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The raspberry gimlet is a gorgeous take on an absolute classic that’s especially great in the spring and summer. Make it with gin or vodka.
Why we love this recipe
The gimlet is a classic for good reason. Bright, tart, a little bit sweet, and a little bit bracing, it’s beautifully spare, with elegant efficiency. Raspberry makes such a natural pairing with lime, so in the spring and summer months I really love to make raspberry gimlets.
This cocktail is:
- A gorgeous ruby color
- Beautifully balanced and strong yet easy to drink
- Amenable to both gin and vodka
- Easy to batch for a party
Plus, I got to turn it into a fun collaboration with one of my favorite local organizations. Scroll down to learn about Umami Girl’s support of Two River Theater and their April, 2023 production of Romeo and Juliet.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
For a classic (gin) gimlet
- You’ll start with a good London dry gin. In this post I’ve pictured Bombay Sapphire. I also tend to have a bottle of either Hendricks or Tanqueray on hand at all times. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, Plymouth, The Botanist, and Aviation would make great choices, too. Each has a different flavor profile, but they all work nicely, as will your favorite brand.
- There’s no substitute for freshly squeezed lime juice. It brings a beautiful, fresh brightness to this drink.
- You’ll also need raspberry simple syrup. I’ve included the instructions in the recipe card below, and you can read all about it and see it being made by clicking through to the post if you like.
- Garnish with a thin lime wheel.
For a vodka gimlet
- You’ll start with a top-shelf vodka. I’m using Grey Goose, which has a lovely, toasty vibe and creamy finish and is from France. Belvedere is another great choice. I’m not really on the Tito’s bandwagon, but if you are, that would be a fine option, too.
- There’s no substitute for freshly squeezed lime juice. It brings a beautiful, fresh brightness to this drink.
- You’ll also need raspberry simple syrup. I’ve included the instructions in the recipe card below, and you can read all about it and see it being made by clicking through to the post if you like.
- Garnish with a thin lime wheel.
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a beautiful raspberry gimlet. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and pour in the gin or vodka.
- Pour in the freshly squeezed lime juice and raspberry simple syrup.
- Shake well, until very cold.
- Strain into a coupe glass, garnish with a lime wheel, and serve.
A variation for Romeo and Juliet
Here’s something fun. At the end of 2022, Umami Girl divided the company’s November revenue among six local organizations that I really love, including Two River Theater in Red Bank, NJ. This professional theater company mounts a wide variety of thought-provoking shows each season, has a phenomenal educational program for kids and teens, and consistently serves as a model for inclusion and social justice in our community — all 2.6 miles away from my house.
On opening night of their April, 2023 production of Romeo and Juliet, they’ll feature this cocktail, with a Shakespearian vibe. If you ever find yourself hosting a Romeo and Juliet party, a gimlet with the raspberry simple syrup served in a little vial for guests to pour into the drink would make a fabulous signature cocktail.
To make this variation, shake the gin (for a Juliet) or vodka (for a Romeo) with the lime juice as instructed, and have guests pour in their own raspberry simple syrup and give it a quick stir before sipping. You can buy these 30 ml glass vials with cork stoppers here.
Expert tips and FAQs
Sure thing. To make eight drinks, up to three hours before serving time, combine in a pitcher: two cups gin or vodka, one cup freshly squeezed lime juice, one cup raspberry simple syrup, and ½ cup water. Give it a good stir, cover, and refrigerate. To serve, divide among glasses and garnish individually.
More favorite sour cocktails
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Raspberry Gimlet
Ingredients
For the raspberry simple syrup
- 10 ounces (283 grams) frozen raspberries
- 200 grams 1 cup granulated sugar
- 200 grams about 1 cup water
For the gimlet
- 2 ounces (60 ml) top-shelf London dry gin or vodka
- 1 ounce (30 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ounce (30 ml) raspberry simple syrup
Instructions
Make the raspberry simple syrup
- Place raspberries, sugar, and water into a small pot.
- Set over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring from time to time to dissolve the sugar.
- Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Raspberries will break down, and liquid will thicken up a little bit.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, leaving solids in the strainer.
- Cool completely before using.
Make the gimlet
- Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
- Pour in gin, lime juice, and raspberry simple syrup.
- Shake well, until very cold, and strain into a coupe glass.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and serve.
Notes
- Fresh or frozen raspberries are fine. I almost always use frozen since they tend to be both less expensive and picked at the peak of ripeness.
- Regular granulated sugar works well in this recipe — no need for anything fancy. If it's important to you that this recipe be vegan, be sure to use a sugar that's processed in a vegan-friendly fashion.
- I use regular filtered tap water — any water that tastes good is fine.
- It's important to make the raspberry simple syrup at least far enough in advance to let it cool completely before using. You can do it a lot farther in advance if you prefer. Strained syrup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for at least two weeks.
- London dry gin in is the classic choice for a gimlet. In this post I've pictured Bombay Sapphire. I also tend to have a bottle of either Hendricks or Tanqueray on hand at all times. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, Plymouth, The Botanist, and Aviation would make great choices, too. Each has a different flavor profile, but they all work nicely, as will your favorite brand.
- If you prefer vodka, that’s also a great choice. Start with a top-shelf bottle. I'm using Grey Goose, which has a lovely, toasty vibe and creamy finish and is from France. Belvedere is another great choice. I'm not really on the Tito's bandwagon, but if you are, that would be a fine option, too.
- There's no substitute for freshly squeezed lime juice. It brings a beautiful, fresh brightness to this drink.
- If you like, you can batch this cocktail for a party. To make eight drinks, up to three hours before serving time, combine in a pitcher: two cups gin or vodka, one cup freshly squeezed lime juice, one cup raspberry simple syrup, and ½ cup water. Give it a good stir, cover, and refrigerate. To serve, divide among glasses and garnish individually.
Romeo and Juliet Variation
To make a fun Shakespearian variation on this drink for a Romeo and Juliet party, shake the gin (for a Juliet) or vodka (for a Romeo) with the lime juice as instructed. Serve the raspberry simple syrup separately, in something like these (30 ml) glass vials with cork stoppers, . Guests can join Romeo in toasting, "Here's to my love!" and pour the vial into their drinks. Be sure to give it a quick stir before sipping.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
