Grapefruit Lillet Rosé Cocktail (With Video)

Prep Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

10 mins

Servings:

6

This spring cocktail is almost too pretty to drink. Light and refreshing, it’s made with just three ingredients: gin, grapefruit juice, and Lillet Rosé, a pink-hued French aperitif. Combine them in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake until frosty, and strain into glasses—we like to use Champagne coupes. Then, for a photo-worthy finish, top each glass with an edible flower. The result is a tangy, light sipper that’s gorgeous to look at and lower in alcohol than many other cocktails. The rosy, aromatic drink is perfect for a garden party, warm-weather wedding, or Mother’s Day brunch.

Four cocktails in stemmed glasses garnished with edible flowers arranged on a marble surface — Grant Webster

What Is Lillet Rosé?

Lillet Rosé is a French aperitif made primarily from Bordeaux wine grapes like Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. It also features citrus liqueur, lending it a lively, fruit-forward flavor and aroma. Like Lillet Blanc and Lillet Rouge (made with white and red grapes, respectively), the Rosé variety can be sipped on its own, turned into a spritz, or incorporated into cocktails.

The Best Juice for This Recipe

For the best-tasting drink, we recommend using freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. Choose fragrant Ruby Red grapefruits that feel heavy for their size; before juicing, roll them firmly on the counter to break up the juice sacs inside. For 12 ounces of juice, you'll need two to three grapefruits.

If you're buying grapefruit juice, seek out a good-quality, refrigerated option rather than a shelf-stable variety.

This recipe serves six, making it ideal for a larger group, but can easily be scaled down to make just two or three cocktails.

How to Make This Cocktail Without a Shaker

If you don't have a cocktail shaker, you can still make this recipe by combining the gin, juice, and Lillet in a quart-size mason jar. Add ice, then seal tightly and shake until the glass turns frosty. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, or simply use a spoon to hold back the ice cubes while pouring.

Directions

Ingredients arranged for a spring cocktail recipe including floral garnish juices and liquids in pitchers — Grant Webster

Combine ingredients and shake:

Combine 6 ounces Lillet, 6 ounces grapefruit juice, 3 ounces gin, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until well chilled.

Grant Webster
Strain and divide between glasses:

Strain and divide cocktail among 3 stemmed cocktail glasses, such as Champagne coupes. Repeat.

Grant Webster
Garnish and serve:

Garnish with flowers. Serve immediately.

Variations

Add some fizz: For a touch of effervescence, top each glass with a splash of prosecco or sparkling water.

Try a different garnish: If you can't find edible flowers, garnish each drink with a small wedge of grapefruit or a twist of grapefruit peel.

Other Ways to Use Lillet Rosé

After making this cocktail, you'll be left with quite a bit of Lillet Rosé. Serve it in a wine glass over plenty of ice for a classic French aperitif, or use it to make a low-ABV spritz by combining equal parts Lillet and grapefruit soda, sparkling wine, or seltzer water.

Like dry vermouth or white wine, Lillet Rosé can also be used to add depth to pan sauces, soups, and more. With its citrus-forward flavor, it'd would taste best with chicken, fish, or seafood.