Today is World Cocktail Day and what better way to celebrate today than 3 DIY spring cocktail recipes? We want to welcome the blooming flowers and warmer days with these refreshing, floral and sweet cocktails. Selected to pair perfectly with your spring gatherings (or perhaps for a date by yourself) these cocktails are easy and fun to make!
ENGLISH GARDEN COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS
- 5 mint leaves, bruised
- 30ml gin
- 2 tsp elderflower cordial (use more or less, depending on how sweet you like it)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- large handful of ice
- cloudy apple juice, for topping up
- 1 long strip of cucumber, peeled using a vegetable peeler
METHOD
-
Step 1
Mix the mint leaves, gin, elderflower cordial and lemon juice together in the bottom of a tall glass using a long-handled spoon. -
Step 2
Add a large handful of ice, then top up with the apple juice. Stir well, then drop in the strip of cucumber before serving.
HIBISCUS & PROSECCO COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS- 100ml vodka
- 25ml ginger cordial
- juice 1 orange
- juice 1 lemon
- a handful of ice
- hibiscus flowers, from a jar (keep the syrup to add at the end)
- 300ml prosecco
METHOD
-
Step 1
Pour the vodka into a cocktail shaker with the ginger cordial, orange and lemon juice. Add a handful of ice and shake until the cocktail shaker is frosty. -
Step 2
Line up 4 champagne flutes, put a hibiscus flower in each, then strain the cocktail into the glasses. Divide the prosecco between the glasses, then drop 1 tsp syrup from the hibiscus flower jar into each and allow it to sink before serving.
ELDERFLOWER & HERB COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS
- 2 thyme sprigs , leaves only
- 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves only
- 8 edible flowers (such as pansies, rose petals and borage)
- 50ml elderflower cordial
- 150ml elderflower liqueur
- 150ml gin
- Ice
- 330ml can sparkling water
METHOD
-
Step 1
Pop the herbs and flowers into the holes of an ice cube tray, fill with water and freeze for 2-3 hours or until frozen solid. -
Step 2
Pour the elderflower cordial, elderflower liqueur, gin and a large handful of ice cubes into a large jug. Stir until the outside of the jug feels cold then strain into 4 tall glasses or champagne flutes. Top with the soda and add a few more ice cubes and the floral ones too. Serve immediately.