The sun finally came out this weekend and it. was. glorious.

We went for a walk on Sunday afternoon and every patio we passed was packed with people hanging out, laughing, and drinking mimosas. What is it about sunny weekend afternoons that suddenly makes day drinking seem appropriate again?

I discovered this blackberry + lemon + gin combination late last summer, but it was already starting to get cold outside so sharing it here didn’t seem quite right. Now seems right though. This is the kind of cocktail that’s perfect for sipping  on your porch on a Sunday afternoon while you nibble on a gluten free financier.

These 3 ingredient cocktails are insanely simple to make – it almost feels silly to share the recipe – but they’re seriously delicious and give off a strong craft cocktail vibe. The botanicals in the gin pair really well with blackberry, and a splash of lemon juice keeps them from tasting too sweet and give them a subtle Tom Collins feel.

Here’s the thing though – you need to use blackberry Spindrift sparkling water for them. Other brands of blackberry seltzer just aren’t the same. Spindrift is made with blackberry juice and puree so the flavor is a lot stringer and more complex than regular seltzer. I actually don’t love it that much on it’s own, but when you add gin it’s perfection. It can be a little tricky to find, but I’ve seen it pretty consistently at both Trader Joe’s and Target.

For more springtime sipping, you might also want to try my Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail or Sparkling Watermelon Lemonade.

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3 Ingredient Blackberry Gin Cocktails

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• Ice
• ½ lemon cut into 4 wedges
• 3 ounces gin
• 1 can blackberry Spindrift sparkling water

Instructions

• Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice. 
• Squeeze one lemon wedge into each glass, then add 1.5 ounces of gin to each glass. Top with blackberry spindrift. 
• Stir well.
• If desired, garnish with a twist and a fresh blackberry.

Prefer to wait until 5pm? No problem – it works just as well with appetizers or salty snacks. Be sure to scroll all the way to the end of this post for some ideas, part of this month’s Progressive Eats menu!

We try to take a trip for our anniversary every year. It’s usually something small – a quick drive down to New York City or a pop up to Montreal. Last year, we went to Burlington. We had a great weekend, but one of the highlights was brunch at The Gryphon. I chose the restaurant solely based on the fact that they served an Earl Grey brunch martini (you know how much I love tea-infused cocktails) but the rest of the menu definitely held it’s own. Fried green tomato Benedict over buttermilk biscuits? To. Die. For. 

The martini was everything I hoped for. The combination of tea, gin, and marmalade was delightfully British and the flavors worked together perfectly. The marmalade gives this cocktail a hint of sweetness without being too sweet, and the tea-infused gin definitely packs the punch that you’d expect in a martini. This is definitely the kind of drink you sip slowly and enjoy with food.

It would be perfect for your Christmas brunch, a fancy cocktail party (it works just as well with a cheese plate or appetizers as it does with eggs), or as a drink to toast (or mourn) the royal engagement with.

As much as I love Earl Grey, I actually prefer using English Breakfast tea when I make this tea and marmalade brunch martini at home. Using English Breakfast results in a cocktail that’s less dry and puckery than Earl Grey, and the botanicals in the gin can shine without competing with those in the tea.

Because there are less botanicals, I stir the gin into the cocktail at the end; shaking it can cause the perfume-y notes to dissipate quickly, leaving you with a blah drink. You could stir the whole thing, but I love the icy shards that are characteristic of a shaken martini, so I shake the lemon juice and marmalade together to get the best of both worlds.

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Tea + Marmalade Brunch Martini

Prep Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 197kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

For the tea-infused gin

• 1 cup gin
• 3 black tea bags such as English breakfast

For each martini

• ½ ounce fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
• 2 ounces tea-infused gin
• Ice

Instructions

• Combine the gin and tea bags in a jar. Cover and let steep 3-4 hours. Strain.
• For each cocktail, add lemon juice and orange marmalade to a shaker. Fill halfway with ice and shake vigorously. Add 2 ounces of tea-infused gin and stir well. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 197kcal | Sodium: 4mg | Sugar: 3g

This tea and marmalade brunch martini is part of this month’s Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Our menu this month features terrific cocktail, appetizer and dessert recipes fit for an elegant cocktail party! All perfect for your entertaining needs during the holidays! Hosting this month is Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake.

