Elderflower is the unsung hero of the cocktail world. As such, St-Germain has rapidly become a quiet staple in cocktail bars and in the home. Made from freshly picked elderflowers each spring, St-Germain has a bold floral flavor ideal for cocktails both as a supporting actor and as the rightful star. Prepare to be starstruck with these tasty floral cocktails.
French Gimlet
Gin's juniper notes provide the base for this floral gimlet cocktail, so if those don't speak to you or you want a subtler flavor, you can easily swap for vodka.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce St-Germain
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Lemon ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, St-Germain, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lemon ribbon.
St-Germain Elderflower Spritz
Allow St-Germain to be the star in this light as air spritz.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces St-Germain
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- 3 ounces prosecco
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Elderflower sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In wine or rocks glass, add ice, St-Germain, orange liqueur, and prosecco.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with elderflower sprig.
St-Germain Champagne Cocktail
Craft a decadent brunch cocktail or set the scene for your dinner party with this regal drink.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce St-Germain
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- Prosecco to top off
- Orange peel for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chill a Champagne flute.
- In chilled glass, add St-Germain and orange liqueur.
- Top off with prosecco.
- Garnish with orange peel if desired.
Lillet St-Germain Cocktail
A distant cousin of St-Germain's elderflower notes, Lillet has a floral flavor and brings citrus and herbaceous notes to the party, making for a unique and memorable cocktail you'll return to time and time again.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Lillet
- 1 ounce St-Germain
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Elderflower sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, Lillet, St-Germain, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with elderflower sprig.
Cucumber Elderflower Gimlet
Floral elderflower and freshly muddled cucumber create a drink that'll soothe the soul--and possibly even sunburn--from the inside out.
Ingredients
- 2-3 cucumber slices
- 1 ounce gin
- 1 ounce St-Germain
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle cucumber slices with simple syrup.
- Add ice, gin, St-Germain, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lime wheel.
St. Rita
A St-Germain margarita may sound unusual, but with both tequila and elderflower being the pinnacle of sunshine in a bottle, this margarita will change the game.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce St-Germain
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- Ice
- Lemon wheel and elderflower sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, lemon juice, St-Germain, and orange liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lemon wheel and elderflower sprig.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce St-Germain
- ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Prosecco to top off
- Lemon twist for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chill a Champagne flute or Nick and Nora glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, St-Germain, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Top off with prosecco.
- Garnish with lemon twist, if desired.
Hugo Spritz
Raid your herb garden for mint, or kindly borrow some from your neighbor in exchange for a refreshing herb spritzer.
Ingredients
- 1-2 fresh mint sprigs
- 1 ounce St-Germain
- 3 ounces prosecco
- 1½ ounces club soda
- Ice
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a wine glass, lightly muddle St-Germain and mint sprigs.
- Add ice, prosecco, and club soda.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with lime wedge.
Skeleton Key
Don't be fooled by the spooky name. This cocktail makes for a great afternoon drink year-round, no matter the holiday or season.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, whiskey, St-Germain, and lemon juice.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with ginger beer and bitters.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
Elderflower Martini
The base spirit is gin, but vodka will make your St-Germain the star. However, beware of only using St-Germain, as the flavor could be overwhelming and too sweet for some.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce gin
- 1 ounce St-Germain
- ¾ ounce dry vermouth
- Ice
- Lemon slice for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a mixing glass, add ice, gin, St-Germain, and dry vermouth.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lemon slice.
French Pear Martini
Elderflower is delicious in a pear cocktail. Not only is this cocktail an easy recipe to make, but it's even easier to photograph over and over to share with the world.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces pear vodka
- 1 ounce St-Germain
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Prosecco to top off
- Lemon ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, pear vodka, St-Germain, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lemon ribbon.
White Cosmo
Diverge from your usual pink cosmo in favor of this slightly tart yet blossom-forward cosmo.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces citron vodka
- ¾ ounce St-Germain
- ¾ ounce white cranberry juice
- ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, citron vodka, St-Germain, white cranberry juice, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with cranberries.
Old Thyme Sour
St-Germain pairs exceptionally well with most herbs, and thyme is no exception. Although this may look like quite the laundry list of ingredients, the resulting whiskey sour cocktail is more than worth the work.
Ingredients
- 2-3 thyme sprigs
- 2 ounces whiskey
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce St-Germain
- ½ ounce thyme simple syrup
- ¼ ounce green chartreuse
- 1 egg white
- Ice
- Lemon peel and bitters for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add thyme sprigs, whiskey, lemon juice, St-Germain, thyme simple syrup, green chartreuse, and egg white.
- 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 lemon peel and several drops of bitters.
English Martini
Rosemary easily flourishes, and it can be tough to figure out how to use it in new ways. Thankfully, this cocktail puts that herb to use.
Ingredients
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 2 ounces gin
- ½ ounce St-Germain
- Ice
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle rosemary sprig with St-Germain.
- Add ice and gin.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with rosemary sprig.
French Spritz
Gentian liqueur is a fairly bitter spirit, but the St-Germain tames those notes to make them perfectly palatable.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces gentian liqueur, such as Suze
- ½ ounce St-Germain
- Ice
- 1 ounce club soda
- Prosecco to top off
- Lemon wheel and rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a wine glass, add ice, gentian liqueur, and St-Germain.
- Stir to mix.
- Add clubs soda.
- Top off with prosecco.
- Garnish with lemon wheel and rosemary sprig.
Irish Maid
Cucumber and whiskey can raise eyebrows, but the St-Germain ties all the pieces together in this boozy and slightly sweet drink.
Ingredients
- 3-4 cucumber slices
- 2 ounces whiskey
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce St-Germain
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle cucumber slices with simple syrup.
- Add ice, whiskey, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
English Garden
Apple juice is quite an unexpected drink in cocktails, but besides the gin and St-Germain, it adds a juicy touch nothing else could do.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1½ ounces apple juice
- 1 ounce St-Germain
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Cucumber slice and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, apple juice, St-Germain, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with cucumber slice and mint sprig.
St-Germain Mule
Completely flip the classic mule on its head by going with a lighter flavor instead of bold and boozy.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces vodka
- 1 ounce St-Germain
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Ginger beer to top off
- Lemon slice and elderflower sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, add ice, vodka, St-Germain, and lime juice.
- Top off with ginger beer.
- Garnish with lemon slice and elderflower sprig.
A Bouquet of St-Germain Cocktails
Embrace the floral flavors of St-Germain in any style of cocktail, such as the fragrant butterfly cocktail. This spirit is a cocktail game-changer from cocktails that are citrus and sweet to complex and bold. Isn't it time you tasted one for yourself?
