This white grapefruit margarita is made with basil simple syrup for a light, not too sweet, refreshing cocktail. I was inspired to make this drink because I’ve been doing the “D” word for the past few months – dieting! I wanted a cocktail that I could indulge in without adding on too many extra calories and sugar so I looked to the notoriously tart grapefruit for a solution.
As I sipped a basic tequila and grapefruit cocktail I thought it could benefit from a little more pizzazz and depth of flavor so I created the recipe below. Basil is an amazing herb to use in cocktails so I made a simple syrup with it in order to take the edge off the tart taste of the grapefruit. The flavor is subtle but delicious, and a few dashes of orange bitters brightens it up even more. That little hint of sweetness makes this cocktail more ‘entertaining friendly’, but it’s most certainly not a sweet drink.
PIN this post
White Grapefruit Margarita
- 1 1/2 oz clear tequila
- 2 teaspoons basil simple syrup
- 3 oz white grapefruit juice
- 2-3 dashes orange bitters
In a glass, add ice and all ingredients. Stir and garnish with fresh basil or a grapefruit slice.
TIP: Rim the glass with sugar if you like.
Basil Simple Syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Add all 3 ingredients to a small pot and heat over medium heat. Bring to a low boil until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from heat and let cool at room temperature – about 30 minutes.
Pour syrup through a strainer to remove basil leaves, and store in a small bottle in the refrigerator until ready to use.
If you’re a fan of the classic Greyhound {vodka + grapefruit juice} then I think you’ll like this cocktail. Also check out my {amazing} sparkling peach margarita or classic beer margarita.
What’s nice about this drink is that you can add a little more or less of the simple syrup to the mix to suit your taste. That’s what I love about mixology – there are no hard and fast rules, just balance the flavors to suit your palate!
Follow me: Google+ | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram
This sounds delicious! I have more basil than I know what to do with at the moment, definitely going to give this a try.
I love basil but can never seem to grown it (or anything else for that matter). This is a great way to use it though! 😉
These may become my new favorite margarita! LOVE the grapefruit and basil combination—so refreshing for summer!
Liz, I can’t drink overly sweet drinks so this is a great one if you’re the same way. Hope you like it!
I love grapefruit and this sounds like perfection! A must-try for sure. Pinning!
Kelly, I used to eat them for breakfast as a kid but they were too sour for my young palette. Now that I’m all grown up it’s the perfect cocktail mixer! 😉