It’s sour! It’s sweet! It’s floral! This Lemon Lavender Gin Sour is an enhanced gin cocktail made with elderflower liqueur and lavender bitters. Just think of it as a grown up version of the best lemonade you’ve ever had.
Easy lemon gin cocktail recipe
I’m no stranger to sour cocktail recipes and creative reinventions of sour drinks. During warm weather, I love sipping on a Pear Elderflower Sour, Clementine Blood Orange Sour, and this new and improved Lemon Lavender Gin Sour. It’s so refreshing!
The adults at your next spring or summer gathering will LOVE this sweet, elegant drink. It’s made with a mix of gin, lemon juice, and elderflower liqueur. These refreshingly tart flavors are balanced with simple syrup and lavender bitters, creating the perfect cocktail for garden parties and outdoor celebrations.
Making more than one cocktail at a time is simple and there’s even an option to make a non-alcoholic version, allowing everyone to enjoy this refreshing drink. Cheers!
What is a sour cocktail?
At its core, sour cocktails consist of spirits, sweeteners, and citrus. This gin sour cocktail recipe is elevated with the delicate flavors of lavender and elderflower. The final product is a tart, floral, and frothy lavender sour cocktail (which I like to think of as a refined adult lemonade).
Ingredients in a gin sour with lavender
- Gin - London Dry gin has notes of juniper, pepper, and citrus, and is best for sours. Don’t feel like you break the bank on a premium bottle. Bombay Sapphire, Tanquerey, Beefeater, and New Amsterdam are budget-friendly options that still work perfectly in sour drinks.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice is superior to the bottled stuff, especially in mixed drinks. It adds layers of naturally acidic and bright flavors.
- Elderflower liqueur - This will give the cocktail a subtly sweet and botanical flavor. The most common brand is Saint Germain and is usually easy to find in most liquor stores.
- Simple syrup - This is easy to make at home by dissolving sugar into equal parts warm water. Its sweet flavors are the secret to balancing the sour lemon juice. Add lavender buds and lemon to boost the flavor!
Use my step-by-step guide to learn how to make your own homemade simple syrup!
- Lavender bitters - Adds a well-rounded floral flavor. A little bit goes a long way!
- Garnish - Set aside a lemon wheel and culinary rosemary for garnish.
How to make a lemon lavender gin sour
Step 1: Shake with ice. Add the gin, lemon juice, elderflower liqueur, lemon lavender simple syrup, and lavender bitters to a cocktail shaker. Add a scoop of ice and shake for 30 seconds.
Step 2: Strain and serve. Strain the cocktail into your glass and garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of lavender Cheers!
Recommended equipment
To make sour cocktails like a professional mixologist, you’ll need a few key pieces of equipment:
- Cocktail Shaker With Lid - Sour drinks are always shaken, never stirred. If possible, use a Boston or Parisian shaker.
- Bar strainer - You’ll need a strainer that fits over your shaker to strain the liquid from the ice.
- Glassware - Coupe glasses are perfect for sours, but a martini glass or old-fashioned glass will also make your homemade lemon lavender sour look extra special.
Tips and variations
- Add bubbles - Top your cocktail with club soda (or lemon-lime soda) for a fun fizz.
- No cocktail shaker? No problem! Use a sealed mason jar, spill-proof mug, or a blender bottle instead.
- Liquor alternatives - If gin isn’t your thing, replace it with vodka or whiskey instead.
- Lemon lavender margarita - Transfer the floral and refreshing flavors over to a margarita recipe if that’s more your thing. Use silver tequila instead of gin, lime juice instead of lemon, and rim the glass with sugar.
- Blackberry and lilac simple syrup - Feel free to use this syrup if you can't find elderflower liqueur or lavender bitters.
Frequently asked questions
The only difference between these two classic cocktails is the citrus juices. My Blackberry and Lilac Gin Gimlet, for example, is made with lime juice, whereas my gin sour features lemon juice. That said, swap the lemon juice for lime juice in this recipe to make a lime lavender gin gimlet.
To make a lemon lavender sour without the alcohol, omit the gin, elderflower liqueur, and bitters. Instead, dry shake lemon juice, lavender syrup, and elderflower syrup in a cocktail shaker and strain into a fresh glass with ice. Top the rest of the glass with club soda or water and stir.
More gin cocktail recipes
- Blood Orange Pisco Sour
- Passion Fruit Gin Fizz
- Blackberry & Black Current Cocktail
- Cranberry Gin & Tonic
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try to make this lavender lemon gin cocktail, please leave a review or share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Lemon Lavender Sour
Equipment
- Glass for serving
Ingredients
- 2 oz Gin
- 1 oz Lemon Juice
- ¾ oz Elderflower Liqeuer
- ½ oz Simple Syrup
- 4 Drops Lavender Bitters
- Slice of lemon and sprig of Rosemary, for garnish
Instructions
- In a shaker, combine the gin, lemon juice, elderflower liquor, simple syrup, and bitters before shaking vigorously with ice for 30 seconds.2 oz Gin, 1 oz Lemon Juice, ¾ oz Elderflower Liqeuer, ½ oz Simple Syrup, 4 Drops Lavender Bitters
- Strain into a glass getting rid of the broken ice chips.
- Garnish with a slice of lemon and a sprig of culinary rosemary.
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