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Gin Cucumber Cooler

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If you’re looking for a delicious summertime cocktail that’s light and refreshing I recommend you give this Gin Cucumber Cooler a try!  Heck, even if it isn’t summer, you’re gonna love this cocktail.

Gin Cucumber Cooler - delicious made with either mint or basil!

Gin Cucumber CoolerNot too long ago my husband and I had some good friends over for drinks before heading out for dinner.  I made a variation of this gin cucumber cooler for the girls and we all thought they were quite tasty. That evening I made them with muddled cucumber and mint which worked nicely, but I tend to prefer cocktails without a lot of “stuff” floating around in it.  I knew I wanted to share this cocktail with you all so the next time I made them I decided to experiment a bit and whipped up a batch of mint AND basil flavored simple syrup.  I also blended up a cucumber in my NutriBullet for some fresh cucumber juice.  The combination of fresh juice and a touch of herbal simple syrup was the perfect combination for me! 

Only one problem, I couldn’t decide which I liked better… the one with mint or the one with basil.  My two cousins were over and one preferred the mint and the other preferred the basil.  So there you go…they’re both fantastic so you might just have to give them both a try 😉  Now of course, if you don’t want to go to the trouble of making the juice (but really… it’s so easy) or simple syrup (again, so so easy) then by all means, just do a little muddle with a few chunks of cucumber and a couple of mint or basil leaves.

Gin Cucumber Cooler is a refreshing summer cocktailIf you like gin, and even if you’re not that big of a gin fan, I think you’ll really enjoy this Gin Cucumber Cooler.  It’s the perfect porch sitting, summertime sipping cocktail to enjoy this weekend!  Which do you think you’d prefer… mint or basil?

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Gin Cucumber Cooler

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Ingredients

  • 1 shot gin (I prefer Hendricks for this cocktail)
  • 1/2 shot St. Germain liqueur
  • 1/2 shot fresh cucumber juice* (you’ll need a cucumber whether you make the juice or just muddle it)
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 1/4–1/2 shot mint (or basil) simple syrup* (adjust amount to your sweetness preference)
  • club soda (about 1-2 shots, depending on how large of a glass you are using)

Instructions

  1. Make the cucumber juice: Peel a cucumber (I used an English cucumber) and cut it up into chunks. Put in blender and blend until smooth. You can use the puree if you like, but I prefer to strain it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the pulp and just use the juice.
  2. Make the mint or basil simple syrup: Combine equal parts sugar and water (I typically use 1 cup), bring to a boil, reduce and add a big handful of mint or basil. Simmer a couple minutes, remove from heat and let cool. Once cooled, strain out the mint or basil and store simple syrup in refrigerator.
  3. Make the cocktail: Combine gin, St. Germain, cucumber juice, lime juice and simple syrup in cocktail shaker with a bit of ice. Shake well and strain over tall rocks glass filled with ice. Top with club soda

Notes

*You can substitute the cucumber juice with a few pieces of cucumber to muddle, but I recommend making the juice!
*This is equally delicious with mint or basil so get wild and give them both a try and see which you prefer!

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