Huckleberry Cocktail Recipe

A bright and fresh Huckleberry Cocktail made with vodka, fresh huckleberries, and muddled mint that will make cocktail hour extra special.

Jump to:

• Why I Love This Recipe
• Ingredients for a Huckleberry Vodka Cocktail
• Where to Find Wild Huckleberries
• More Fun and Unique Cocktails to Try
• How to Make a Huckleberry Vodka Cocktail with Mint
• Bar Tool Essentials For This Huckleberry Cocktail
• Why Should You Muddle Ingredients in a Cocktail?
• Which type of Muddler to use
• How to Muddle Mint and Huckleberries
• What to use if you don't have a muddler?
• What Glass to Serve this Huckleberry Cocktail In
• Huckleberry Cocktail Recipe
• Did you Make This Recipe?

Why I Love This Recipe

I love this Huckleberry Vodka Cocktail because it offers a unique and delightful twist on classic vodka drinks, with the sweet and tangy flavor of huckleberries adding a burst of fruity goodness. The combination of the smooth vodka and the vibrant huckleberry notes creates a refreshing and enjoyable cocktail that is perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients for a Huckleberry Vodka Cocktail

• Vodka - vodka in the cocktail provides an alcoholic base and adds a smooth and clean taste to the drink. Vodka is the ideal spirit for fruity muddled cocktails.
• Fresh huckleberries - fresh huckleberries bring a sweet and tart flavor to the cocktail, providing a unique and vibrant fruity note.
• Fresh lime juice - fresh lime juice adds a refreshing citrusy element to balance the sweetness of the huckleberries and bring a zesty brightness to the cocktail. You can substitute lemon juice for lime juice, just ensure it's freshly squeezed.
• Huckleberry syrup - huckleberry syrup contributes additional sweetness and intensifies the huckleberry flavor in the cocktail. It can be made using a recipe or store-bought.
• Fresh mint leaves - mint leaves provide a refreshing and aromatic twist to the cocktail, adding a pleasant herbal note that complements the huckleberries and citrus.

Where to Find Wild Huckleberries

Huckleberries can be found mostly in the Pacific Northwest and Northwestern Forests. Huckleberries grow well in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Idaho.

Growing huckleberries at home is difficult, some think it's because they cannot build a large and deep root system. Regardless, if you are lucky enough to find wild huckleberries or huckleberries for sale, pick them or buy them!

More Fun and Unique Cocktails to Try

• Grapefruit Tequila Cocktail
• Strawberry Gin Cocktail
• Coconut Margarita
• Lavender Pisco Sour
• Gin Elderflower Cocktail

How to Make a Huckleberry Vodka Cocktail with Mint

1. Gather all of the ingredients and bar tools and prepare your glass with fresh ice.
2. Place the huckleberries and mint leaves in the bottom of the cocktail shaker and muddle together, careful not to overly bruise or break up the mint. This will cause your drink to be bitter.
3. Add the additional ingredients to the cocktail shaker with a small amount of ice and shake for about 8-10 seconds to get everything nice and cold.
4. Pour the contents of the shaker into the prepared glass. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and enjoy. Cheers!

Bar Tool Essentials For This Huckleberry Cocktail

You will need some specific bar tools to make this cocktail like a muddler and a cocktail shaker. For a complete list of tools, you should have in your home bar, check out my Home Bar Tool List.

Why Should You Muddle Ingredients in a Cocktail?

Muddling releases the flavors of fresh ingredients such as fruit or herbs and helps them bind to the alcohol. There are different types of muddlers that are made of wood, metal, bamboo, or stone.

Which type of Muddler to use

Muddlers with teeth should be used for berries or firm ingredients like rosemary. If you are muddling something delicate like mint or basil, use a muddler with no teeth. It's usually recommended to muddle in a metal shaker or bowl. Be careful if you have a class cocktail shaker, you don't want to break the glass!

How to Muddle Mint and Huckleberries

When muddling a delicate ingredient like mint, you must be careful not to over-muddle and not to use a muddler with teeth. If you muddle mint too much, it will release the bitter chlorophyll which will end up in your cocktail. Instead, use a light hand and twist a few times to release the oils.

Since this Huckleberry Cocktail Recipe requires both the huckleberries and mint to be muddled, be extra careful not to over-muddle the mint with the berries. If you feel like the berries need more juices released, muddle each ingredient separately.

What to use if you don't have a muddler?

Use a wooden spoon or the rounded end of a utensil to gently mash the huckleberries and mint leaves. You can also use your hands or fingers, just smash the mint gently.

What Glass to Serve this Huckleberry Cocktail In

I served this Huckleberry Cocktail in a lowball glass, but you can also use a highball glass, martini glass, or cocktail glass. If you use a martini or cocktail glass, limit the amount of ice or use a chilled glass with no extra ice.

If you use a highball glass and have extra space, add more ice or top off with tonic water or club soda for a bubbly drink!

Did you Make This Recipe?

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