Spring has sprung and it feels so good! We’ve rounded up 5 of our favorite celebratory Spring [and guilt-free, may we add] skinny cocktails for you to try!
We must warn you that these cocktails may be TOO delicious and may result in you wanting to drink more than 1 :)
1. Spring Rose Cocktail
Recipe from Pink Patisserie
Ingredients:
- 12 Ounces White Lillet Aperitif Wine
- 12 Ounces Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
- 8 Ounces Gin
- Unsprayed edible flowers for garnish
- In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients and stir gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve and garnish with flowers.
- If you can’t find Lillet, you may substitute any light, slightly sweet and fruity white wine.
- Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
2. Strawberry-Infused Mint Julep
Recipe from Cookie + Kate
Ingredients:
- 7 fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon honey (to taste)
- 2 1/2 ounces strawberry-infused bourbon (see recipe above)
- 1 strawberry, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
In a rocks glass, muddle mint with a little drizzle of honey (original recipe called for 1 teaspoon superfine sugar). Pour in the bourbon, fill the glass with ice (preferably crushed ice) and stir until the glass starts to sweat. Add a splash or two of water, if desired, and stir again. Garnish with additional mint leaves and/or the mid-section of a strawberry (as shown in photos).
3. Ginger Carrot
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz GREY GOOSE® L’Orange Flavored Vodka
- 1 oz fresh carrot juice
- 1 oz fresh orange juice
- 2 – 3 oz ginger beer
Instructions:
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add first three ingredients. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is frosted and beaded with sweat. Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Top with ginger beer, stir gently and garnish with a fresh orange slice.
4. Blood Orange Margaritas
Recipe from Cookie + Kate
Ingredients:
Margarita
- 2 ounces silver/blanco tequila
- 2 ounces fresh blood orange juice (about 1 large blood orange, juiced)
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice (about 1 lime, juiced)
- 1 teaspoon light agave nectar
- 1 tiny drop pure vanilla extract (optional)
Salt and brown sugar rim (use all salt if you want)
- 2 teaspoons kosher sea salt and/or Himalayan salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
- Lime wedges
Instructions:
Mix together the salt and sugar on a small plate (preferably one just slightly larger than the top of your margarita glass). Run a wedge of lime around the top of your glass. Dip the top of the glass into the salt blend at a 45-degree angle and roll it from side to side to catch the salt. Add ice cubes to your glass and set it aside. Fill a small cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the tequila, freshly squeezed blood orange and lime juice and agave nectar. If desired, add a drop of vanilla extract (don't pour it straight from the bottle, I used the blunt end of a fork as a dropper). Put on the lid and shake for 30 seconds. Strain the liquid into your glass and garnish with a slice of blood orange, if desired.
5. Green Tea "Fauxito"
Recipe from Creative Loafing
Ingredients:
- 5-7 mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar (more or less, depending on your taste)
- Ice, as needed
- 2 ounces vodka
- 6 ounces unsweetened brewed green tea, chilled
- Mint sprig for garnish (optional)
Feel-great-in-the-morning version:
- Mix 2 oz of DrinkAde instead of the lemon juice.
Instructions:
Tear mint leaves and put them into a tall glass (highball or Collins). Mash them into the bottom of the glass with a spoon, giving the leaves a good bruising. Add the lemon juice and agave nectar, and give them a good stir with the spoon. Fill the glass half full with cubed ice (crushed ice melts too quickly). Pour the vodka and green tea over the ice. If you have any tea left over, it's no big deal -- just save it in case you need to water down the vodka. Garnish with mint and enjoy. Alternately, you could also make this straight up by doing the muddling and mixing in a cocktail shaker and straining it into a martini glass.