An Elegant Cocktail Party

Cocktails

Tea and Marmalade Brunch Martini from Healthy-Delicious
Candy Cane Martini from The RedHead Baker

Appetizers

Beef Crostini with Blue Cheese Spread from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Pimento Cheese Stuffed Grits Arancini from Pastry Chef Online
Spicy Cheddar Herb Palmiers from Mother Would Know

Desserts

Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting from Creative Culinary
Cranberry Panna Cotta from Spice Roots

Cheers!

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Blood Orange, Tea + Whiskey Cocktails

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 216kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• 2" Ice Ball Mold by Artic Chill | Makes Eight (8) Ice Spheres | Keeps your Whiskey Chilled Longer Than Ice Cubes | Made from BPA-Free and FDA-Approved Silicone | Free Cocktail Recipe E-Book Included

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whiskey
• 4 bags Irish Breakfast Tea or similar black tea
• ⅓ cup Blood Orange Juice from about 5 oranges
• ¼ cup Lemon Juice from about 1/2 lemon
• ¼ cup Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 or Honey 50
• Fresh Mint for garnish
• Club Soda optional

Instructions

• Pour the whiskey into a cocktail shaker and add the teabags. Let steep 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags, squeezing them gently to extract the most flavor possible.
• Add the blood orange juice, lemon juice, and Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 or Honey 50. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well.
• Add ice to four double old fashioned glasses. Strain the cocktail over the ice. Garnish with mint. If desired, top with club soda.

Notes

Big ice cubes melt more slowly and won't water down your drink – plus they look really cool! You can find round molds like the ones I used on Amazon

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Sodium: 2mg | Sugar: 20g

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Whole Earth Sweetener Co.. All opinions are 100% mine.

Take advantage of what’s left of citrus season with these Blood Orange, Tea + Whiskey Cocktails.

I’ve gotten really into watching award shows over the last few years. It’s funny, because I’m the kind of person who wouldn’t recognize a celebrity if I bumped into them on the street. But who doesn’t love an excuse to have a few friends over, dress up fancy, and drink cocktails? It’s pretty much my favorite. This weekend, we’ll be sipping these Blood Orange, Tea + Whiskey Cocktails while we cross our fingers and hope that Hidden Figures wins big. (If you haven’t seen it yet, you need to – it’s amazing!)

Making cocktails with tea has been my thing lately. It all started with these Earl Grey Apple Cider Cocktails, then kicked into high gear after I had an amazing Earl Grey Breakfast Martini earlier this fall. For this whiskey cocktail, I decided to take a detour from Earl Grey and infuse the whiskey with Irish Breakfast tea instead. The resulting drink is elegant, fun, and a little moody. Perfect for an award show!

Instead of fussing with simple syrup, I used Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 to sweeten these cocktails. You might remember them from my Sweet Potato Blender Muffins (if you haven’t tried them yet, what are you waiting for?).

The Agave 50 is a blend of agave and stevia, so it has 50% less calories per serving as traditional agave. It has a neutral taste, so it’s perfect for using in cocktails. Their Whole Earth Sweetener Honey 50, a blend of honey and stevia, also works really well in this drink – it reads a little sweeter, and the honey goes really well with the blood orange flavor.

Like the rest of their products (Baking Blend, Nature Sweet® zero calorie packets, Turbinado Raw Cane 50, and Monk Fruit Juice Concentrate), the Agave 50 and Honey 50 are non-GMO Project Verified and don’t have any weird aftertaste.

You can find Whole Earth Sweetener products at your local grocery stores (I’ve purchased them from ShopRite and Price Chopper). They’re also available on Amazon.

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Blood Orange, Tea + Whiskey Cocktails

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whiskey
• 4 bags Irish Breakfast Tea or similar black tea
• ⅓ cup Blood Orange Juice from about 5 oranges
• ¼ cup Lemon Juice from about 1/2 lemon
• ¼ cup Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 or Honey 50
• Fresh Mint for garnish
• Club Soda optional

Instructions

• Pour the whiskey into a cocktail shaker and add the teabags. Let steep 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags, squeezing them gently to extract the most flavor possible.
• Add the blood orange juice, lemon juice, and Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 or Honey 50. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well.
• Add ice to four double old fashioned glasses. Strain the cocktail over the ice. Garnish with mint. If desired, top with club soda.

Notes

Big ice cubes melt more slowly and won't water down your drink – plus they look really cool! You can find round molds like the ones I used on Amazon

Shawn and I were out for a walk last weekend when we noticed that they were setting up the holiday light display in the park. On one hand, this year has seemed like an eternity (and I can’t wait for it to be over!) but on the other hand I can’t believe the holidays are right around the corner again. I feel like we just took our lights down a few weeks ago!

