueur to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake. Strain into a Flute Glass. Top with Sparkling Rosé. Garnish with a lemon peel.
Courtesy of 1
18. Lavender Honey Fizz
Ingredients:
½ oz. The Botanist Gin
¾ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ oz. White Wine Aperitif
½ oz. Honey Water (1:1 honey to water)
4 Dashes of Rosemary Bitters
1 ½ oz. Soda Water
1-2 Sprigs of Fresh Lavender
Directions:
Add The Botanist Gin, Lemon Juice, White Wine Aperitif, Honey and Bitters to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake. Strain over ice into a Rocks Glass and top with Soda Water. Garnish with lavender.
Courtesy of The Botanist Gin
19. Clover Club
Ingredients:
1 Egg white
2 ½ oz. Tattersall Gin
¾ oz. Lemon Juice
¾ oz. Raspberry Syrup
2 Dashes Aromatic Bitters
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and dry shake for 10 seconds.Add ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a coup glass.Top with 2 dashes of aromatic bitters. Garnish with a brandied cherry.
Courtesy of Tattersall Distilling.
20. Cool Hand
Ingredients:
5 (1/2 inch) cucumber, cut into chunks
1 ½ oz. Forthave Blue Gin
¾ oz. Lemoncello
¼ oz. Fresh Lemon juice
¼ oz. Genepy liquor
Directions:
Muddle cucumber then shake with ice. Double strain into chilled coupe and garnish with shaved cucumber.
Courtesy of Forthave Spirits
21. Bloodhound
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. OOLA Gin⠀⠀⠀⠀.
¾ oz. Sweet vermouth⠀⠀⠀⠀
¾ oz. Dry vermouth ⠀⠀⠀
2-3 Strawberries (crushed) ⠀
Directions:
Shake all ingredients over ice and fine strain into a cocktail glass.
Courtesy of Oola Distillery
22. Riviera Rose
Ingredients:
2 Parts Hendrick’s Gin
1 Part Giffard Pamplemousse
½ Part apricot liqueur1 part fresh lime juice
½ Part egg white
Directions:
Combine ingredients and shake with ice, then shake without ice. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a rose petal
Courtesy of Hendrick's Gin
23. 7 Ways to Sunday
Ingredients:
¾ 0z. Freeland Gin
¾ 0z. fresh lemon juice
½ oz. Cointreau
3 Tsp. strawberry preserves or jam
2 Dashes Peychaud’s bitters
1 0z. soda water
Directions:
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Top with soda water.
Courtesy of Freeland Spirits Portland’s first independent, women-led craft distillery.
24. Romantic Devotion
Ingredients:
1 Part Hendrick’s Orbium Gin
¼ Part cassis liqueur
½ Part basil syrup
Directions:
Stir and serve in a champagne flute. Top with dry Champagne. Nepitella mint with bloom to garnish.
Courtesy of Hendrick’s Gin
25. Hanky Panky
Ingredients:
1 oz. BLOOM Jasmine & Rose Gin
1 oz. Cocchi Rosa
Spray of Branca Menta
Orange Twist
Directions:
Served straight up
Courtesy of Bloom Gin
26. NOLET’S Silver Lavender G&T
Ingredients:
1 ¼ oz. NOLET’S Silver Gin
¼ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
¼ oz. Simple Syrup2
Fresh Lavender Sprigs
Tonic Water
Directions:
Add all ingredients, except tonic water to mixing glass with ice. Shake well and strain into a Burgundy glass over fresh ice. Top with tonic water. Garnish with fresh lavender sprigs.
Courtesy of Nolet’s Gin
27. Islay Breeze
Ingredients:
2 oz. The Botanist Gin
½ oz. Cointreau
¾ oz. Fresh lime juice
¼ oz. Simple Syrup
1 Bar spoon Simple Syrup
3 oz. Tonic
1 Sprig Fresh Mint
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Fill shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a rocks glass, filled with ice. Top with tonic and garnish with mint sprig.
Courtesy of The Botanist Gin
28. The Sage
Ingredients:
3 Sage Leaves, plus one for garnish
½ 0z. Simple Syrup
1 oz. Lemon Juice
½ 0z. Aperol
5oz Premium Gin
2 ½ 0z. Pomegranate Health-Ade Kombucha
Directions:
Pour gin, aperol, lemon juice, simple syrup, and three sage leaves into shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into coup glass. Top with 2.5oz Pomegranate Health-Ade Kombucha and garnish with sage leaf.
Courtesy of Health-Ade Kombucha
Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she reviews the latest launches from fashion and beauty brands, finds the best on-sale items around the internet, and interviews experts to find the best products in any category to share with her readers. She also creates shopping guides that span every vertical on the site as an expert in everything from the best laptop bags to the best laser hair removal devices.
In her near decade of experience, Julia has both written for several top outlets in the E-Commerce space and worked at major fashion labels. Prior to joining the Marie Claire team, she contributed similar shopping stories to sites such as Bustle, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, and worked as the Trending Fashion and News Writer STYLECASTER. You can find her across the internet at @JuliaMarzovilla. In real life, you can find her creating shopping guides for her friends, cooking or baking in her too-small kitchen, or buying tickets for the next time Harry Styles is in town.
Julia has a Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Journalism from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. She lives in New York City, her hometown.
-
Here's Where to Find the Best Holiday Gifts for Everyone on Your List
For men, moms, friends, and more.
By Anneliese Henderson Published
-
Cynthia Erivo Just Wore Two Witchy Manicures at Once
The star doubled down on her nail art obsession.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Trump's Tariffs Will Definitely Affect Your Closet
The time to spend is now—here's why.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
24 Whiskey Cocktail Recipes to Whip Up for St. Patrick's Day
If you're feeling lucky on March 17, say sláinte and try one of these spirited sips.
By Michelle Stansbury Published
-
23 Easy Mocktail Recipes to Try In 2023
Even better than the real thing.
By Michelle Stansbury Published
-
New Year's Eve Cocktails to Ring in 2023 With
Toast to better days ahead.
By Bianca Rodriguez Published
-
4 Big Ideas for Small Holiday Get-Togethers
Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent on how to level-up your scaled-down celebration.
By Betsy Goldberg Published
-
Natural Wines That Taste as Good as They Look
If you haven't gone au natural yet, it's time to start.
By Taylore Glynn Published
-
Cocktail Books to Help Upgrade Your At-Home Happy Hours
Five o'clock, where ya at?
By Rachel Epstein Published
-
39 Super Easy Fourth of July Cocktails to Try
Forget the fireworks. The real show is what you can make with your bar cart.
By Bianca Rodriguez Published
-
Why You Should Be Drinking Soju
The Korean spirit deserves a front-row spot on your bar cart.
By Taylore Glynn Published