Gin and Basil Limeade
Shake up a delightful bouquet of citrus from limes and herbal notes from basil, sweetened with a Southern staple, simple syrup. This is one cocktail that’s perfectly refreshing on a warm afternoon.
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 fresh basil leaves
- 4 tablespoons simple syrup*
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, about 2 limes
- 8 tablespoons good gin
- 4 to 6 tablespoons club soda
- 1 cup ice, plus extra for serving
- Extra basil leaves for garnish, optional
- For a batch of simple syrup:
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Drop the basil leaves into a cocktail shaker and pour in the simple syrup.
- Muddle the basil leaves together with the simple syrup.
- Pour in the fresh lime juice along with the gin.
- Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until the cocktail is chilled, about 20 seconds.
- Divide the cocktail between two highball glasses filled with ice.
- Top with 2 to 3 tablespoons of club soda per glass and stir to mix.
- Garnish with sprigs of fresh basil.
- For the simple syrup: Combine in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 10 minutes.
- Let the syrup cool and keep refrigerated. Makes about 2-½ cups of simple syrup.
Notes
Keep a batch of simple syrup in your fridge – it’s perfect to have on hand when making cocktails or a glass of sweet ice tea!