When it comes to holiday menus, our family always sticks to traditional favorites. There would probably be mutiny if we didn’t have the exact same meal that we always do. Drinks and appetizers are fair game though, so that’s always where I like to do my experimenting.

Festive, seasonal cocktails like this sparkling pomegranate tangerine rum punch can really go a long way toward setting the mood and getting everyone into the holiday spirit. The flavors work for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, so go ahead and make it your signature cocktail of winter 2016. It would also be delicious for a girl’s night in, game night any time you’re looking to glam things up a little!

I’ve been really into rum punch lately. Since you can make a big pitcher full ahead of time, no one gets stuck playing bartender – which means everyone can relax and socialize. Plus they bring a little bit of tropical flair to our cold, New York winters. For a non-alcoholic version, try this Thanksgiving punch full of spiced pomegranate and ginger flavor!

Rum punch is also really easy to make. There’s a basic formula that makes them easy to riff on: 1 part sour, 2 parts sweet, 3 parts hard (booze), and 4 parts weak (sparkling water or juice). For this pomegranate tangerine rum punch, I simplified things even further by using Tropicana Tangerine Lemonade for my sour and sweet components. The lemonade makes a delicious base for this punch, and I love that it doesn’t contain any artificial flavors or sweeteners.

Lemonade + Rum + Pomegranate Juice + Seltzer = a delightful, drinkable punch that has the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. For an extra layer of moody depth, add a few dashes of bitters – I like using black walnut bitters in this punch but Angostura bitters also work well.

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Sparkling Pomegranate Tangerine Rum Punch

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 78kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 3 cups spiced rum
• 2 Cups lemonade
• 1 Cup tangerine juice or orange juice
• 3 cups cranberry seltzer
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 5-10 dashes black walnut or Angostura bitters optional
• fresh mint and pomegranate arils for serving

Instructions

• In a punch bowl or pitcher, combine the lemonade, juice, rum, seltzer, and pomegranate juice. Add the bitters, if using, and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To serve, add a teaspoon of pomegranate arils to the bottom of a small wine glass or punch cup. Fill the cup with punch. Garnish with fresh mint.

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g

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• Grilled Pineapple Mojitos
• Orange-Cardamom Dessert Coffee | Rum Coffee Drinks
• Sparkling Cranberry-Clementine Gin Cocktails with Rosemary + Honey – Healthy. Delicious.
• Brûléed Grapefruit Mojitos (#BrunchWeek)

When people meet me, it doesn’t usually take them very long to figure out that I drink a ton of coffee. What they might not realize as quickly is that I’m also a huge fan of tea.

A few weeks ago, Shawn and I went to one of our favorite gastropubs for dinner and I was excited to see that they had a beer on tap that was brewed with Earl Grey. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype – it reminded us of bathwater. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed. Since then, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to infuse tea flavor into a cocktail.

This Earl Grey Apple Cider cocktail definitely delivers. It’s crisp and refreshing, a little bit sultry, and the perfect fall tipple to help make the rest of the election season a little more tolerable.

Make this Earl Grey Apple Cider cocktail by mixing one cup of strongly brewed Earl Grey with one cup of good quality hard apple cider. I love DownEast cider, but any craft cider is okay – just look for one without added flavors. You can also use regular apple cider for a nonalcoholic version of this cocktail.

A little bit of vanilla adds a ton of depth and a slightly earthy flavor to this cocktail. Fresh lemon juice brings all of the flavors into balance.

As written, this recipe makes two drinks. You can also quadruple the recipe to make a pitcher cocktail that’s perfect for a fall get-together.

Cheers!

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Earl Grey Apple Cider Cocktail

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 269kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 8 ounces water
• 1 bag Earl grey tea
• 8 ounces hard apple cider
• 1 lemon juiced
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• lemon twists for garnishing

Instructions

• Add the water to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the tea bag; let steep 5-8 minutes. Discard the tea bag.
• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the tea, lemon juice, and vanilla. Shake vigorously 15-20 seconds. Stir in the cider.
• Strain into two double old fashioned glasses filled with ice. Garnish with lemon twists.

