Summer cocktails: Unusual recipes you have to try
We compiled these four cocktail recipes for summer 2022. They still work today because they need only a few ingredients and fit into any home bar.
Four cocktails that can carry a summer evening without you needing a pro bar: Spiced Popcorn Gin Sour, Red Russian, Egg Chegger and Amaretto Sour. We put these recipes together in 2022, and they still hold up today because every drink works with pantry staples and a couple of bottles from the shelf. You don’t need to be a mixologist. A shaker, a few ice cubes and a willingness to try something new are all it takes.
- Four recipes from the creamy egg-liqueur drink to the classic sour, all mixed in under ten minutes.
- Three of them need egg white or cream for texture. If you want to skip that, use aquafaba (chickpea water) as a vegan substitute.
- A cocktail shaker makes the biggest difference. A well-sealing screw-top jar will do in a pinch.
- Quantities for one to two glasses; the syrups can be made ahead.
The beauty of cocktails is that they forgive mistakes. A little more lemon, a little less syrup, a different gin: every recipe is a starting point, not a law. We’ll walk through the four drinks in order, from the most involved to the quickest.
Spiced Popcorn Gin Sour
The only drink here that needs advance prep-and precisely why it delivers the biggest “aha!” moment. You steep spiced popcorn in a sugar syrup that lends the gin sour an unexpected salty-sweet depth no one sees coming.
For the popcorn syrup:
- 300 ml water
- 300 g sugar
- 25 g spiced popcorn
For the cocktail (1 glass):
- 30 ml popcorn syrup
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 45 ml gin
- 1 egg white
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- spiced popcorn for garnish
Bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in the popcorn, and let steep for 30 minutes. Blend finely with a stick blender, then strain through a fine sieve, discarding the solids. Shake the finished syrup with gin, lemon juice, and egg white vigorously over ice (or dry shake first without ice to build the foam, then shake again with ice). Strain into a glass, dust with a pinch of cayenne and top with a few popcorn kernels.
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Red Russian
The simplest drink on the list-and the one with the fewest ingredients. A Red Russian is essentially vodka plus cherry liqueur on ice, traditionally served in equal parts. We’ve leaned heavier on the vodka here; adjust to taste.
- 4 cl vodka
- 25 ml cherry liqueur
- 3 ice cubes
- a sprig of mint
- 1 cocktail cherry
Drop the ice cubes into a whisky glass, pour the cherry liqueur over them, top with vodka, and give it a quick stir. Drop in the cocktail cherry, add the mint on top, and you’re done. For a fruitier twist, swap part of the liqueur for cranberry juice.
Three of the four drinks live or die by texture, not alcohol. Egg white, cream, and a good shake turn a simple mix into something that feels like a proper bar experience.
Egg Chegger
Egg liquor meets chilled espresso: it sounds like dessert in a glass-and that’s exactly what it is. Creamy, with a hint of bitterness from the coffee, perfect for rounding off an evening instead of kicking it off with an aperitif.
- 6 cl egg liquor
- 1 chilled espresso
- 3 cl heavy cream
- 3 cl milk
- 1 cl sugar syrup
- Ice cubes
For the topping: chilled frothed milk as a finish, cocoa powder for dusting.
Fill your shaker halfway with ice. Add the egg liquor, chilled espresso, milk, cream, and sugar syrup, then shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice into a tumbler, top with cold frothed milk, and dust lightly with cocoa. No egg liquor on hand? A good store-bought version will do-the espresso carries the flavor anyway.
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Amaretto Sour
The classic closer. A true Amaretto Sour contains only amaretto, lemon, and sugar syrup; the modern twist adds egg white for a silky foam and a splash of cherry syrup for color and sweetness. Here’s how we make it.
- 200 ml amaretto
- 3-4 lemons, juiced (about 120 ml)
- 1 egg white
- A small jar of cherries in syrup
- Ice
Pour the amaretto, lemon juice, egg white, and four teaspoons of cherry syrup into the shaker. Shake hard without ice until the mix turns pale and voluminous, then add a handful of ice and shake again until the glass feels cold on the outside. Divide among two or three glasses and garnish with cherries. The batch serves a small group; halve it for two.
Which drink for which night
Want to wow your guests? The Popcorn Gin Sour steals the show. Need something quick for two? The Red Russian requires no prep. The Egg Chegger replaces dessert, and the Amaretto Sour is the crowd-pleasing all-rounder almost everyone enjoys. Three of the four recipes rely on egg white or cream. If that’s not your thing, skip it-or swap in aquafaba; you’ll lose the foam, not the flavor.
More ideas for balmy evenings are waiting in our feature on the perfect garden party. And if you’d rather mix without alcohol, our mocktail guide delivers equally stunning results.
Good to Know
▸Do I absolutely need a cocktail shaker?
No. A shaker helps for everything except the Red Russian because shaking aerates the egg white and cream. A tightly sealed mason jar or an insulated drink bottle works just as well as long as the lid is airtight.
▸How do I replace the egg white with a vegan alternative?
Use aquafaba-the liquid from a can of chickpeas. About one to two tablespoons per drink foams up like egg white and tastes neutral. It works perfectly in the Gin Sour and the Amaretto Sour.
▸Can I prepare the syrups in advance?
Yes. The popcorn syrup keeps in the fridge for about a week in a clean, sealed jar. Simple sugar syrup (equal parts sugar and water) stays fresh for several weeks. That way you’re ready for the next round.
▸Which gin goes into the Popcorn Sour?
A classic London Dry with a clear juniper note. Very floral or strongly aromatic gins will overpower the popcorn syrup. The original called for Tanqueray, but any dry standard gin works just as well.
