If you're looking to get into the Christmas spirit, then this Sugar Plum Fairy-inspired drink is the cocktail for you! Homemade grenadine (pomegranate syrup), gin, lemon juice, and a splash of club soda make a simple cocktail that looks and tastes amazing.
This post is sponsored by Q MIXERS. All opinions are our own.
Every holiday season, we're always searching for cocktails that are great for a crowd, and also have an interesting story that creates conversation. This sugar plum fairy cocktail definitely fits the bill. It's inspired by the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker (hence the all pink vibe!), so it just oozes Christmas spirit!
If you're searching for some more holiday cocktails to liven your spirit, try our (very popular) The Grinch Cocktail, our Pomegranate Moscow Mule or these DIY Cocktail Kits.
Inspired by the Sugar Plum Fairy, this cocktail has a stunning, all-natural pink color. The secret? Freshly squeezed pomegranate juice! To see how we did it, keep reading below!
Jump to:
- Sugar Plum Fairy Cocktail Ingredients
- Ingredient Spotlight:
- Homemade Grenadine
- How to Make this Sugar Plum Fairy Cocktail Recipe
- Substitutions and Variations
- What to Serve with this Sugar Plum Cocktail
- Tips and FAQ
- If you want to get that amazing pink color...
- More festive holiday recipes to enjoy
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
Sugar Plum Fairy Cocktail Ingredients
- Gin: We used gin, and it has a lovely herbal flavor that works well in this cocktail, but you could also use vodka or even tequila.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is the best choice for this cocktail.
- Grenadine: We made our own grenadine syrup, but you can use store bought as well, though the color may be different.
Ingredient Spotlight:
Club soda: We use Q CLUB SODA, which is super fizzy and has a touch of Himalayan salt, which enhances subtle drink flavors, making for a perfectly balanced cocktail.
If you’re stocking up on mixers for the holidays, we ALWAYS recommend Q MIXERS for premium quality & ingredients, less sugar and maximum carbonation! Q CLUB SODA has the absolute maximum carbonation, so it stays bubbly for much longer than other sparkling waters or seltzers. The small details really make a big difference in your craft cocktails!
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Homemade Grenadine
We made our own grenadine syrup for a few reasons:
- It's a huge component of this cocktail, so the taste really matters. Homemade just tastes better!
- We really wanted this cocktail to be pink, and our homemade syrup delivered the best results!
- You can make a larger batch and use throughout the season in cocktails and mocktails.
To make your own syrup, start by juicing a pomegranate. This is super easy and pretty fun. Just add all of the pomegranate arils to a vacuum sealed bag or just a regular zip lock, and gently roll until you've "popped" all of the arils without crushing the seeds inside.
Pour out the pomegranate juice, then combine with an equal amount of sugar (each pomegranate should yield about ½ cup of juice), and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add in a touch of lemon juice, let cool, bottle, and enjoy!
You can use store-bought pomegranate juice, but the color won't be nearly as vibrant.
How to Make this Sugar Plum Fairy Cocktail Recipe
STEP 1: Rim a glass with sugar (pink if possible) by dipping it first into agave or simple syrup, then into sugar. Pink bow optional 🙂
STEP 2: Add gin, grenadine, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice. Shake for a count of 15, then pour into a coupe glass. Top with Q CLUB SODA, and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
- Gin: if you don't like the flavor of gin, feel free to replace with vodka or tequila.
- Make it a mocktail: If you want to enjoy this alcohol-free, replace the gin with water, or a non-alcoholic gin substitute.
- Make it for a crowd: If you want to make this as a pitcher cocktail, multiply the listed quantities of each ingredient by 8-10. Stir together gin, grenadine, and lemon juice, then chill in the fridge. Pour into individual glasses then top with club soda.
What to Serve with this Sugar Plum Cocktail
What could be better to serve with this cocktail than homemade Sugar Plums? You can make our Sugar Plums and serve them alongside this cocktail.
Tips and FAQ
If you want to get that amazing pink color...
You're going to have to make your grenadine syrup at home with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice! The good news: it's way easier than you might think.
More tips
- Be sure to shake your cocktail well in a shaker half-filled with ice to ensure that it's evenly mixed and well chilled.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice is always better than the stuff from the bottle.
Grenadine is a popular nonalcoholic bar syrup that's commonly used as a cocktail ingredient. It's known for its red color and sweet taste, and is typically made from pomegranate juice and a hint of orange blossom.
More festive holiday recipes to enjoy
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Tried this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Sugar Plum Fairy Cocktail
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Homemade grenadine syrup, gin, lemon juice, and a splash of club soda make a simple cocktail that looks and tastes amazing! If you're looking to get into the Christmas spirit, then this is the perfect cocktail!
Ingredients
Cocktail:
- 1 ½ oz gin
- ¾ oz grenadine (recipe below)
- ½ oz lemon juice
- Q CLUB SODA for topping
- Optional: pink sugar for the rim of the glass
Homemade Grenadine:
- 2 large pomegranates
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Cocktail:
- Rim a glass with sugar (pink if possible) by dipping it first into agave or simple syrup, then into sugar.
- Add gin, grenadine, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice. Shake for a count of 15, then pour into a coupe glass. Top with club soda, and enjoy!
Grenadine:
- Note: You can use store-bought pomegranate juice for this, but the color won't be nearly as vibrant, and your cocktail will be more red than pink. We also think freshly squeezed tastes better!
- To make your own syrup, start by juicing a pomegranate. Just add all of the pomegranate arils to a vacuum sealed bag or just a regular zip lock, remove all of the air, and gently roll with a rolling pin until you've "popped" all of the arils without crushing the seeds inside. Try to get as much juice out of each aril as possible.
- Strain the pomegranate arils through a fine mesh sieve. Press down on the arils with the back of a spoon to remove as much juice as possible.
- You should get about 1 cup of pomegranate juice from 2 large pomegranates. Add to a pot with an equal quantity (1 cup) of sugar. Heat just until the sugar is dissolved (don't let it come to a boil). Remove from heat, then stir in the lemon juice.
- Let cool completely before using or transferring to a bottle. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
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Gin: We used gin, and it has a lovely herbal flavor that works well in this cocktail, but you could also use vodka or even tequila.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is the best choice for this cocktail.
Grenadine: We made our own grenadine syrup, but you can use store bought as well, though the color may be different.
Make it non-alcoholic: Leave out the gin and add extra club soda. Alternatively, replace the gin with a zero proof alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cocktail
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 10.3 g
- Sodium: 12.5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
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