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g

Every season deserves its own signature cocktail. In the cooler months, I was into moody drinks made with ingredients like these cider bourbon cocktails. Now that grilling season is approaching, I’ve swapped those out for fresher flavors like the citrus, fresh herbs, and rum in this grilled pineapple mojito recipe.

The one cocktail ingredient that remains a constant for me throughout the yeat is honey. I love that it adds another element of flavor in addition to sweetness. Plus it mixes well in its natural state, so you don’t need to fuss with making simple syrup – this is especially handy in the summer when you’re outside and don’t necessarily have a burner or a pot nearby.

Lately, I’ve been all about these tropical grilled pineapple mojitos. They’re bright and cheery and remind me of everything I love about summer – there’s just something about pineapple that reminds me of sunshine and makes me smile.

To make these pineapple mojitos extra special, I toss pineapple wedges in a mixture of rum, honey, and lime juice, then throw them onto the fire. Grilling the pineapple softens its texture and brings out its natural sweetness, while the sugars caramelize and pick up a subtle smoky flavor.

The grilled pineapple then gets muddled with more mint, lime juice, and honey to ensure that there’s plenty of flavor in every sip. 

If you’re avoiding alcohol, these grilled pineapple mojitos make refreshing paleo-friendly mocktails. Just add more club soda in place of the rum to top off your glass. 

Cheers!

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Grilled Pineapple Mojitos

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 129kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

For the grilled pineapple:

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 2 limes juiced
• 1 pineapple peeled and cut into 16 wedges

For the mojitos:

• 4 limes cut into eighths
• 8 teaspoon honey
• 1 cup fresh mint
• ¾ cup rum
• Ice
• Club soda

Instructions

• In a shallow dish, mix together the honey, rum and lime juice. Add the pineapple and turn to coat. Let sit 5-10 minutes.
• Heat your grill to medium high. Add the pineapple an cook 1-2 minutes on each side, or until the fruit softens slightly and golden brown grill lines appear. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Roughly chop half the grilled pineapple. Divide the chopped pineapple among 8 collins glasses. Add 2 lime wedges, 1 teaspoon honey and 10 mint leaves to each glass; muddle to combine. Stir in the rum, then fill each glass with ice. Top with club soda.
• Garnish with remaining grilled pineapple, lime wedges, and mint leaves.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g

When it comes to cocktails, I’m a gin girl.

That wasn’t always the case though – gin is definitely an acquired taste. The first time I tried it, I said it tasted like a Christmas tree. I didn’t mean that in a good way, but the taste definitely grew on me.

I was thinking about that the other day, and thought it was funny that despite that “Christmas tree” taste (which comes from the juniper in the gin), gin seems to fall off people’s radar once summer is over. I decided then and there that I was going to create a gin cocktail that’s perfect for winter.

These cocktails are definitely appropriate for the season.

The rosemary honey simple syrup I made to compliment the botanicals in the gin is to die for. The flavor is incredible and the taste of the honey lingers after each sip of the cocktail, balancing the tartness of the cranberry juice perfectly. Spicy-sweet ginger adds another layer of wintery flavor and adds additional interest to the cocktail, while club soda adds festive bubbles. There’s so much to love about this cocktail – and if you prefer a mocktail, you’ll be happy to know that it’s equally as delicious without the gin.

If you’re aren’t a fan of gin, these Christmas margaritas might be more your style.

I served these gin cocktails in my new BarLuxe Hudson Collection glasses. Can you believe they’re plastic?! I can’t get over how clear they are, or how solid they feel when I hold them. They’re made with Tritan plastic, which is BPA-free and they won’t warp or crack in the dishwasher. Plus they have a neat groove in the bottom that makes them really comfortable to hold (and prevents water from pooling up on the bottoms when they’re in the dishwasher.) I’m really impressed with them. They’d be great for entertaining, or just for klutzes like me who are always dropping dishes (or who are always leaving them out when the dogs can knock them over).

