French 75 Recipe

Gin: A clear spirit made from juniper berries that gives the drink its strong, herbal base.

Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a bright, tangy flavor that balances the sweetness.

Simple syrup: A sweet liquid made by dissolving sugar in water, used to add just the right amount of sweetness.

Champagne: A sparkling wine that adds bubbles and a light, festive touch to the cocktail.

Lemon peel: A twist of lemon peel is used as a garnish to add a fresh citrus aroma.

When you’re making a French 75, one of the most important steps is shaking the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice before adding the champagne. Shaking might sound easy, but doing it right makes a big difference in how your drink tastes and feels.

Here’s how to shake like a pro:

1. Fill your cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. The ice chills the drink quickly and helps mix everything smoothly.
2. Add the gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and simple syrup on top of the ice.
3. Put the lid on tight so nothing spills out.
4. Hold the shaker with both hands—one on top and one on the bottom—and shake it up and down firmly for about 10 to 15 seconds. You want to feel the shaker get cold and a little frosty outside.
5. Stop shaking and strain the mixture into your champagne flute before adding the bubbly champagne.

Shaking the ingredients with ice helps mix the flavors well and cools the drink perfectly. It also adds a tiny bit of air, making the drink feel light and refreshing. If you don’t shake enough, the flavors might not blend, and the drink could taste flat or warm.

When I first tried this, I didn’t shake long enough, and my French 75 was kind of warm and weak. After I learned to shake it properly, the drink tasted so much better—bright, cold, and just right. Also, don’t shake the champagne because it’s fizzy and can explode if shaken.

Once you get the hang of shaking, your French 75 will taste like it came from a fancy bar, and you’ll feel like a real mixologist!

• gin - Substitute with vodka: Vodka has a neutral flavor that can mimic the base spirit without the botanical notes of gin.

• freshly squeezed lemon juice - Substitute with lime juice: Lime juice provides a similar acidity and citrus flavor, though it will slightly alter the taste profile.

• simple syrup - Substitute with honey syrup: Honey syrup (honey mixed with water) offers a natural sweetness and a slightly different flavor profile.

• champagne - Substitute with prosecco: Prosecco is a sparkling wine that can provide similar effervescence and dryness.

• lemon peel - Substitute with orange peel: Orange peel can offer a similar aromatic garnish with a slightly sweeter citrus note.

• To keep your French 75 fresh, store the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will preserve the flavors for up to 24 hours.
• If you want to prepare the lemon juice in advance, squeeze fresh lemons and store the juice in a small, airtight container. Freshly squeezed lemon juice can last up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
• Simple syrup can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. Simply combine equal parts sugar and water, heat until dissolved, and let it cool before storing.
• For a quick assembly, pre-measure the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a small bottle or jar. When you're ready to serve, just shake with ice and top with champagne.
• If you have leftover champagne, use a champagne stopper to keep it bubbly. Store it in the refrigerator and consume within 1-2 days for the best fizz.
• Avoid freezing the French 75 as the champagne will lose its effervescence and the lemon juice may become bitter. Instead, focus on refrigerating the components separately and assembling the cocktail fresh when needed.

• Pour the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup mixture into a small saucepan.
• Gently warm the mixture over low heat, ensuring it doesn't boil, just until it's slightly warm to the touch.
• Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
• Pour the mixture into a champagne flute.
• Top with chilled champagne.
• Garnish with a fresh lemon twist.

• Cocktail shaker: Used to mix the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice to chill and blend the ingredients.

• Jigger: A measuring tool to ensure precise amounts of gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup are used.

• Ice: Essential for chilling the cocktail mixture in the shaker.

• Strainer: Helps to strain the mixed cocktail into the champagne flute, leaving the ice behind.

• Champagne flute: The glass used to serve the French 75, allowing the champagne to retain its bubbles.

• Lemon zester: Used to create a twist of lemon peel for garnishing the cocktail.

• Bar spoon: Handy for gently stirring the champagne into the cocktail if needed.

Pre-make simple syrup: Prepare a batch of simple syrup in advance and store it in the fridge. This saves time when making multiple French 75 cocktails.

Use fresh lemon juice: Squeeze lemon juice ahead of time and keep it in a sealed container. Fresh juice enhances the flavor and speeds up the process.

Chill your champagne: Ensure your champagne is well-chilled before starting. This eliminates the need to wait for it to cool down.

Pre-cut lemon twists: Prepare your lemon peel twists in advance and store them in the fridge. This makes garnishing quick and easy.