Recipe Card: Lilac Cocktail & Mocktail
Toast to spring and our favorite fleeting flower with these celebratory recipes.
Did you know lilacs are edible? They can add a deliciously light and mildly sweet floral flavor to cocktails, cookies, cakes and pastries. I especially love it paired with lemon, which is exactly what we did for these cocktails and mocktails we mixed up for our annual Lilac Party at my grandmother’s house.
We recently came across a lilac gin, which made for a lovely addition to our celebration, as did the homemade lilac simple syrup we used to flavor the non-alcoholic libations. Both versions are simple to mix up and make for a beautiful way to toast the fleeting flowers.
Lilac Cocktail
Yields: 1 serving
Ingredients:
2 oz Black Button Distilling Lilac Gin
2 oz lemonade
2 oz sparkling or tonic water
ice
mint leaves for garnish
lemon slices for garnish
Directions:
Add ice to a 12 oz mason jar or cocktail shaker. Add 2 oz lilac gin, 2 oz lemonade. Shake until combined and chilled. Strain into cocktail glasses, holding back the ice. Add a splash of sparkling water or tonic water. Garnish with lilac petals, mint leaves and a slice of lemon. Enjoy!
Lilac Mocktail (Non-alcoholic)
Yields: 1 serving
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup fresh lilac petals
3 oz lemonade
2 oz sparkling or tonic water
ice
mint leaves for garnish
lemon slices for garnish
Directions:
For the simple syrup:
In a small saucepan add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a low boil, stirring consistently until all sugar dissolves. Add 1 cup fresh lilac petals. Continue simmering for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Cover and place in refrigerator for 3-8 hours. Strain flowers and place syrup in glass container with a tight lid. Store in the refrigerator for a week or two.
For the mocktail:
Add ice to a 12 oz mason jar or cocktail shaker. Add 1 oz lilac simple syrup, 3 oz lemonade. Shake until combined and chilled. Strain into cocktail glasses, holding back the ice. Add a splash of sparkling water or tonic water. Garnish with lilac petals, mint leaves and a slice of lemon. Enjoy!
