This Cherry Gin Rickey is the perfect summer refresher! It’s a sweet, fizzy take on cherry limeade with a healthy hit of gin and cherry liqueur. Make a pitcher and share it with friends!
My liquor of choice has changed many times over the years. First it was whiskey (hence my blog’s name). Then it was tequila, which I loved so much I waxed poetic about it in my Moscow Mulegaritas post. And now? Gin. Hands down. There’s something about it that just screams summer to me, and no matter what you do with it, it feels fancy.
At the risk of sounding like a liquor snob (which I secretly aspire to be, honestly), let me tell you some of the reasons I’ve grown to love gin so much. It’s floral; it’s herbaceous; it’s flavorful without overwhelming a cocktail. It has a complexity that can’t be matched by any other clear liquor. It has a way of saying “hey, I’m here!” in a way that vodka simply can’t, but it blends so nicely with other ingredients that it still lets them sing.
And such is the case with this refreshing summer cocktail.
This is the perfect gin cocktail to batch the night before your 4th of July barbecue. When you pull it out of the fridge and hand your guests a bright red, fizzy glass of something strong, they’ll fall down at your feet with gratitude. So if being the best host on the block is a goal for you, I strongly suggest making this drink.
Cherries are at their peak right now, so they’re ideal for mixing in here. But I might be bold enough to say that peaches, strawberries, or even pomegranate juice would be excellent stand-ins. I included a hint of cherry liqueur, but if you can’t find it, you can just as easily leave it out.
The one thing that’s certain, though, is that it’s begging to be a part of your next backyard barbecue.
More recipes to bring to a cookout:
Cucumber-Mint Gimlet
The Best Easy Guacamole
Prosciutto, Fig and Goat Cheese Crisps
IF YOU MAKE THIS CHERRY GIN RICKEY, DON’T FORGET TO SNAP A PHOTO AND TAG ME IN IT ON INSTAGRAM @FEELINWHISKY! I LOVE SEEING WHAT YOU DO WITH MY RECIPES!
PrintCherry Gin Rickey
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Drinks
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted cherries
- 4 ounces gin
- 2 ounces cherry heering (or other cherry liqueur)
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, (from about 6 large limes)
- 2 tablespoons simple syrup (or maple syrup)
- 1 cup seltzer
- Lime wedges, (for serving)
Instructions
- Muddle the cherries in a measuring cup until they’re almost completely broken down. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing down the solids with a rubber spatula to get all the liquid out. Discard the solids (or freeze them to put in a smoothie).
- Stir in the gin, cherry heering, lime juice, and syrup. Top the whole thing off with seltzer (you may like more or less, depending on your preference) and give it another stir. Divide between four glasses and garnish with lime wedges.
Sounds delicious! Funny, I’m also slowly making the switch from whisky to gin. I’ll let you know when I try this. I totally skipped tequila though. I still can’t after one bad scene almost 20 years ago LOL
That’s how I am with whiskey now, but I still left it in my blog name in the hopes that one day I’ll be able to return to it, because it really was my favorite! But till then… gin it is 🙂