Italian 75

The Italian 75 cocktail is a delicious cocktail that is bubbly, elegant and easy to make. This gin-based cocktail is inspired by a French 75, but uses Prosecco, limoncello liqueur and gin. With a fresh lemon peel garnish, this simple but delicious drink fits in on any occasion.

I love this drink for a date night, or even as a celebratory New Year's Eve cocktail! You can dress it up with different garnishes like strawberries, or just enjoy on its own for a more low key drink.

This drink is based off of the French 75 classic gin cocktail, but the original uses Champagne, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. This one is a little sweeter, not as tart and a touch easier to put together.

Looking for more celebration cocktails? Try out an easy Vodka Champagne Cocktail, an Amaretto French 75 or a Lillet Gin cocktail!

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this tasty drink.

• Gin - I used Malfy gin, which is an Italian gin, to go along with the theme of this drink! You can use any gin, but a citrus-forward gin works great.
• Prosecco - the Italian answer to Champagne! Prosecco is a little sweeter and not as yeasty as Champagne.
• Limoncello liqueur - you can use homemade limoncello, or store bought. Any style will work perfectly.
• Lemon peel (for garnish) - optional but highly recommended!

Substitutions

Here are some ways to substitute ingredients for this drink.

• Gin - if you're not a fan of gin, try using citrus vodka or tequila blanco instead.
• Prosecco - any sparkling wine will work!
• Limoncello - if you don't have limoncello, try substituting in Cointreau liqueur or another triple sec (these are orange flavored liqueurs). Or, just use a mix of half lemon juice and half simple syrup. It will be more like a traditional French 75.
• Lemon peel - if you don't have a fresh lemon for the garnish, try using candied lemon peel slices as an easy garnish.

Variations

Here are a few ideas of variations on this easy cocktail.

• Sparkly - add a touch of sparkle to this drink by using edible glitter! This Brew Glitter edible gold glitter is my favorite. Perfect for New Year's Eve!
• Peach Italian 75 - try halving the amount of limoncello and adding in a little peach schnapps. This is super tasty in late summer when you can garnish with a fresh peach!
• Non-alcoholic Italian 75 - for a virgin version of this cocktail, just combine 1 ounce of lemonade with 4 ounces of either sparkling apple cider or seltzer. It will taste great
• Keto friendly version - for a low-sugar option, choose a dry Prosecco (or "brut"). You will also need to plan ahead and make your own limoncello. Just follow the directions for homemade limoncello, but use allulose instead of sugar. It's the best sugar substitute because it tastes the most like sugar, plus it retains the thickening properties of sugar (so you won't have to add any xanthan gum like you would when using erythritol)!

Equipment

To make this drink, you'll first need some Champagne flutes or stemmed coupe glasses to serve it in. The more elegant, the better! You'll also need to have a jigger or small measuring cup, along with a long bar spoon and a heavy-bottomed glass to mix the gin and limoncello with ice. A cocktail strainer will come in handy too!

If you're planning to make the lemon peel garnish, you'll also want to grab a vegetable peeler, a cutting board and a paring knife.

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Instructions

Start out by making the lemon peel garnishes. Use a peeler to peel off a large, wide piece of the lemon rind. Don't worry about how much of the white pith stays on, as a thicker piece will hold its shape a little better.

Use a paring knife to clean up the sides of the peel. If you're feeling fancy, cut it into the shape of a leaf, with a slit in the middle that will allow it to grab onto the edge of the glass.

Start the drink itself by adding in the limoncello and the gin to a mixing glass.

Fill the glass with ice, and then use a long bar spoon to stir it for 30 seconds. This will both chill and dilute the drink.

Strain the drink into your serving glass, and then top it with the Prosecco.

Add the lemon peel garnish to the rim of the glass, and enjoy!

Hint: if you want to skip stirring with ice, simply keep your limoncello and gin in the freezer! This will keep everything ice cold without stirring. Just add ¼ ounce of water if the drink ends up being too strong without the stir.

Frequently Asked Questions

Top tip

If you're making this drink for a crowd, it's pretty simple to do. You can mix the limoncello and gin beforehand, and have it ready in a chilled pitcher to pour into the serving glasses.

Just add ¼ ounce of water per drink, along with the gin and limoncello, to a pitcher. Pre-prep the garnishes and have them ready on the serving glasses, and measure and pour 2½ ounces of the mixture per glass before topping each one with freshly-opened Prosecco. Cheers!