Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: You’ll love this bright lemony cocktail made with gin, fresh lemon juice, and dry sparkling wine. A French 75 is light, refreshing, and easy to make. This cocktail is not overly sweet and the sparkling wine gives it a celebratory feel.
How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: cocktail shaker, juicer
Servings: 1
French 75 Cocktail
With tart lemon, botanical gin, and lots of merry bubbles, a French 75 is a very happy cocktail. The festive ribbon of lemon peel is so decorative and pretty.
It’s an all-season cocktail. This refreshing cocktail is perfect for warm summer nights. (We’re finally in the summer mode here in Michigan and it couldn’t be more welcome after the gray months of winter.) I would say that a French 75 is perfect for any season. it’s crisp, clean, and fresh, not overly sweet, and it goes perfectly with lighter hors d’oeuvres or entrées.
There are just four ingredients. You’ll need gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and sparkling wine. The recipe is written for one cocktail but it’s really easy to make more. Most cocktail shakers are large enough to mix up 2 cocktails and you can buy larger shakers, too.
Cherry French 75
If you like this cocktail, be sure to try my cherry French 75. It’s basically the same cocktail with the addition of a bit of maraschino cherry syrup, which adds another layer of flavor and turns the cocktail a gorgeous color. It’s topped with two garnishes: a lemon twist and a bright red cherry.
Extra Dry or Brut?
You may be tempted to think that extra dry champagne would be a drier choice than brut champagne but that isn’t true. Extra dry champagne is actually a fairly sweet wine. It seems a misnomer, but that’s just the way it is.Ingredient Notes
- Gin: Use your favorite gin for this drink. We prefer Hendricks which is a classic gin with juniper, floral, and citrus notes, and a clean dry finish. If you’re not a fan of gin, often this cocktail is made with cognac instead of gin.
- Lemon: One lemon will provide plenty of fresh squeezed juice and you’ll use a strip of peel for the garnish, too.
- Simple Syrup: Simple syrup consists of sugar and water heated until the sugar dissolves. Pretty simple, and you can easily make your own. It keeps well in the refrigerator.
- Sparkling Wine: Look for a dry sparkling wine, such as brut champagne or prosecco. Make sure it’s well-chilled. One bottle is enough to make eight cocktails.
- Ice: Fresh ice is a must.
- Cocktail Shaker: You’ll need a cocktail shaker to blend and quickly chill the ingredients.
Cocktail Shakers, An Essential Bar Tool
Cocktail shakers are very affordable and essential for making chilled cocktails. Shakers are equipped with a strainer so the ice is retained inside, ensuring that your cocktail is icy cold but not diluted by melting ice.
How to make A French 75
What kind of glass to use: A French 75 is usually served in a champagne flute. More recently, we’ve been seeing it served in a tall Collins glass: shaken with ice first, then poured over cracked ice in the glass. I’m a little partial to coupe (koo-pay) glasses which I think are perfect for this cocktail. In the end, it all comes down to what you like or happen to have. For the photos, we chose a stemless champagne flute.
Prep the lemons. Wash the lemons thoroughly. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a couple of slices off and make your lemon twist garnish. Juice the remaining lemon halves. You’ll need ¾ of an ounce.
Add the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and ice to your cocktail shaker.
Shake it vigorously for twenty to thirty seconds. Don’t you just love that sound?
Pour the contents of the shaker into the glass.
Next, top it with sparkling wine.
Give the lemon twist a little squeeze right over the glass so the essential oils are released. If you like, run the twist around the edge of the glass for even more aroma before adding it to the cocktail as a garnish.
Cheers! Enjoy your cocktail!
The history of this cocktail is interesting, dating back to World War I. The French 75 originated in Paris, and it’s named after a weapon, the French 75mm field gun. The original cocktail “was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled” with the French 75 ( Wikipedia).
Because this cocktail is made with gin and sparkling wine, two types of alcohol, it is a fairly strong cocktail. It can kind of sneak up on you because it tastes very light.
As always, please drink responsibly, and as my mother used to tell me before I went out with friends, choose a designated driver.
What To Serve With A French 75
We tend to think of this lemony cocktail as more of a summer cocktail although it is certainly welcome any time of the year. Try it with lighter appetizers or entrées, like this whipped feta cheese dip and crostini. Another good choice is spinach dip or slow cooker spinach artichoke dip.
For entrées, serve it with lemon salmon with dill or easy lemon pepper shrimp.
Variations
- Gin substitutes: One popular option is to substitute cognac for the gin. Another choice is St. Germain elderflower liqueur, which will result in a sweeter cocktail. You may want to consider omitting the simple syrup if you choose to use St. Germain.
- Adjust the sweetness level. There are a couple of ways to make this cocktail either sweeter or drier. You can use more or less simple syrup, even omitting it entirely if you like things tart. A sweeter champagne such as extra dry will also make a sweeter cocktail.
- Extra chilled: Serve your French 75 cocktails in chilled glasses or on the rocks in a Collins glass.
If you know you are going to be making several cocktails, it’s a good idea to make the lemon twist garnishes and squeeze the lemon juice ahead of time. Refrigerate both separately in airtight containers until ready to use.
Make sure you have your simple syrup prepared and chilled. You can do that several days ahead. It keeps well in the fridge in a jar.
Be prepared with plenty of fresh ice!
This cocktail is best enjoyed immediately. The sparkling wine will lose its sparkle if you have any left over.
More Cocktails
French 75
Ingredients
- ice
- 1 ½ ounces gin
- ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 3 ounces dry sparkling wine (brut champagne or prosecco)
Instructions
- Before juicing the lemon, cut off a long, thin spiral of lemon peel, reserving it to make a lemon twist garnish (see note).
- Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup and shake for 20 to 30 seconds or until very cold.1 ½ ounces gin, ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice, ½ ounce simple syrup
- Strain into champagne flute and top with sparkling wine.3 ounces dry sparkling wine
- Twist reserved lemon peel into a tight twist and garnish drink.
Notes
- How to make a lemon twist garnish: Check out this easy tutorial for making a lemon twist. The lemon twist garnishes can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
- How to make simple syrup: There are only 2 ingredients in simple syrup and it can be made ahead. Learn how to make your own simple syrup.
- Serve cold! For best results, chill champagne flutes before filling. This cocktail can also be served on ice in a Collins glass.
- Gin alternatives: If desired, substitute cognac or St. Germain elderflower liqueur for the gin.
- Serving a crowd: One bottle of champagne will make 8 cocktails. If you’re serving several cocktails, squeeze the lemons and make the lemon twist garnishes ahead and store them separately in the fridge.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
