Apple & Elderflower Gin Cocktail
Crisp apple juice, floral elderflower liqueur, and dry gin make a bright cocktail that feels fresh without being fussy. A splash of sparkling water keeps it light and easy to sip.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 2 cocktails
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 10mCook 0mDrinks
Apple and elderflower are a natural pair: one crisp and gently sweet, the other fragrant and floral. Add gin, lemon, and bubbles, and you get a simple cocktail that works for brunch, garden drinks, or a relaxed evening at home.
This drink is shaken first, which means you mix it hard with ice to chill and slightly dilute it. Then it is topped with sparkling water so the finish stays lively instead of heavy.
Use a good cloudy apple juice if you can. It gives the cocktail more apple flavor and a softer look, but clear apple juice also works well.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
8 items · 2 cocktails
- 3 ounces dry gin
- 1 1/2 ounces elderflower liqueur, such as St-Germain
- 4 ounces chilled apple juice, preferably cloudy
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
- Ice, for shaking and serving
- 4 ounces chilled sparkling water or club soda
- Thin apple slices, for garnish
- 1 small lemon twist or edible flower, optional, for garnish
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Chill the glasses
Place two coupe glasses, wine glasses, or short tumblers in the freezer for 5 minutes. If you do not have time, fill each glass with ice water while you mix the cocktail, then empty before serving.
2. Measure the base
Pour the gin, elderflower liqueur, apple juice, and fresh lemon juice into a cocktail shaker. Measuring matters here because elderflower liqueur is sweet, and too much can make the drink taste syrupy.
3. Add the ice
Fill the shaker about two-thirds full with ice. Use solid cubes if possible. Crushed ice melts quickly and can water down the drink before you pour it.
4. Shake until cold
Close the shaker tightly and shake for 12 to 15 seconds, until the outside feels very cold. Shaking chills the drink and blends the citrus with the liqueur.
5. Prepare the serving glasses
Empty the chilled glasses if needed. Add fresh ice if serving in tumblers, or leave coupes without ice for a cleaner presentation.
6. Strain the cocktail
Strain the shaken mixture evenly between the two glasses. Straining means pouring through the shaker’s built-in strainer or a small sieve to hold back the ice.
7. Top with bubbles
Pour about 2 ounces of chilled sparkling water into each glass. Add it slowly so the drink stays fizzy and does not foam over.
8. Garnish and serve
Add a thin apple slice to each glass. Add a lemon twist or edible flower if you like, then serve right away while the cocktail is cold and sparkling.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: You can mix the gin, elderflower liqueur, apple juice, and lemon juice up to 4 hours ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator. Shake with ice and add sparkling water just before serving.
- Storage: Once sparkling water is added, the cocktail is best served right away. Leftovers will lose fizz and taste flatter after about 30 minutes.
- Apple juice swap: Cloudy apple juice gives a rounder, orchard-style flavor. Clear apple juice makes a lighter, cleaner-looking drink. Sparkling apple cider can replace both the apple juice and sparkling water, but the drink will be sweeter.
- Gin swap: A London dry gin keeps the cocktail crisp. A floral gin will make the elderflower stand out more. Avoid very smoky or heavily spiced gins, which can cover the apple flavor.
- Too sweet? Add another squeeze of lemon juice or a little more sparkling water. Too tart? Add a small splash of apple juice rather than sugar syrup.
- Batching for a group: For 8 cocktails, combine 12 ounces gin, 6 ounces elderflower liqueur, 16 ounces apple juice, and 3 ounces lemon juice in a pitcher. Chill, then shake or stir with ice in batches and top each drink with sparkling water.
Cook's note
Fresh lemon juice is worth using here. Bottled lemon juice can taste dull or bitter, and this cocktail depends on a clean citrus lift to balance the sweet elderflower liqueur and apple juice.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I make this apple and elderflower gin cocktail without a shaker?
Yes. Add the gin, elderflower liqueur, apple juice, and lemon juice to a large jar with a tight lid. Add ice, seal well, and shake. You can also stir everything with plenty of ice in a mixing glass, though the drink will be a little less frothy and bright.
What is the best gin for this cocktail?
Use a dry gin that you enjoy in a gin and tonic. London dry gin gives the cleanest balance. If you like softer drinks, a cucumber, citrus, or floral gin also works well with apple and elderflower.
Can I make it less strong?
Yes. Use 2 ounces gin total instead of 3 ounces, or pour the cocktail over ice in taller glasses and add extra sparkling water. The flavor will still be fresh, just lighter.
Can I make a non-alcoholic version?
You can make a spirit-free version with 4 ounces apple juice, 1 ounce elderflower cordial, 1 ounce lemon juice, and 6 to 8 ounces sparkling water. Serve it over ice. It will be sweeter than the gin version, so adjust with lemon to taste.
Why did my cocktail taste too floral?
Elderflower liqueur is powerful. Measure it carefully, and do not skip the lemon juice or sparkling water. If the drink is already mixed, add more apple juice and soda to soften the floral flavor.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
2 cocktails
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat0 g
- 0%
- Saturated Fat0 g
- 0%
- Cholesterol0 mg
- 0%
- Sodium5 mg
- 0%
- Total Carbohydrate17 g
- 6%
- Dietary Fiber0 g
- 0%
- Total Sugars16 g
- Protein0 g
- 0%
- Vitamin D0 mcg
- 0%
- Calcium7 mg
- 1%
- Iron0.1 mg
- 1%
- Potassium92 mg
- 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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