5 Quick and Easy Lavender Cocktail Recipes
It’s summer time, the peak season for all things fruity, floral, and refreshing.
With lavender finally coming into flowering season, and lavender farms opening to the public, what better time to make some lavender cocktails?
Lavender is such a versatile flavour, and lends itself perfectly to many different recipes.
Throughout history, lavender has been known for its medicinal properties including being anti-inflammatory, lowering blood pressure and pain relief.
This is perfect to help combat any summer ailments, such as headaches from the heat, so get sipping, and let the lavender work its magic!
Which spirit is best?
When it comes to pairing spirits with lavender aromatics, it is best to choose a clear spirit, as this will compliment the floral notes of the syrups. We recommend one of the following:
- Vodka - this tasteless white spirit will pack a punch without interfering with either the colour or flavours of your cocktails.
- Gin - known for its herbal, floral compounds, either an original or a floral gin will pair perfectly with your lavender syrup. Citrus gins will also go hand in hand with such floral notes - you can’t forget the classic lavender lemonade combo!
- White Rum - White rum has a light, sweet flavour which would perfectly compliment the sweet floral notes of lavender, giving the ultimate summer vibes.
And now, let’s skip to the best bit - the cocktail recipes 😍
Whether you want to use a lavender simple syrup, a lavender-infused liquor, or lavender bitters, there’s sure to be something here that tickles your fancy.
If you need a lavender simple syrup recipe, scroll to the bottom of this post!
Top 5 Lavender Cocktail Recipes
1. Lavender Elderflower Martini
Ingredients:
→ Combine Ingredients In Shaker.
→ Shake Well And Strain Into Chilled Martini Glass.
→ Garnish with a Lavender Flavour Blaster bubble and pop with a lemon peel twist or lavender sprig.
2. Lavender Gin Spritz
Ingredients:
→ Pour 25 ml of good quality gin into a balloon glass (or a large wine glass), then add 15 ml each of Lillet Blanc and lavender syrup.
→ Fill the glass with ice and stir, then top up with 125ml of lemonade and stir again.
→ Garnish the drink with a sprinkle of lavender flowers and a lemon wheel... or a Lavender Flavour Bubble, if you're feeling fancy. ✨
3. Hard Lavender Lemonade
Ingredients:
→ Pour 50 ml of good quality vodka into a tall glass full of ice.
→ Pour in 20 ml of lavender simple syrup and stir.
→ Then fill your glass to about two centimetres from the top with lemonade. (If you pour this carefully, the lemonade will sit on top of the purple syrup, creating a colour divide in the glass.)
→ Garnish with either a Lavender or Citrus Flavour Blaster aroma and serve the drinks with a stirrer so the guests can mix the ingredients themselves before they take a sip.
4. Lavender Daiquiri
Ingredients:
→ Add 50 ml of good quality aged white rum and 15 ml of lavender syrup into a cocktail shaker, then mix one teaspoon of honey with 25ml of your lemonade and add that.
→ Add ice to the shaker and give it a good hard shake.
→ Double strain into a martini glass and add a Lavender Flavour Blaster bubble and a lemon slice.
5. Lavender French 75
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Empress 1908 Gin
- 3/4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 oz simple syrup
- 2-3 dashes lavender bitters
- Prosecco or champagne to top off cocktail
→ Shake gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and lavender bitters over ice.
→ Strain into a coupe or flute.
→ Top with prosecco & garnish with a lemon twist and/or lavender sprig, and a cloud of either Citrus or Lavender aroma vapour to garnish.
Like the sound of a bubble garnish on your drinks?
Here at Flavour Blaster, we have everything you need to take your cocktails to the next level.
With over 26 aromas to choose from, we have a flavour for every cocktail you can think of.
Our new Flavour Blaster MINI was designed with our home bartenders in mind, and although it’s called a MINI, it packs a punch!
Available in a range of colours, our MINI is sure to elevate your cocktail experience and wow your guests. Use the smoke option on its own, or create a smoke filled bubble, that will allow you to bring the bar theatrics to your living room.
Want to know more? Check out our information page here.
Now, back to the technical stuff…
How to make a Lavender Simple Syrup
One of the easiest ways to add lavender into your cocktails is by using a lavender syrup.
Comprising of just water and sugar, simple syrups are one of the most cost effective cocktail ingredients, and they can be customised and infused with any flavour.
Want to give it a go? Here is our foolproof recipe for making your very own lavender syrup.
How to make a Lavender Simple Syrup
Make sure you get culinary lavender flowers, as ornamental varieties tend to be more bitter once infused.
If you'd like to grow your own, try planting the Munstead, Lady or Hidcote varieties.
This syrup recipe relies on a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water, which is most commonly used in cocktails, for the most balanced serve.
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→ Add 400 g of white caster sugar and 400 ml of water to a clean saucepan.
→ Stir the mix to encourage the sugar to dissolve.
→ Then add 2-4 tablespoons of culinary grade lavender flowers. How much you add depends on your taste. Lavender is a strong flavour. Too much, and it errs towards soapy. Too little, and it may not stand up against the strength of your other cocktail flavours.
*Tip* To begin with, if you're uncertain, add two tablespoons, as you can always add more later.
→ Once your flowers are in the pan, turn on the heat. Allow the mixture to simmer but never boil. So you'll need to stand over it, stirring occasionally. (If the mixture boils, you'll lose water, the flowers may break down, and the sugar could begin to caramelise, all of which will change the flavour profile of your syrup, and not in a good way.)
→ Once you've simmered the mixture for about twenty minutes, turn the heat off and let the blend sit while it cools. Let the lavender continue to infuse into the syrup for a few hours before you strain it.
→ Use a cheesecloth or jam straining bag to filter any small but spiky stems and the softened flowers from the mix. Add the mixture to a sterilised bottle or jar. If you want to add a dash of purple food colouring to heighten the visual contrast between the yellow and violet, this is the time to do it. The syrup should last in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.
Prefer a video recipe? Check out our YouTube tutorial for simple syrups here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB1dC62ivAo&t=11s
You can use this recipe to make any flavour syrups, let your imagination run wild!
Don’t have time to make syrup? Buy a bottle instead.
For more cocktail inspiration and recipe hacks, check out our other blog posts here or subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
