Honey Lemon Gimlet Cocktail Recipe

So it was Friday—last Friday, to be exact—and I was in the mood for a cocktail. I wanted something simple to sip on that would be relatively low in calories while I cooked dinner, but I wasn’t totally feeling a vodka soda. And then I realized…why not make up a few low-calorie cocktails on my own that I can turn to during moments like this? My classic margarita recipe is usually a go-to, but I want to have more variety. And with that, the honey lemon gimlet cocktail was born.

First, let’s talk about the gimlet. Here’s something interesting for you to know about cocktails: every cocktail you’ve ever known is derived from one of four cocktails. Yes, it’s true. Think of it as a family tree of cocktails—where every cocktail combination you can think of comes from one specific family of cocktails and one “grandfather” cocktail.

The gimlet comes from the sour family of cocktails. So it’s distant cousins would be a classic whiskey sour and yes, even a margarita. How is that possible? Because anything that comes from the sour family must have a spirit, a sweet component, and a sour component. The sour component generally comes from citrus, so in the case of this honey lemon gimlet, it’s coming from the fresh lemon juice. And the sweetness comes from the honey syrup. While the ratio is slightly off from what traditional sour looks like (here’s an example), I personally like a more sour cocktail and sweet. Plus it keeps the calories low.

Making honey syrup at home is super easy! You’re really going to love it. To make honey syrup, All you have to do is add 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of water to a mason jar and shake it for about 30 seconds. That’s it! Just store it in the fridge and you’re good to use it whenever. Told you you’d love it.

As for the gin, I used Hendrick’s. Ugh I know, that stuff is expensive. But if I’m going to have a cocktail on a Friday night, I’m in the mood for something classy. Even if I’m sipping on it wearing my leggings, nice and sweaty after a workout while cooking dinner. I mean, we’re still working from home and quarantining ourselves. There are no rules anymore.

Print Recipe

Honey Lemon Gimlet Cocktail

Shake up this easy gimlet cocktail recipe when you're in the mood for a fancy cocktail, but don't want to put in a ton of effort.

Prep Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

Course: Drinks

Keyword: cocktail, gin cocktail

Servings: 1 cocktail

Calories: 163kcal

Equipment

• Cocktail shaker
• Jigger

Ingredients

• 2 oz. gin
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. honey syrup
• Ice
• Lemon wheels sliced thin

Instructions

• In a cocktail shaker, add a few ice cubes. Pour the gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup into the shaker.
• Seal the cocktail shaker and shake well for 15 seconds.
• Using the strainer on your cocktail shaker, pour the cocktail into a coupe or a martini glass.
• Slice a small lemon wheel, then slice the lemon wheel in half. Float the half lemon wheel in your glass.

Notes

To make the honey syrup, add 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of water into a mason jar. Shake well for about 30 seconds, then it’s ready to use. Store in the fridge.

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