Revolutionary Raspberry Refresher Cocktail Recipe
This raspberry cocktail brings together fresh fruit, good spirits, and a bit of sparkle. It's a summer drink that balances sweet and tart, and honestly, it's hard not to love.
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Muddler
- Jigger or measuring cup
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Collins or highball glass
- Ice cube tray (for regular and large ice cubes)
- Bar spoon
- Citrus juicer or reamer
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka or white rum
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- ¾ oz simple syrup
- 8-10 fresh raspberries plus extra for garnish
- 4 mint leaves plus a sprig for garnish
- Club soda or sparkling water
- 1 cup ice cubes
Optional: 1 tsp raspberry liqueur for extra flavor
Instructions
- Prepare the glass: Fill a collins glass with ice. Set it aside for now.
- Muddle the berries: Drop raspberries and mint leaves into your cocktail shaker. Muddle gently—you're aiming for juice and oils, not raspberry mush.
- Add liquid ingredients: Pour in vodka, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake thoroughly: Toss in some ice and shake it pretty hard for about 15-20 seconds.
- Strain carefully: Double-strain into your glass using that fine-mesh strainer. No one wants seeds in their drink, right?
- Top with bubbles: Fill the rest of the glass with club soda, but leave about half an inch at the top.
- Garnish: Add a few fresh raspberries and a mint sprig. A gentle stir, and you're done.
Notes
This cocktail's easy to tweak. Want it alcohol-free? Sub in extra club soda or a splash of white grape juice for the vodka. Serve it right away if you want those bubbles to stick around.
Making it for a crowd? Multiply the ingredients (except the club soda) and keep it in a pitcher. Just add the soda to each glass as you serve. Frozen raspberries make awesome ice cubes—no watering down your drink, and extra berry flavor.
If you like it sweeter, bump the simple syrup up to 1 oz. Prefer tart? Drop it to ½ oz. Raspberry liqueur is totally optional, but it does add a little something extra.