Nothing beats enjoying a cocktail around a backyard bonfire after a long day. I have the most delicious cocktail for you that is perfect for the summer months: my gin grapefruit cocktail with cucumber. The refreshing notes of the cucumber and the citrus flavor of the grapefruit seltzer compliment the gin perfectly. 

How to make the gin grapefruit cocktail

To make this drink, start by slicing the cucumber into thin rounds and placing them at the bottom of the pitcher (save a few cucumber slices in a baggie). Take a wooden spoon or muddling tool and mash the cucumbers to release their flavor. Add the gin into the pitcher, place a cover over the pitcher, and let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Allowing the gin to sit with the cucumbers helps to meld the flavors of the cucumber and gin together. When you are ready to serve the cocktail, place ice into each of the highball glasses. Then, pour 1.5 ounces of the gin into each glass. Lastly, top the glasses off with your favorite grapefruit seltzer (I love the Pamplemousse LaCroix). Garnish the drinks with a cucumber slice and enjoy!

To make this cocktail kid-friendly or alcohol free, just use lemonade or plain seltzer in place of gin, and it’s equally as delicious.  

Benefits to preparing drinks at home

Just like when you cook at home, when you prepare drinks at home, you know exactly what is going into it. When we purchase drinks at restaurants, it is likely that they will be packed with added sugars, which add extra calories. Alternatively, for this gin grapefruit cocktail, I was able to use fresh ingredients, and a seltzer water to amp up the flavors, while keeping the added sugars to a minimum. When preparing cocktails at home, always opt for adding fresh ingredients!

Some tools I recommend to have at your at-home bar to make your own gin grapefruit cocktail include:

• A muddler
• Carafe/Pitcher
• Set of glasses

Cheers!

There is nothing wrong with having the occasional drink when socializing and winding down at the end of the day. This gin grapefruit cocktail has been my favorite drink this summer. Remember that recommendations for alcohol are no more than one drink a day for females and no more than two drinks a day for males.1 As always, everything in moderation and drink safely. Cheers!

Similar Pages

For more summer cocktail recipes, like my gin grapefruit cocktail, check out my Summer Shandy Beer, my Blueberry Vodka Cocktail with Mint, and my Pomegranate Old Fashioned!

Resources

1. Appendix 9. Alcohol. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines. https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/appendix-9/. Accessed August 21, 2020.

Cucumber Gin Grapefruit Fiz

4.50 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Drinks

Keyword: adult beverage, cocktail

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Chef Abbie Gellman RD

Ingredients

• ½ hothouse English cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
• 6 ounces Gin
• Ice cubes
• 2 12- ounce cans Grapefruit seltzer such as La Croix
• Garnish: cucumber slices

Instructions

• Place cucumbers in pitcher, mash with muddling tool or wooden spoon. Add gin, cover, refrigerate at least 12 hours.
• Place ice in highball glass, pour 1.5 ounces cucumber infused gin and top with seltzer. Garnish with cucumber slices

Video