The Best Basil Cocktail (Basil Drink with Vodka)

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“This was so fresh and herby. Gonna try it with my sweet Thai basil next.”

—Will

The Best Basil Cocktail (Because Yes, Your Herb Garden Can Make An Awesome Drink)

There’s something deeply satisfying about a cocktail that tastes like summer, and not in a “coconut rum and sunscreen” kind of way. We’re talking about fresh herbs, a squeeze of citrus, and a little sparkle to keep things light. If your basil plant is currently thriving (read: threatening to overtake the kitchen counter), this basil cocktail is your new go-to.

It’s simple, it’s fragrant, and it just might outshine your usual G&T. Let’s give that basil the happy hour it deserves.

Nothing grows faster or larger in our backyard garden than basil. While we can sprinkle big leaves of it onto pasta dishes and caprese salad all summer long, there will always still be more. Even after you harvest it, it grows back so quickly.

With over 85,000 pageviews for this cocktail in the past few years, our guess is that a lot of you might have an excess basil problem, too.

This fresh basil cocktail recipe made with muddled basil, vodka, lime juice and tonic water is light, crisp and refreshing. You’ll want to make it all summer long

Basil Cocktail Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• fresh basil leaves – the fresher, the better! You will need about 10 medium basil leaves to muddle into each basil vodka cocktail. Pluck a few extra leaves for garnish, too.
• sugar – regular white, granulated sugar is what we use to muddle the basil and sweeten the basil smash cocktail. We suggest 2 teaspoons of sugar in each cocktail, but if you prefer a less sweet drink, you can start with 1 teaspoon and taste to see how you like it.
• lime – fresh lime juice will go into this basil cocktail recipe, and you can garnish the drink with rounds or wedges of lime, as well.
• vodka – We prefer a nicer vodka like Tito’s or Grey Goose for these cocktails with basil. We suggest 1-1/2 ounces of vodka per cocktail, but you can use 2 ounces if you’d like a stronger drink.
• tonic water – this will top the drinks with basil off with some nice carbonation, making it that much more refreshing. You can also use club soda or sparkling water, like San Pellegrino.

You’ll Need A Few Pieces Of Bartending Equipment To Make Cocktails With Basil

Shaker

Hopefully, you have a cocktail shaker on hand for this basil vodka cocktail! You’ll be using this to muddle the basil and sugar in, and to shake the cocktail with ice once the vodka and lime juice are added.

If you do not have a cocktail shaker, no worries. Muddle the basil in a large, sturdy glass, and then simply stir the basil drink well instead of shaking once you add the vodka, lime juice and ice. Or use a mason jar as a cocktail shaker!

Strainer

It’s ideal if your cocktail shaker set has a strainer, because it’s best to strain this cocktail after shaking (just to get out any large pieces of basil; small pieces are OK). If you don’t have a cocktail specific strainer, any fine mesh strainer that you have will work for this basil cocktail recipe.

Muddler

Muddling is simply gently smashing an herb or a fruit to release it’s flavor before making a cocktail with it. You can buy a bartending muddler (typically made of wood or a combination of metal and rubber or plastic) or simply use the handle of a wooden spoon to make these cocktails with basil.

Jigger

If you’re going to be making basil smash cocktails on a regular basis, we suggest investing in a jigger so that you can measure the liquid ingredients accurately. If you don’t have a jigger, you can use measuring spoons. Start by memorizing that 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons and you’re good to go.

How to Make A Basil Smash Cocktail

1. MUDDLE YOUR HEART OUT. In a cocktail shaker, combine the basil leaves and sugar. Muddle until the sugar dissolves and the basil breaks down completely. You’re aiming for a vibrant green, slightly soupy mix. Weirdly satisfying!

2. SHAKE IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT. Add the vodka, lime juice, and a handful of ice to the shaker. Cover it up and give it a good shake (think 10 seconds of cardio).

3. SERVE. Fill a double old fashioned glass with fresh ice, and then strain the vodka mixture into the glass. Top the glass with tonic water. Garnish with basil and lime wheel and serve immediately.

Can I Double This or Make An Even Larger Batch?

This basil vodka cocktail recipe doubles well in one cocktail shaker. Make it as written below, but simply double the amount of each ingredient.

To make a larger batch of this basil drink, use a sturdy glass pitcher and multiply the recipe by as many servings as you need. Muddle the basil and sugar in the bottom of the pitcher. Then, fill the pitcher with ice, add the vodka and lime, top with tonic water, and give a gentle stir.

Do I Have To Use Vodka For This Basil Drink?

We love vodka for this basil smash cocktail because it has a neutral flavor that won’t overwhelm the floral fragrance of the basil.

But, if you’re not a fan of vodka, you’re still in luck. We’ve tested these drinks with basil using gin, and they’re delicious that way as well. In fact, the floral flavor of the basil echos the floral flavor of the gin, which is perfect!

Substitute an equal amount of gin for the vodka called for in the basil cocktail below.

Can I Use Something Else Besides White Sugar?

We used granulated sugar for this basil cocktail because the grit from the sugar helps to break down the basil leaves. But, there are other options.

If you have simple syrup on hand, you can use that for this basil drink. Start with 1/4 ounce (1-1/2 teaspons) per drink, and add more to taste if needed.

You can also use agave nectar or honey for these cocktails with basil. Again, start with 1/4 ounce per drink, and add more to taste if needed.

Serve Some Snacks With This Basil Vodka Cocktail

Some of our favorite savory snacks to serve with a round of basil drinks are Greek Chicken Meatballs, Caramelized Onion Dip and Spicy Potato Chips.

our Prosciutto Sandwich recipe has an herby mayo that uses rosemary and thyme, if you have those in your garden, too!

If you’re more in the mood for charcuterie or a big party platter to serve with this basil vodka cocktail, try one of these 60+ Unique Charcuterie Board Ideas.