While the original Gimlet was made with Rose’s Lime Cordial, you can update this gin cocktail with fresh lime juice and a touch of simple syrup. It’s crisp, refreshing, and only 3 ingredients.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Gin: A distilled spirit flavored with juniper berries and, occasionally, other botanical herbs or spices.
- Simple syrup: To make it yourself, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved (do not boil). Remove from heat and cool before adding 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to your cocktail shaker with the other ingredients. Store leftover simple syrup covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
Step-by-step instructions
- To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add gin, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake vigorously until chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
- Glassware: A Gimlet is perfect in a cocktail glass such as a coupe or martini glass.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 8 cocktails, combine 20 ounces (2 ½ cups) gin, 4 ounces (¼ cup) fresh lime juice, and 4 ounces (¼ cup) simple syrup in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, and lime wheels on hand so guests can help themselves.
- On the rocks: For a gimlet on the rocks, use a rocks glass or a stemless wine tumbler.
- Vodka gimlet: Substitute vodka for the gin.
- Daiquiri: Substitute white rum for the gin. Or, try the Hemingway Daiquiri which has grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur.
- Southside: Add some fresh leaves to the cocktail shaker with the gin, lime juice, and simple syrup. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf.
- Gimlet with Rose’s Lime Juice: To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 2 ½ ounces gin and 1 ounce Rose’s sweetened lime juice. Shake vigorously until chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
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Gimlet
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 ounces gin (3 tablespoons, see note 1)
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice (1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup (1 tablespoon, see note 2)
- Ice as needed
- 1 lime wheel for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chill glassware if desired: Coat the outside of a glass with water and freeze until serving time. Or, freeze dry glassware for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
- Combine gin, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake until outside of shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds.
- Strain cocktail into glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Gin: A distilled spirit flavored with juniper berries and, occasionally, other botanical herbs or spices.
- Simple syrup: Use store-bought or combine equal parts granulated sugar and water (i.e., 1 cup sugar plus 1 cup water) in a small saucepan. Cook gently over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool completely.
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
- Glassware: A Gimlet is perfect in a cocktail glass such as a coupe or martini glass.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 8 cocktails, combine 20 ounces (2 ½ cups) gin, 4 ounces (¼ cup) fresh lime juice, and 4 ounces (¼ cup) simple syrup in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, and lime wheels on hand so guests can help themselves.
- On the rocks: For a gimlet on the rocks, use a rocks glass or a stemless wine tumbler.
- Vodka gimlet: Substitute vodka for the gin.
- Daiquiri: Substitute white rum for the gin. Or, try the Hemingway Daiquiri which has grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur.
- Southside: Add some fresh leaves to the cocktail shaker with the gin, lime juice, and simple syrup. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf.
- Gimlet with Rose’s Lime Juice: To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 2 ½ ounces gin and 1 ounce Rose’s sweetened lime juice. Shake vigorously until chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
Perfect. Impressed my father in law with this!