This gin fizz cocktail is sweet and tart, refreshingly crisp, and delicious! It’s made with simple, every day ingredients, and is perfect for a hot summer day or a fun party!
This is one of my Drink recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
Warm weather seems to be here to stay in the Midwest (and unfortunately that also goes for the endless amounts of rain!).
That warmer weather brings cravings of sitting out in the sunshine, sipping on an ice cold, fizzy/bubbly drink!
This rosemary grapefruit gin fizz is made with a simple rosemary infused simple syrup, crisp gin, fresh grapefruit juice and a splash of fizzy club soda, so you can get that refreshing, cool drink, plus a cocktail, all in one.
Don’t worry, if you’d prefer a non-alcoholic drink, I’ve included how to make this a regular lavender lemonade in the “variations of this recipe” section below
Why you’ll love this recipe!
- Prepped ahead – to save time, the rosemary simple syrup can be made ahead of time, as well as the lemonade (minus the sparkling water), which means you can be sipping on this cocktail in no time!
- Homemade – despite how relatively simple this recipe is to make, everything from the simple syrup to the cocktail itself, is all homemade, so you know exactly what’s in your drink.
- Customize-able – whether you like your cocktails more tart, more sweet, or you prefer more or less rosemary flavor, you can absolutely switch up the proportions to be more to your tastes.
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Grapefruit juice – fresh juice gives this cocktail the best flavor, but you can use bottled if you prefer.
- Gin – no need to break the bank on the top of the line gin, since this is a mixed drink.
- Club soda – sparkling water or seltzer water are great substitutions.
- Simple syrup – this simple syrup is made with water (just regular tap water), granulated sugar, and fresh rosemary.
- Rosemary – I like to garnish these drinks with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
- Grapefruit – just as with the rosemary, I like to garnish the drinks with a slice of grapefruit.
How to make a rosemary grapefruit gin fizz:
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Make the simple syrup. This is done by bringing water, sugar, and rosemary sprigs to a boil, then letting it steep and cool.
- Add juice. I like to measure the juice rather than just squeezing it right into the glass.
- Add gin.
- Add syrup. This is the simple syrup from earlier, that’s cooled to room temperature.
- Add club soda. This is added towards the end so it stays nice and bubbly.
Helpful Tip!
Garnishes are always optional, but with drinks they add such a fun and bar/restaurant-style look. In this recipe, I recommend a grapefruit slice and sprig of rosemary. You could add a sugared rim if you’d like some extra sweetness.
Variations of this recipe
- Juice – I much prefer this cocktail with fresh grapefruit juice, but if you’d rather use bottled, try to find one without added sugars.
- Other alcohol – if you’re not a gin fan, try using another clear spirit, such as vodka, silver tequila (this would be similar to a paloma), or white rum.
- Non-alcoholic – if you don’t want to use any alcohol in this recipe, please see the non-alcoholic version in the “chef tips” section right below the recipe directions in the recipe card below.
- Sweetness level – if you prefer your cocktails sweeter, feel free to make and use more of the simple syrup. If you prefer it more tart, you can absolutely make and use less.
- Non-sparkling – bubbles not your thing? No worries, just replace the club soda with regular flat water.
FAQ’s
Sure thing! You could try using a non-alcoholic gin, or replacing the gin with extra grapefruit juice.
Using fresh grapefruit juice means that sometimes you end up with a grapefruit that’s more tart than usual. You can counter-balance that tart bitterness with additional simple syrup, or adding a small splash of orange juice to mellow the flavors.
Making a gin fizz ahead of time
You can make this cocktail recipe ahead of time, just be sure to keep it covered in the refrigerator.
I don’t recommend adding the club soda until you’re ready to serve, otherwise it’ll go flat and you won’t have that fizziness.
You can also prep the simple syrup ahead of time, just store it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to a week.
Storage
Leftover cocktails should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. Drink it within 3 days for the best flavor.
The fizziness will disappear, so when you serve it, just add a splash of new club soda.
More Drink Recipes:
My Favorite Cocktail Set!
You really only need the jigger for this recipe, but in case you’re in the market, this set is beautiful and inexpensive!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
Rosemary simple syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Cocktail
- 2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 ounces gin (about 3 Tbsp)
- 1 ounce simple syrup (about 2 Tbsp)
- 2 ounces club soda (about 1/4 cup)
Instructions
Make simple syrup
- To a small saucepan, add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 2 sprigs fresh rosemary. Bring to a boil over MED heat, stirring occasionally as the sugar dissolves.
- Let the syrup simmer for about 2-3 minutes to allow the rosemary to infuse.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Discard rosemary sprigs before using later.
Make cocktail
- Fill a glass with some ice cubes, then pour in 2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice, 1 1/2 ounces gin, 1 ounce simple syrup, and top it off with 2 ounces club soda.
Garnish and serve
- Serve cold, with a sprig of rosemary and grapefruit slice if desired.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- This recipe makes one (6.5 oz) cocktail. There are large batch instructions below.
- Any times listed do not account for the time the simple syrup needs to cool to room temperature, as this will vary from person to person.
- Calorie count includes the entire simple syrup, rather than the 1 oz used, so you’ll need to do some calculations if nutritional information is important to you.
Large Batch:
- If making more than 7-8 drinks, you’ll need to double the simple syrup.
- You can make a large batch with any multiple of the recipe, you just need to multiply all the cocktail ingredient amounts by the same number, and you’ll want to make sure you have a large enough pitcher to hold everything.
- To a large pitcher, add the grapefruit juice, gin, and simple syrup.
- Stir together, then cover and chill for several hours, or up to 1-2 days.
- When ready to serve, stir really well, then pour the contents of the pitcher over ice into glasses. Top off glasses with the club soda, add garnishes and serve!
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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