More cocktails perfect for ringing in the New Year: Cider, Ginger, Bourbon Cocktails // Bruleed Grapefruit Mojitos // Spiced Cranberry Sangria

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Sparkling Cranberry-Clementine Gin Cocktails with Rosemary + Honey

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup water
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 4 thin slices ginger
• ½ cup freshly squeezed clementine juice from about 6 clementines
• ½ cup 100% cranberry juice
• ½ cup gin
• 1 cup club soda
• 1 lime cut into 4 wedges
• rosemary to garnish

Instructions

• Combine the honey and water in a saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the honey dissolves, then reduce heat to low. Bruise the rosemary with the back of a heavy knife, then add to the pot.
• Cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely; discard rosemary.
• To prepare the cocktails, muddle the ginger in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and add the two juices and 2 ounces of the rosemary-honey syrup (you'll have some left over). Shake well, until chilled. Stir in the gin. Strain into 4 ice-filled glasses. Top with club soda. Add one lime wedge to each drink; garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Notes

Link to Nutrition Information

Labor Day is right around the corner, but I refuse to say good-bye to summer just yet. The weather has been gorgeous, and even though this weekend marks the unofficial end of summer I bet we still have a few great weekends ahead of us.

As long as the sun is shining, I’ll be outside soaking it in with a glass of this frozen peach and mixed berry sangria in my hand.

Barefoot sent me a few bottles of their Refresh line of spritzers to try out. The spritzers are light-bodied, sweet, and slightly bubbly. They’re meant to be served over ice, and are great for casual summertime occasions, like cookouts or afternoons by the pool.

I paired the Perfectly Pink Spritzer with peaches (they’ve been amazing these past few weeks!), mixed berries, and lime juice to make a super simple frozen sangria that goes with everything from tapas to pizza and burgers.

Since the fruit is blended right into this sangria, it can be whipped up in just a few minutes – unlike more traditional sangrias that need to sit for hours to allow the flavor of sliced fruit to infuse into the liquid. That means it’s perfect for spur-of-the-moment entertaining.

(Pro Tip: If you’re serving these at a backyard barbecue, storing the fruit garnishes in a flip-top jar will look great and will protect them from bugs!)

If you want something a little different, this sangria also freezes up into deliciously refreshing ice pops! Instead of blending it with ice, pour the fruit + spritzer mixture into ice pop molds and freeze until firm.

Whatever way you choose to serve it – as a frozen drink or frozen into pops – this fruity sangria is sure to be a hit on those last few gorgeous days of summer.

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Frozen Peach and Mixed Berry Sangria

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups Barefoot Refresh Perfectly Pink Spritzer
• ⅓ cup elderflower liqueur optional
• 1 peach pit removed
• 1 lime peeled
• ½ cup mixed blueberries blackberries, and raspberries
• 2-3 cups ice
• Additional peach lime, and berries for garnishing

Instructions

• In a blender, combine the spritzer, elderflower liqueur (if using), and fruit. Clover and blend on high until smooth, 20-30 seconds.
• Add the ice. Cover and blend on high 15-20 seconds, using the tamper to press the ice down into the blades.
• For the garnish, cut the peach and lime into thin slices. Thread a peach slice, a lime slice, and several berries onto a toothpick.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Barefoot Refresh®. Content for 21+. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen. 

I worked in a local coffee shop during my senior year in college. I absolutely loved that job! One of my favorite drinks on our menu was half coffee and half hot chocolate, flavored with orange and vanilla. It was full of flavor, but because we used extract instead of flavored syrups, it wasn’t sticky or overly sweet.

A few weeks ago Shawn and I went out for dinner and decided to order dessert. I was pretty excited to see that they also had dessert coffees – it’s been so long since I’ve been anyplace that’s served them, and I honestly forgot they were a thing.

I’ve been on a dessert coffee kick ever since. The orange in this one was inspired by the drinks we used to make at the coffee shop. The bright citrus combined with cardamom is the perfect way to bring a little brightness to a dreary winter day and whipped cream adds the perfect touch of sweetness. (I know… cardamom cookies, chai French toast casserole…I’m cardamom-obsessed at the moment!)

I also added a hefty splash of The Real McCoy’s 5-year aged rum to my coffee – not enough to make the coffee totally boozy, but enough to give it a nice kick and add another layer of complexity. (The rum is aged in bourbon barrels, which give it an amazing flavor.)

Since I used orange zest instead of liquid flavoring, you can prepare the coffee grounds a few days before you plan on brewing them – a container of flavored coffee and a bottle of rum makes an excellent last-minute gift for the holidays. Leave some out for Santa with a plate of Nutella-stuffed oatmeal cookies, have a mug on New Year’s Eve when you need some caffeine to keep awake, or serve it with New Year’s brunch (I won’t tell!).

