I always like to have a fun cocktail ready for the holiday season and the cocktail needs to check a few boxes. First, it has to be easy to make. I’m already busy in the kitchen and I don’t want something with a million different liquors. Second, it has to be easy to make in bulk in case I have guests who want one. Third, it has to have bourbon.
Okay, that last one isn’t 100%, but at house Crunch Time it kinda is.
This Blackberry Bourbon Smash checks all the boxes and feels pretty festive! Add it to your cocktail list this winter!
Want another fall cocktail favorite? Try this apple cider shrub cocktail!
How to make candied blackberries
This is a very optional step for this cocktail, but does look really nice and the little candied blackberries are delicious. Just watch out if you have kids because these will disappear before you can use them in your cocktails!
These are very easy to make though. Just simmer equal parts water and sugar in a small pot and then add some blackberries. Remove them from the heat and let them sit for a few seconds. Then drain off the syrup and toss them in some fresh sugar.
After the berries are well-coated in sugar, I recommend laying them out on some parchment paper to dry. This will harden the sugar on the outside, giving them a nice texture.
What bourbon works well for this cocktail?
There isn’t any hard and fast rule here for bourbon for this cocktail. The blackberries have a strong flavor so I wouldn’t worry about using something super high-end. Personally, I usually have Tin Cup or Bulleit in my cabinet so that is my go-to, but no strict rules here.
You could use rye for this as well if you want it to have a little more bite to it.
How to make a muddled cocktail
Any time you are making a muddled cocktail, I like to add some sugar to it to be a bit abbrasive as well as mint and lemon for this version. The lemon is super important to balance out the sweetness in the berries.
Muddle it well for 10-15 seconds to completely mash up the berries and mix everything together. If you don’t have a cocktail muddler, you can use a fork to mash everything together.
I just love the color on this! Okay. Now we can finish the cocktail.
How to finish this blackberry bourbon cocktail
Once you have the muddling done, add your bourbon to the mixing glass along with some ice and shake it well. This will chill it, mix it, and also continue to muddle the berries.
In theory you could just drink it like this, but it would be very chunky, so I recommend straining it into a fresh glass with ice. Again, the color is just amazing on this drink!
Top this with some cold ginger beer and you are ready to go! Cheers!
This is such a refreshing cocktail but feels festive at the same time, I think because of the color.
Substitutions
Here are some easy substitutions for this cocktail.
– Instead of bourbon, try this with gin or vodka.
– If you can’t find good blackberries, you can make this recipe with any berry.
– If you want to make this cocktail in bulk, just make a big batch of candied blackberries and multiply the cocktail ingredients by six in a pitcher.
Blackberry Bourbon Smash Cocktail
Equipment
Ingredients
For blackberry garnish (optional):
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 15 fresh blackberries
One Cocktail:
- 4 blackberries
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh
- 1½ ounces bourbon
- 3-4 ounces ginger beer
Instructions
- If you want to make the optional blackberry topping, simmer sugar and water together in a small pot. Simmer for a few minutes and then remove from heat and add in blackberries. Stir to combine and let sit for 10 seconds.
- Drain syrup off blackberries and toss them with sugar until it coats the berries.
- Lay out the blackberries on a piece of parchment paper to dry.
To make a cocktail:
- Add blackberries, mint, sugar, and lemon to a pint glass and muddle well to combine flavors.
- Add bourbon and fill with ice. Shake well to chill and mix.
- Strain mixture into a cocktail glass with fresh ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with candied blackberries.
