I have been a long-time fan of the French 75 cocktail. It’s classic, yet sophisticated, and is easy to make. You can sip one at brunch or in celebration of something big or small. I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t enjoy one. Even if people aren’t familiar, once you explain the flavors and ingredients, they are all in. Who doesn’t love a sparkling gin cocktail? I’ve been making French 75 variations for years and thought it was time to let you in on my favorites.
Frozen French 75
I don’t make a lot of frozen cocktails, but the ones I like the best have a wine base. While some recipes call for drinks to be frozen in an ice cream maker, I use this freezable cocktail maker. It’s inexpensive and easy to use and clean. It’s perfect for making up a batch of frozen French 75 cocktails. Although you don’t normally dilute French 75s with ice or water, I do suggest adding in a little before you freeze it. Otherwise, the drink comes out very boozy, which isn’t bad, but some people might find it too strong.
Frozen French 75 (makes 4)
Ingredients
- 6 oz gin
- 3 oz lemon juice
- 3 oz rich simple syrup (2:1, sugar: water)
- 2 oz cognac (optional)
- 8 oz prosecco
- 1 oz water
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a freezer-safe container. Stir lightly.
- Cover and place into a freezer overnight.
- Gently stir to serve.
Blueberry French 75
Perhaps the best thing about this French 75 variation is the color. The blueberry syrup adds a lovely pop of pink along with a delicious flavor. The blueberry syrup should be made in advance so it has time to cool down. You can use it in drinks (of course) but also on ice cream, pancakes, or in your coffee. For the best result, use fresh blueberries instead of frozen. You can also garnish your Blueberry French 75 with a cocktail pick pierced through fresh blueberries.
Blueberry French 75
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz gin
- 1 oz blueberry syrup
- 0.75 oz lemon juice
- 2 oz prosecco
Instructions
- Add first three ingredients to a shaker with ice.
- Shake for 20-30 seconds and strain into a champagne flute.
- Top with prosecco, garnish, and serve.
Blueberry Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat.
- Stir occasionally until mixture starts to gently come to a boil.
- Turn heat down to medium and continue to stir until the blueberries start to burst. You can also lightly mash the blueberries as you stir the syrup.
- Once the sugar has fully dissolved and the blueberries have been cooked, remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bottle or jar you can seal and store in the fridge. Syrup stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Lavender French 75
This is probably my favorite of the French 75 variations. I’ve never had it anywhere, besides my house, and it’s so delicious. The two critical items to have on hand are the culinary lavender and a fine mesh strainer (which you can also use for the blueberry syrup above). The latter will help ensure that the lavender blossoms and stems are properly removed before serving. If you have access to fresh lavender, try garnishing your drink with a single stem of flowers.
Lavender French 75
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz gin
- 1 Tbs dried culinary-grade lavender
- 0.75 oz lemon juice
- 0.5 oz rich simple syrup (2:1)
- 2 oz prosecco
Instructions
- Add gin and lavender to a shaker. Muddle lavender and let set for 10 minutes.
- Add lemon juice, simple syrup, and ice to the shaker.
- Shake 20-30 seconds and double strain into a coupe glass.
- Top with the prosecco and serve.
Ginger French 75
This variation is also fun. While it uses a ginger liqueur, you could also use a spicier ginger syrup if you wanted a little more heat. (Check out the recipe for that syrup in this post.) Gin works so well with spicy ingredients like ginger and this French 75 is no exception to that. I love serving this as a palate cleanser. It’s so much better than a sorbet.
Ginger French 75
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz gin
- 1 oz ginger liqueur
- 0.75 oz lemon juice
- 2 oz prosecco
Instructions
- Add the first three ingredients to a shaker with ice.
- Shake for 20-30 seconds and strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass.
- Top with prosecco and serve. Optional: garnish with a dried candied ginger.
The Best Prosecco to Use
Finally, a word about the best bubbles to use. A classic French 75 calls for champagne. While I love champagne, it is way more expensive than prosecco. Plus, if you are using it in a cocktail with other flavorful ingredients, you will lose the full effect of the champagne. For the French 75 variations listed above, you mostly want to make sure you have a nicely carbonated, dry white wine. So, save the champagne for a toast, and use one of these bottles of prosecco instead:
- La Marca: this is my go-to prosecco for cocktails. I love that it comes in three different sized bottles and it’s often on sale.
- Mionetto Prosecco Brut: this is another delicious and widely available prosecco that I like to use. And it’s from Prosecco, Italy.
- Ruffino: great, dry option that is good to sip alone as well.
Pro tip: if you are opening a whole bottle of prosecco but want to keep it fresh, use this stopper. I have tried more than ten brands and this is the only one that has kept my bubbles safe and didn’t pop off in the fridge. We’re talking freshness days later. Cheers!
