Blueberry Lavender Cocktail with Gin

When it comes to spring and summertime drinks, blueberry cocktails just hit differently. And lucky for us, this recipe uses blueberry syrup, which can be made with frozen berries. So you can enjoy it all year long!

It’s gorgeous with its bright pink color, and elegant with the addition of fragrant lavender. I mean, doesn’t lavender in cocktails immediately make you think “craft cocktail” and “fancy”? This drink definitely exudes that sentiment, but it’s easy to make in just minutes (especially if you’ve already prepped the syrup).

Go on and impress your friends…they don’t have to know it’s nearly effortless to make such a sophisticated drink!

What You’ll Need

There are just a few simple ingredients for this cocktail (yes!). It’s also customizable – especially in terms of spirits. I’m a huge fan of being able to suit drinks to your preferences!

• Gin: a distilled spirit that has a distinct flavor most notably like pine due to its main ingredient of juniper berries. There are many varieties of gin, and depending on the specific type and brand of gin you use, will influence the final flavor of this cocktail. Not a gin fan? Use vodka instead.
• Blueberry Lavender Syrup: the star of the show! Slightly sweet, aromatic, and tasteful! If you’re not a huge fan of lavender, feel free to omit it in the syrup and just make blueberry simple syrup instead.
• Fresh Lemon Juice: a little brightness to balance it all out. Please be sure to use fresh lemon for the best flavor! No lemon? You can use a fresh lime.
• Blueberry Liqueur or Chambord add a little extra pizazz to the drink, but you can leave it out, too.
• Club Soda: a little bubbles to balance out the booze. If you’d prefer this cocktail straight up, more like a martini, you can skip the club soda.

Need a mocktail? Just leave out the liquor and add more club soda or your favorite seltzer water.

What Type of Gin is Best?

As I mentioned, the type of gin you use will influence the flavor of this blueberry gin cocktail – whether it’s drier, more herb and botanical forward, fruitier, or sweeter…these distinctions will come through.

Dry gins will be less piney and more approachable for the everyday cocktail drinker, which is what I recommend in this recipe. The overall flavor of gin is a mixture of citrus and spice, with yes, that slight pine flavor (which makes it so perfect for the holiday season!).

Prairie Organic Gin – made locally here in the Midwest- has a lovely flavor in this cocktail (not sponsored, just a fan!). However, there are so many options out there, ask your liquor store for a recommendation based on your preferences if you need more help.

The bottom line comes down to this: if you have a favorite gin, use it! The Spruce Eats has a whole lot of information about each type of gin if you’re interested in additional information.

Let’s Make a Blueberry Cocktail!

My friends, we have ourselves an easy-to-make cocktail right on our hands. One that you can mix and enjoy in less than 5 minutes (as long as you have that syrup made)! Make one, or make several for friends – the world is your oyster…er, beverage?

Make The Syrup

The first thing to do is to make sure you’ve made our favorite blueberry lavender syrup. It’s super easy to do, and is ready in under 15 minutes.

The perfect plan is to prep it ahead of time, and it will be ready and waiting in the fridge whenever you’re ready to make the cocktails!

Simply simmer the blueberries, smashing them as they soften, and dried culinary-grade lavender. Allow it to steep, and strain. Check out the full recipe post for more details.

Mix the Cocktail

I like to use a cocktail mixing glass to stir the ingredients together. You can also gently shake them in a cocktail shaker to ensure it’s chilled.

Add ice to the mixing glass, then pour in the gin, syrup, lemon juice, and liquor if using. Don’t add the club soda yet; that’s a last-minute addition – to taste!

A cocktail spoon is helpful for stirring the drink. It’s long enough to reach into the shaker and gently twists to stir the liquids without crushing the ice.

Pour and Serve

Use a cocktail strainer to pour the drink into a serving glass. It will separate the ice out. If you prefer this drink over ice, I like to use fresh ice so it’s not as watered down.

Top off the glass with a splash of club soda, to taste. It helps dilute the booziness of the drink a little while adding a fun fizz.

Garnish a blueberry cocktail with…blueberries! But I love fresh herbs – thyme or rosemary, both of which pair well with lavender. Mint is another delicious garnish for drinks, and in the same family as lavender, too!

And enjoy responsibly (21+ in the U.S., of course). Sip away in the sunshine with friends, at bridal showers, holiday parties, or as a festive, elevated 4th of July drink!

More Blueberry Lavender Ideas

If you love blueberry, or you love lavender, or you love blueberry lavender, give these recipes a try next:

• Blueberry Lemonade (with or without lavender) – no blender necessary!
• Lavender French 75 – so elegant, yet easy!
• Blueberry Vodka Lemonade – potluck perfection!
• Lavender Lemonade – for when you don’t need any fruit, just lavender!
• …and a curve ball: Iced Honey Lavender Latte – lavender and coffee are truly a perfect match!

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!