A decadent Lilac Gin Sour to add to your springtime bar recipes. Fresh lilac syrup and fresh lilac flowers add a beautiful aroma and taste that is unique and delicious.
Lilac bushes are so beautiful and smell amazing. The lilac bush outside our house was here when we moved in and I'm pretty sure it's at least 30+ years old.
Apparently, they live for up to 200 years!! One of the many things I love about lilac bushes is that they give you so many flowers. Not only do they smell good, but they are edible too!
Jump to:
Why I Love This Recipe
I'm pretty proud of this Lilac Gin Cocktail recipe because I created it myself and couldn't wait to share it! Springtime is the best time of year with all the fresh flowers blooming everywhere and green popping up to make things beautiful again.
When I discovered you could eat lilacs I was all in and of course, I had to make a cocktail! I also made Candied Lilac Flowers and Lilac Cupcakes with Lilac Buttercream Frosting.
How do you get the Lilac flavor in the Cocktail?
This Lilac Cocktail is appropriately named the Lilac Beauty Cocktail. The lilac flavor comes from homemade lilac syrup.
The fresh lilac flower garnish also enhances the lilac flavor by adding an extra lilac aroma. The gin and lemon juice balance all of the lilac flavor for a perfect mix!
Are Lilac Flowers Edible?
Yes! They are edible and delicious! You need fresh, clean lilac flowers (no chemicals used) to make these recipes. You also want to pull the flowers off gently and ensure there is no stem left (the green parts).
The stem will make the flavor bitter and not nearly as good as it should be. Lilac flowers add a subtle floral flavor to a drink or food. To enhance the flavor, fresh lilac flowers as garnish will add aroma and more lilac flavor to this cocktail.
How to Make a Lilac Cocktail
- Add the gin, lemon juice, lilac syrup, and egg white to a cocktail shaker. Dry shake (no ice) for 20-30 seconds to combine everything and create a foam.
- Add fresh ice to the shaker and shake again for another 20-30 seconds. Strain the cocktail through a fine-mesh strainer into a cocktail glass.
What else to use Lilac Syrup for
- Make Lilac Cupcakes!
- Add to your morning coffee or latte
- Add to lemonade or iced tea
- Use on top of pancakes or waffles
How do you create foam on a cocktail?
Add an egg white for a smooth, creamy foam that enhances the cocktail’s aroma and texture. Dry shake all ingredients first, then add ice, shake again, and strain through a fine mesh strainer.
Skip the egg white for a great cocktail or use aquafaba, the liquid from chickpeas, as a substitute. It’s a gluten-free, dairy-free alternative—use 1-2 tablespoons per egg white.
If you get a chance to make this Lilac Gin Sour Cocktail, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes in your inbox.
Lilac Gin Sour Recipe
Equipment
- a cocktail glass of choice
- sealable jar or bottle to store syrup
Ingredients
Lilac Cocktail
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ounces lilac syrup
- 1 large egg white
- fresh lilac flowers for garnish and aroma (washed and separated from stems)
Lilac Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh lilac flowers (washed and separated from stems)
- 3-4 drops purple food coloring (or red and blue)
Instructions
Lilac Cocktail
- Add the gin, lemon juice, lilac syrup, and egg white to a cocktail shaker. Dry shake (no ice) for 20-30 seconds to combine everything and create a foam.
- Add fresh ice to the shaker and shake again for another 20-30 seconds. Strain the cocktail through a fine-mesh strainer into a cocktail glass. Add fresh lilac flowers for garnish, the aroma will also enhance this drink. Cheers!
Lilac Syrup
- Place all of the ingredients except the food coloring in a small saucepan on the stove. On medium-high heat, bring to a boil while stirring constantly.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to steep as it cools completely (at least 2-3 hours). Strain the flowers from the liquid into a sealable jar or bottle. Add the food coloring, seal the container and shake to combine. The syrup will last in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
*The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers it safe to use raw eggs if they are pasteurized. Bottom Line: Raw eggs may contain a type of pathogenic bacteria called Salmonella, which can cause food poisoning. However, the risk of an egg being contaminated is quite low. Please proceed at your own risk and decide if you are ok with this. I have never had an issue.
*Nutrition facts are for 1 prepared cocktail.Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
Emily says
Hi Vanessa, you can make the lilac syrup in advance, however, the rest of the cocktail should be mixed right before serving. Cheers!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a great way to capture this beautiful summer smell into a tasty drink!
Emily says
Thanks, Suzzane, I hope you love it. Cheers!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
Guess what? We have a lilac tree in our backyard! It didn't flower last year so I was not aware of it. Unfortunately we have so many Gypsy Moth Caterpillars that the blossoms have all died before I had time to pick them and make syrup. This cocktail is definitely something I need to try!!
Emily says
YES!!!!! Ok, get rid of those gypsies and next year I hope your tree does wonderful things 😂. I also did some research on pruning mine so that I could get as many blooms as possible. They are such resilient and awesome flowers.
Mihaela|https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
I remember your instructions for syrup from the cupcakes recipe. Added to this cocktail, it must make it incredibly fresh and aromatic! Still hunting lilacs in the vicinity, although I believe I'm a little too late this spring - I blame it on the horrible weather:(
Emily says
This drink definitely smells wonderful. All of the lilac flowers here in the Pacific Northwest are done for the year too, but there is always next year! I hope you find them if only to enjoy how beautiful they are...but you should also make this drink. LOL😃
Gabriela says
I follow you on Instagram and saw this the other day. And then thought, "man her parties must be lit". Your drinks never dissapoint.
Emily says
😂 LOL, you are too funny! I do enjoy a good party and I can confirm that my friends like me to be the bartender more often than not. No complaints from me 😁.
Sue says
I love lilacs and never realized they were edible until I found your blog! I had to try this and what a wonderful cocktail it is! Mine looks almost as pretty as yours!
Emily says
Thank you, Sue! I'm so glad you tried this drink and I bet yours turned out just as pretty 😁.
Colette says
I wish we had some lilac trees where we live. I don’t drink alcohol but I would love to mix the lilac syrup with some other drinks. That will taste so good. What’s your favorite?
Thank you so much for the inspiration.
Emily says
Oh yes, lilac lemonade or sparkling water is also amazing! I hope you find some lilacs someday so you can try this!
Nora says
Such a BEAUTIFUL cocktail! I love the color so much, and of course its taste! Thanks for sharing!
Emily says
Thanks, Nora!
zen of greedygirlgourmet.com says
gorgeous photos and awesome recipe thank u! I'm always trying to look for more recipes to use up the produce from the garden! 🙂
Emily says
Thank you! And yes, I also try to use everything I can eat!
AISilva says
The only problem with this drink is that it's so pretty that I might just smell it and stare at it instead of drinking it! Thanks for such a creative drink idea. I can't wait to host a party one day again and make this! (assuming party's ever happen again... one can dream!)
Emily says
LOL! It does smell amazing but I promise it tastes even better! I'm still dreaming of the day I get to throw a party with this drink as well...until then it's a party of one! 🤷🏼♀️🤓