French Blonde Cocktail

The French Blonde is such a classy and delicious gin cocktail -- and it's rumored to be the new favorite cocktail of Taylor Swift! This drink combines the tartness of lemon and grapefruit juice with sweet elderflower liqueur, crisp Lillet Blanc, and an herbal flavor from the gin. I had to garnish with a long curly lemon peel to make it even more Blonde!

This is such a versatile cocktail, and great for so many occasions! Great for everything from brunch, to a fancy cocktail bar, or even sipping in the backyard on a hot day. If you're a grapefruit lover, this drink is definitely for you. 

Looking for more cocktail recipes? If you're a Lillet person, try out my Lillet Gin cocktail, which uses Lillet Rose. Or, the Corpse Reviver no. 2 is a classic gin and Lillet drink.

If you're a fan of grapefruit, try out this delicious Grapefruit Peach vodka cocktail. You could also whip up a quick and simple Grapefruit Rickey, or this delicious Spicy Paloma tequila cocktail.

Ingredients

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

• Grapefruit juice - freshly squeezed grapefruit juice will bring the best flavor. I used a pink grapefruit, which is a little sweeter than white grapefruit juice.
• Lemon juice - fresh lemon juice brings a bit more tartness and a bright flavor to the drink.
• Gin - a dry gin works great here, but you could also use a modern botanical gin like Hendrick's. I used The Botanist gin.
• Lillet - Lillet Blanc gives a subtle herbal note along with sweetness and citrus flavors.
• Elderflower liqueur - this sweet and floral liqueur gives an extra punch of flavor to the drink. I used St Germain Elderflower liqueur.
• Lemon bitters - a little bit of lemon bitters really makes a big difference to the drink, balancing out the sweetness. This is kinda optional, but recommended especially if you're using pink grapefruit juice.

Substitutions

Here are some ways you can substitute the ingredients in this cocktail:

• Gin - you can use vodka or citrus vodka if you're not a fan of gin. Or, try a blanco tequila.
• Elderflower liqueur - you can use a different brand of elderflower liqueur, like St Elder, or you can substitute in a different liqueur like limoncello or triple sec. Or, you can use an elderflower syrup instead, like d'arbo Elderflower Syrup.
• Lillet - although there isn't an exact match of the Lillet, you can try using Dolin Genepy le Chamois, or a dry vermouth instead.

Variations

Here are some variations on this recipe:

• Strawberry Blonde - Muddle 2 fresh strawberries in your cocktail shaker before making the drink as written. Garnish with a fresh strawberry too!
• Non-alcoholic French Blonde - If you're avoiding alcohol, try out these substitutions: use Monday Zero alcohol gin for the gin, d'arbo Elderflower Syrup for the elderflower liqueur, and Roots Divino Bianco non-alcoholic vermouth for the Lillet.
• Champagne Blonde - Instead of the Lillet, try using Champagne or Prosecco to add some bubbly flair. Don't add the sparkling wine into the shaker, though -- add it at the very end, just before serving.
• Bejeweled Blonde - add a pinch of edible glitter (I love this clear Brew Glitter) to the cocktail shaker for some extra sparkle!

Equipment

A few standard bar tools are all you'll need to make this drink! You'll want to have a cocktail shaker and strainer, along with a jigger. (Mine are from my favorite bar tool makers, A Bar Above -- use my discount code, LKDrinks for 10% off!)

If you have a fine mesh strainer, it really comes in handy to get out all of the pulp and seeds from the citrus juice.

You'll also need a serving glass, preferably a pretty one with a long stem! I used a Luna & Mantha coupe glass. A martini glass is a great choice too.

If you're making the lemon peel garnish, a channel knife will help, along with a bar spoon or chopstick to make it into a curl.

Instructions

Start out by making the optional garnish. Use a channel knife to make a long strip of lemon peel.

Then, I twist the peel around the handle of a bar spoon or a chopstick to make a curl. Let it sit in the curl while you make the drink.

Add the grapefruit juice and the lemon juice to your cocktail shaker.

Then, add in the Lillet and St-Germain.

Add in the gin, and then the dash of lemon bitters.

Fill your shaker with ice. Seal up your shaker, and shake it vigorously. You can give it about 15-20 good shakes.

Strain the drink into the glass. If you have a fine mesh strainer, pour it through there at the same time to catch any citrus seeds, pulp, or ice shards.

Then, add the lemon peel garnish. You can lay the curl on the side of the glass, or attach it with a little clip. Serve and enjoy!

Hint: When you're picking a cocktail glass, look for one that will hold at least 8 ounces of liquid. You can also refrigerate the glass for about a half hour before making the drink!

Top tip

Try playing around with the garnish and put your own spin on it! A fun one to try is adding a sugar rim to the glass before making the cocktail. Just use water or your cut lemon to wet the rim before dipping it into the sugar.

Or, use a slice of grapefruit as a garnish for an extra pop of color. You can even use some fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme to give a nice fresh aroma when you take a sip! Cheers!