The word aquafaba can be a mouthful, making it a fairly reasonable deterrent when it comes to experimenting with aquafaba cocktails. There's a good chance you already have some in the house, though. Where? It's the liquid in your can of chickpeas! This liquid is extremely versatile, and it makes those tricky egg white cocktails vegan friendly.
Aquafaba 101
On its own, it's inescapable that aquafaba has a slight umami, savory taste with hints of chickpeas. On the nose, it doesn't smell much of anything other than a bland, almost dull scent of chickpeas. However, once blended into a cocktail, the drink has absolutely none of that taste or smell.
There's a simple ratio when it comes time to convert any recipe from egg whites to aquafaba. Should the recipe call for an entire egg, you'll use three tablespoons of aquafaba, and if the recipe only calls for a single egg white, you'll use two tablespoons of aquafaba. The recipes below use ounces to make things simpler for you when measuring and building these cocktails--one tablespoon is equivalent to a half-ounce. You can feel free to add additional aquafaba to make your cocktails have an extra frothy flair.
Aquafaba Sour Cocktails
The cocktail world is brimming with sour cocktails, and these drinks call for chickpea brine instead of traditional egg white.
Vegan Whiskey Sour
Don't stress; your whiskey sour will be just as savory and creamy with aquafaba in place of egg whites.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- Bitters for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a few drops of bitters, dragging a cocktail pick through to create a design.
Aquafaba Pisco Sour
A style of brandy, pisco is primarily made in Peru and Chile through a similar process to brandy.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces pisco
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- 1-2 drops of bitters and lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass without ice.
- Garnish with bitters and lime wheel.
Aquafabulous Gin Sour
It may seem odd that the botanical flavors of gin pair well with sour flavors, but gin and citrus are a naturally delicious pairing.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- 3-4 drops of bitters for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass without ice.
- Garnish with bitters.
Frothy Tequila Sour
Take your sour on a trip in the sunshine with bright flavors of tequila.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces tequila
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- Orange wedge and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add tequila, lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
Egg-Free Oaxaca Sour
Give mezcal a chance to shine in a smokey cocktail.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces mezcal
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- 4-5 drops of bitters and dehydrated lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a coupe glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add mezcal, lime juice, orange liqueur, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with bitters, creating design with cocktail pick, and dehydrated lime wheel.
New York Sour With Aquafaba
The New York Sour might be the trickiest of the sour cocktails, only because it requires careful layering. The good news is that the work is more than worth the effort.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rye
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- ¾ ounce dry red wine
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add rye, lemon juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Slowly layer red wine by pouring down the back of a bar spoon.
Amaretto Sour With Aquafaba
The amaretto sour might be the second most well-known sour, second to the whiskey sour. Its flavors offer a nutty, sweeter spin.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces amaretto
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ounce aquafaba
- Ice
- Orange peel and cocktail cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add amaretto, lemon juice, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange peel and cocktail cherry.
Gin and Aquafaba Cocktails
Take a closer look at a few classic gin and egg white cocktails, but with that modern aquafaba cocktail spin.
Vegan Gin Fizz
The gin fizz has been fizzing its way through the decades since the late 1800s. Now that's a cocktail worth trying!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1½ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with club soda.
Aquafaba Gin Flip
A flip is a style of drink that used to call for beer, rum, and sugar. However, times have changed thankfully . Now it's a cocktail that calls for a whole egg, but aquafaba is the perfect replacement.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ½ ounce heavy cream
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, heavy cream, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Clover Club With Aquafaba
This classic cocktail is a whipped cloud dream with raspberry flavors. How can you say no?
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce raspberry liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1¾ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Raspberries for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, raspberry liqueur, lemon juice, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with raspberries.
Aquafrothy White Lady
Not to be confused with the White Lady story that exists in every small town, this classic cocktail leans toward the martini but uses aquafaba to add depth.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- 1½ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Lemon peel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, lemon juice, orange liqueur, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
Aquafaba Pink Lady
A sibling of the clover club, the pink lady adds brandy and grenadine to the mix, creating a distinct and memorable cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1¾ ounces gin
- ½ ounce applejack brandy
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce grenadine
- 1¼ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, applejack, lemon juice, grenadine, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with cherry
Rum and Vodka Aquafaba Drinks
Explore aquafaba in rum drinks and a flavorful vodka fizz.
Vegan Rosemary Vodka Fizz
Give your vegan vodka fizz an irresistible herbaceous spin.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce rosemary simple syrup
- 1½ ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, lime juice, rosemary simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with rosemary sprig.
Aquafaba Rum Flip
The rum flip is the most classic and oldest of the flips as we know them today.
Ingredients
- 1¾ ounces dark rum
- ¾ ounce heavy cream
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces aquafaba
- Ice
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add dark rum, heavy cream, simple syrup, and aquafaba.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Aquafaba Eggnog
Even people with egg allergies can enjoy a glass of nog when they use aquafaba. Give your eggnog the aquafaba treatment using a recipe that might become your new standard.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces aquafaba
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 ounces milk
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- 2 ounces bourbon or rum
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, add aquafaba, sugar, milk, heavy cream, and bourbon.
- Blend well for approximately one minute.
- Allow mix to chill.
- Pour into glass.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Aquafaba Cocktails That'll Outshine Egg Whites
Whether you follow a vegan diet or don't like to use raw eggs, egg whites can make people nervous. Using whole eggs in cocktails is even more nerve-wracking. Using aquafaba in place of eggs will give you that creamy aspect without the added anxiety.
