These cucumber gin cocktails have it all - they're tangy, slightly sweet, earthy and refreshing. Best of all, they're definitely different from anything in your normal rotation. (And just look at that gorgeous color!)
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🥒 Why We Love This Recipe
- Perfect palette cleanser: Is there anything more refreshing than cucumbers and lime? This cocktail makes for a perfect sipping drink during dinner, especially on a warm summer evening.
- Different: If you're tired of making the same 3 cocktails, then this is the recipe for you. Fresh cucumber juice and Chartreuse ensure that this is far from a run-of-the-mill cocktail. It's a great way to take your bartending skills to the next level!
- Floral and herby: We love that this drink isn't overly sweet, and has a lovely floral and herbaceous quality. Perfect for slow sipping.
🍸 Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make our cucumber gin cocktails:
📋 Ingredient Notes
- Gin: Any dry gin will work, like Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, or Beefeater.
- Chartreuse: I know you're probably wondering...is that neon green chartreuse artificially colored? Amazingly, it's not! Chartreuse is made from a blend of 130 different plants and flowers, lending it the most stunning, vibrant color and a unique herbal flavor. We used this variety - either green or yellow Chartreuse both taste great in this cucumber gin cocktail.
- Chartreuse substitute: if you don't have any chartreuse at home, you can sub with another herbal liqueur of choice, like St. Germain (elderflower liqueur). It's a unique flavor profile so there's no perfect substitute, but we've tried this cocktail with both and it's delicious either way. Of course, if you'd prefer a more basic cocktail, you can leave it out altogether.
- Simple syrup: homemade simple syrup is incredibly easy to make with just 2 ingredients – water and sugar. However, you can also purchase it at most liquor or grocery stores if you don't feel like getting out a saucepan!
🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
(1) Blend cucumber and water in a high speed blender and then strain juice through a fine mesh sieve into a large liquid measuring cup. Press juice through with the back of a spoon.
(2) Squeeze lime juice separately.
(3) Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice and shake well for a slow count of 15.
(4) Strain into a glass over ice and garnish with lime & fresh mint (optional). Enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips and FAQs
- The key to this cocktail is the freshly blended cucumber - don't skip it! You don't need a fancy industrial juicer. A regular blender and a sieve will work perfectly fine.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice is about ⅓ of the cocktail, so make sure you squeeze them fresh for the best flavor.
- Add some fizz: for an extra refreshing cucumber gin cocktail, feel free to top this recipe off with a splash of club soda or sparkling water. Pro tip: Spindrift cucumber sparkling water is the perfect addition!
- Make ahead: if you want to serve this cucumber gin cocktail at a dinner party, you can absolutely mix everything together ahead of time. We suggest no longer than 24 hours before serving, as the cucumber and lime juice taste best when freshly prepared. Be sure to shake well again before serving.
Chartreuse originates from a small town in France. Monks actually first created the bright green herbal infusion as early as the mid-eighteenth century. The recipe (originally used as medicine) has long since been kept a carefully guarded secret. A single monastery in Voiron, France still produces chartreuse.
The tonic contains a wide variety of herbs and flowers, giving it a kick that's easily distinguishable from other liqueurs. You certainly can't confuse it by sight - in fact, if you're wondering, the color Chartreuse was named after the liqueur.
Combine equal parts water and sugar (we typically use ½ cup of each) in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool before using.
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Print📖 Recipe
Cucumber Gin Cocktail
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 drinks
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These cucumber gin cocktails have it all - they're tangy, slightly sweet, earthy and refreshing. Best of all, they're definitely different from anything in your normal rotation.
Ingredients
- 4 oz gin
- 2 oz Chartreuse
- 4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 oz simple syrup
- 4 cups peeled and diced cucumber
- ½ cup water
- Ice
Instructions
- Blend cucumber and water in a high speed blender and then strain juice through a fine mesh sieve into a large liquid measuring cup. Press juice through with the back of a spoon.
- Squeeze lime juice separately.
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice and shake well for a slow count of 15.
- Strain into a glass over ice and garnish with lime & fresh mint (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
The key to this cocktail is the freshly juiced cucumber - don't skip it!
Chartreuse: Chartreuse is a liqueur made from a blend of 130 different plants and flowers, lending it the most stunning, vibrant color and a unique herbal flavor.
Chartreuse substitute: you can sub with another herbal liqueur of choice, like St. Germain (elderflower liqueur). It's a unique flavor profile so there's no perfect substitute, but we've tried this cocktail with both and it's delicious either way. Of course, if you'd prefer a more basic cocktail, you can leave it out altogether.
Make ahead: if you want to serve this cucumber gin cocktail at a dinner party, you can absolutely mix everything together ahead of time. We suggest no longer than 24 hours before serving, as the cucumber and lime juice taste best when freshly prepared. Be sure to shake well again before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: Shaker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 drinks
- Calories: 159
- Sugar: 12.7 g
- Sodium: 4.6 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.7 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 0.8 g
Sunita Maharaj-Vidal says
OMG, I love all three cocktail recipes. I think the peach one would be my favorite though. I have all the ingredients at hand, I am looking forward to making it very soon. Perhaps this evening!