Spring and summer are the perfect seasons to see your home gardens grow lush and vibrant, and those that're filled with vegetables and herbs will soon be overflowing with ripe ingredients to use in your kitchen. While culinary ideas are the first to come to mind, utilizing this natural bounty in cocktails is a sophisticated way to make the most out of your harvests. Take a look at these gin basil smash recipes for inspiration about how to incorporate your extra basil into delicious every day cocktails.
Classic Gin and Basil Cocktail Recipe
The classic Gin Basil Smash gets its name from the muddling that you have to do to the fresh basil leaves to release their aromas into the drink's mixture. This recipe results in a cocktail that's 202 calories and only 12.5 carbs.
Ingredients
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 5-10 basil leaves
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 2 ounces gin
- Ice
- Basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, muddle the simple syrup, basil leaves, lemon juice, and gin.
- Add ice and shake vigorously for about twenty seconds.
- Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice.
Gin Basil Smash Pitcher
Here's an easy way to multiply your Gin Basil Smash to serve about fifteen different people. Since this is just an expansion of the original recipe, one serving from this pitcher is 202 calories and 12.5 carbs.
Ingredients
- 7.5 ounces simple syrup
- 30-40 basil leaves
- 15 ounces lemon juice
- 30 ounces gin
- Ice
- Lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- In a pitcher, muddle the simple syrup, basil leaves, and lemon juice.
- Add gin and vigorously stir.
- Strain the mixture into another pitcher filled with ice.
- Garnish with a few lemon slices.
Flavorful Gin Smash Recipe Variations
Basil can show the same versatility that it has in the culinary world in every cocktail that you make; try experimenting with your Gin Smashes by combining basil with other fresh ingredients, like these delicious variations illustrate.
Raspberry and Basil Smash
This Raspberry and Basil Smash is a great drink to enjoy on hot summer afternoons, and adds up to 281 calories and 18 carbs.
Ingredients
- ½ ounce raspberry simple syrup
- 5-10 basil leaves
- 10 raspberries
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 2 ounces gin
- Ice
- Basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, muddle the simple syrup, basil leaves, raspberries, lemon juice, and gin.
- Add ice and shake vigorously for about twenty seconds.
- Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with basil leaves.
Tomato Basil Gin Smash
This Tomato Basil Gin Smash takes inspiration from the classic Bloody Mary and puts its own gin spin on it. A glass of this cocktail amounts to 217 calories and 15.5 carbs.
Ingredients
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 5-10 basil leaves
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 2 ounces gin
- Ice
- Tomato juice
- Basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, muddle the simple syrup, basil leaves, lemon juice, and gin.
- Add ice and shake until chilled.
- Strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with ice.
- Top with tomato juice.
- Garnish with a few basil leaves.
Basil Mojito Smash
Marry your favorite Mojito recipe with the Gin Basil Smash formula, and you have yourself a Basil Mojito Smash. One glass of this cocktail adds up to 243 calories and 14.7 carbs.
Ingredients
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 10 mint leaves
- 5-10 basil leaves
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 ounces gin
- Ice
- Club soda
- Lime wedge for garnish
- Mint sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, muddle the simple syrup, mint leaves, basil leaves, lime juice, and gin.
- Add ice and top with club soda.
- Garnish with lime wedges and a mint sprig.
Melon Basil Smash
An unusual, but delicious, paring, the Melon Basil Smash takes the melon liqueur, Midori, and adds it to the quintessential Gin Basil Smash recipe for a drink that's 282 calories and 25 carbs a glass.
Ingredients
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 5-10 basil leaves
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 ounce Midori
- 2 ounces gin
- Ice
- Basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, muddle the simple syrup, basil leaves, lime juice, Midori, and gin.
- Add ice and shake vigorously for about twenty seconds.
- Strain the mixture into a chilled glass.
- Top with basil leaves.
Ways to Garnish a Gin Smash
Whether you love basil in your smashes or want to experiment with other herbs, here are a few ways to garnish your finished drinks to make sure that they'll catch someone's eye from across a room:
- Sprinkle some grated or ground herbs on top to create a complex flavor profile.
- Drop in a lemon, orange, or lime twist for an elegant and easy pop of color to any drink.
- If it works with the flavors you're using, top off your chilled glass with a salted rim.
- For smash cocktails that are cream or dessert based, toss a drizzle of a flavored syrup like chocolate or hazelnut on top.
- For a delicate touch, add a few dried flowers or herbs to your finished drink.
Smash Through These Gin Recipes
It might be tempting to smash your way through all of these Gin Basil Smash recipes in one sitting, and while this can be an interesting experiment in self-control, make sure that you savor each one of them until the very last drop.