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Orange-Cardamom Dessert Coffee

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 160kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ½ cup 4 scoops freshly ground coffee
• 1 orange zested
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 8 cups water
• 4 ounces 5-year aged rum
• 8 tablespoons whipped cream for serving

Instructions

• In a coffee filter, mix coffee grounds, 2 tablespoons orange zest, and cardamom. Brew with 8 cups of water.
• Add 1 ounce of rum to each of 4 coffee mugs. Fill to the top with coffee. Top with whipped cream; sprinkle with remaining orange zest.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 9.4g | Cholesterol: 3mg

I couldn’t let brunch week end without a cocktail recipe, could I?  Thanks so much for playing along this week as we shared some amazing brunch recipes. And thanks to our hosts, Terri of Love and Confections and Susan of The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen for doing such a great job organizing everything! If you haven’t entered yet, but sure to go on over and read about our giveaway. We have some amazing sponsors and there are fantastic prizes up for grabs!

Have you ever tried a shrub? They sound a little weird if you haven’t tasted one yet – from the funny name to the fact that they have vinegar in them – but they’re really refreshing. I got into them a few summers ago, and they’re one of my favorite ways to cool off on a hot, humid day. Luckily, they’re super easy to make!

You start by mixing together fruit and sugar and refrigerating it overnight. The sugar helps pull the juiced out of the fruit and the juices help dissolve the sugar… leaving you with a delicious fruit flavored syrup. For this recipe, I used equal parts strawberries and rhubarb. (That photo above is what it will look like. That’s all just fruit and sugar – I didn’t add any liquid it at that point!)

Next, you strain out the fruit and stir some vinegar into the syrup. You can keep the syrup in the fridge until you’re ready to have a drink, then mix it with club soda and a shot of our favorite liquor. I like how the botanicals of gin pair with the strawberry-rhubarb shrub, but if you’re not a gin drinker you can also use white rum for a daquiri-like cocktail or vodka for something a little more neutral. (You can also forego the alcohol all together if you just want a refreshing drink.)

That’s all there is to it! You can use any kind of vinegar, but I like the flavor of apple cider vinegar. I also add some white balsamic, which helps smooth out the flavors (regular balsamic tastes good too, but your cocktail won’t be as pretty.) I’m not going to pretend drinking vinegar isn’t a little weird. But, once you get past the first few sips, it’s completely addicting! (If you like kombucha, you’ll find the sour vinegar taste to be pretty familiar. It’s not that far off!)

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Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

For the Shrub Syrup:

• 1 pound strawberries quartered
• 6 stalks rhubarb cut into 1/4" dice
• 1 ½ cups sugar such as Dixie Crystals
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup white balsamic vinegar

For the Cocktails:

• gin white rum, or vodka
• club soda

Instructions

• Combine the strawberries, rhubarb, and sugar in a large container. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain the liquid that has accumulated into a pitcher. Stir in the vinegars. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To make a cocktail, mix 1 shot of gin, white rum, or vodka and 1 1/2 shots shrub syrup in a 6 ounce glass. Top with club soda.

• Mother’s Tea from The Vintage Cook
• Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub from Healthy.Delicious.
• Smoky Chipotle Bloody Mary from Sarcastic Cooking
• Elderberry Whiskey Peach Smash from {i love} my disorganized life
• Moscato Mojitos from Real Housemoms

Brunch Eggs:

• Duck Hash from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Cracked Crab Artichoke Benedict from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Pancetta and Veggie Breakfast Skillet from Eat Your Heart Out

Brunch Mains:

• Spinach, Apple & Chicken Salad from White Lights on Wednesday

Brunch Breads:

• French Toast Bake with Peaches and Almond Streusel from Food Faith Fitness
• Mini Carrot Cake Pancake Stacks from Neighborfood
• Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies from The Spiffy Cookie
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Baked Oatmeal from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Croque Madame Waffle from Hip Foodie Mom
• Vanilla Chai Quick Bread from Savvy Eats
• Blueberry Coffee Cake from My Catholic Kitchen
• DIY Instant Oatmeal Bar from The Kitchen Prep

Brunch Fruit and Sides:

• Lemon Blueberry Parfait from Love and Confections
• Berry Mint Salad from Cooking In Stilettos

Brunch Desserts:

• Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Cookies from Hungry Couple
• Lemon Curd Mousse Sugar Cookie Cups from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
• Cinnamon Coffee Cake from Jen’s Favorite Cookies

Disclaimer: As a Brunch Week participant, I received several samples from our sponsors to use in my recipes. For this recipe, I used sugar from Dixie Crystals.