It’s summer here in Denver and school and out. That means a few things – hectic schedules, hot days, and porch happy hours. While I’m usually a crisp beer guy, I do enjoy the occasionally fruity cocktail and these Strawberry Basil Gin Fizzes are perfect for a hot day.
I highly dislike overly sweet cocktails so this one is nicely balanced with ripe strawberries (even a bit overly ripe is fine) and just enough sugar. The cocktail is balanced with some fresh lime, which is much needed, and while you could use vodka or tequila, I prefer a crisp, bright gin in my version.
Not drinking this summer? No worries! This is a great non-alcoholic drink as well!
How to make strawberry basil syrup
This is a small batch of the syrup you’ll need for this cocktail and not something you can readily find in stores. The key to it is to use very ripe strawberries, even ones that are a bit past their prime is fine!
Add those to a small pot with some sugar, basil, and water and let it simmer for a few minutes. You don’t have the cook this down too much to keep the fresh strawberry flavor. After a few minutes, cooking covered, you should have a loose syrup with lots of broken-down strawberry chunks.
Blend that mixture up and strain it through a mesh strainer to remove any big chunks and your syrup is ready! Be careful blending hot liquids as they can splatter! Start slow!
Once this is strawberry basil syrup is strained, let it cool before adding it to cocktails. You can stick it in the freezer for quick chilling if you are in a hurry.
How to mix a good gin cocktail
A good cocktail needs balance and to be chilled well. I like to mix mine in a standard pint glass with some lime juice (fresh please!) and ice. Shake that really well and then strain it into your cocktail glass.
I love the color on this cocktail. It just screams summer to me.
Top the cocktail off with some tonic water and garnish with strawberries and basil!
How to make this drink non-alcoholic
This is a very easy cocktail to make non-alcoholic. Add the syrup and lime to a shaker with ice and a splash of water. Then shake and chill well. Add it to a glass of your choice and top with a fizzy water that you like. Obviously a strawberry or lime flavored carbonated water would be a great choice!
Serving this gin cocktail up or on the rocks
I prefer this cocktail served on the rocks, but you could serve it up if you want it fancy. Just strain the cocktail into a chilled martini glass and then top with tonic water to finish it.
Making a pitcher of this cocktail
You can easily double the syrup recipe to make a larger batch of it and then multiply this recipe by 8 to make it in pitcher form. I would still top each drink individually with tonic to keep it fresh and bubbly.
Substitutions
Go crazy with substitutions here!
Use raspberries instead of strawberries if you can find good ones.
Change up the liquor to tequila or vodka if you like.
Try it with a non-alcoholic gin to make it an even fancier mocktail.
Leftover SYRUP STORAGE
This syrup stores really well in the fridge for a week or 10 days. After that the flavors start to dull substantially and it’s best to make a fresh batch.
Strawberry Basil Gin Fizz Cocktail
Equipment
Ingredients
Strawberry Basil Syrup
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- 6 leaves basil
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
Strawberry Basil Gin Cocktail
- 1 ½ ounces gin
- 1 ½ ounces strawberry basil syrup
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- 4 ounces tonic
- Basil and strawberry, garnish
Instructions
For the syrup:
- Add strawberries, basil, sugar, and water to a small saucepan and place over low heat.
- Cook for about 7-8 minutes, covered, until strawberries have mostly broken down. Let cool briefly.
- Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Strain syrup over a mesh strainer or a few paper towels to remove any big chunks.
- Chill syrup.
To make a cocktail:
- Add gin, syrup, and lime juice to a pint glass with lots of ice. Shake well.
- Strain the cocktail over fresh ice and top with tonic water.
- Garnish with sliced strawberry and basil leaf. (optional)
