Herbaceous & Tart: Basil Gin Gimlet Cocktail

Name: Basil Gin Gimlet Cocktail
Prep time: 4 min
Total time: 4 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 2 ounces of good gin; 1 1/2 ounces of fresh lime juice (see notes); Scant 1 ounce of basil simple syrup (1:1, see recipe below); Optional: basil leaf for garnish

Apparently I’m not the only one with a basil gin gimlet on the brain. I hadn’t even heard of them until a couple weeks ago, when I saw an article about them that intrigued me. I created a blog post draft because I have a stupid amount of fresh basil to use.

Then I tried out an awesome new restaurant last weekend and they just so happened to have a basil gimlet on their menu. Serendipity for sure. I tried out my own recipe the next day and I have to say that I AM IN LOVE.

I’ve already talked a little bit about the classic gimlet cocktail in my French gimlet post…this is an herbaceous twist on the tart and boozy classic and it’s perfect for this time of year.

I don’t know about you, but I have sooooo much fresh basil in my backyard, and this might be my favorite way (or at least tied with pesto) of using up an abundance of basil.

You might like: Best Cocktail Gifts For the At-Home Bartender

Actually making it couldn’t be easier…put ice in a cocktail shaker and pour the gin, lime juice, and basil simple syrup over it.

Shake vigorously for 15 seconds, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh basil if that’s how you roll.

This post talks about how you can get the basil flavor without a basil-infused simple syrup. But making a basil simple syrup is CRAZY easy and feels so fancy. Seriously it takes 2 minutes.

Stir together equal parts water and granulated sugar in a small saucepan on medium-high heat til it’s dissolved. Let it come to a boil briefly, then remove from heat and add a few basil leaves. Leave to steep and cool, then pour into a small glass container. It will stay good in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Take advantage of fresh basil season and give this basil gimlet a spin…trust me when I say that you won’t be disappointed. And you’ll feel so fancy.

I had to include this last photo, it looks a little different but I was playing around with my new mirrorless camera and loved the look of this one (the rest are with my phone)…

Other great gin cocktails you’ll love:

The O.G.: 3-Ingredient Classic Gin Gimlet Cocktail
Also using basil: Basil Gin Smash
Like a French gimlet, but with grapefruit: Bohemian Cocktail (Gin, Elderflower, & Grapefruit)
Another great Navy scurvy buster: A Classic ‘Army & Navy’ Cocktail
A different herbal take: The Verdant Lady (Gin & Green Chartreuse Cocktail)
Classic & naturally low-carb/no-sugar: A Classic Gin Rickey Cocktail (Low-Carb, No Sugar)

I adapted this slightly (proportions mostly) from Goop

Basil Gin Gimlet Cocktail

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 4 minutes

Total Time: 4 minutes

This basil gin gimlet cocktail is a tart, herbaceous, and refreshing punch of lime and basil backed by great booze.

Ingredients

2 ounces of good gin
1 1/2 ounces of fresh lime juice (see notes)
Scant 1 ounce of basil simple syrup (1:1, see recipe below)
Optional: basil leaf for garnish

Instructions

Put ice in a cocktail shaker and pour the gin, lime juice, and basil simple syrup over it.
Shake vigorously for 15 seconds, then strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with fresh basil.
TO MAKE BASIL SIMPLE SYRUP: Stir together equal parts water and granulated sugar (I do 1/4 each) in a small saucepan on medium-high heat til it's dissolved. Let it come to a boil briefly, then remove from heat and add a few basil leaves to steep for at least 30 minutes. Let it cool and keep in the refrigerator.

Notes

Yes, fresh lime juice is VERY important. If you don't have fresh, make a different cocktail 🙂
I like my gimlets on the tart side and go heavier on lime juice so I can enjoy it a little longer. If you like yours boozier, just decrease the lime juice to 1 ounce instead.