Pink Lady
The Pink Lady cocktail is a smooth, elegant, and perfectly balanced drink featuring gin, applejack, fresh lemon juice, grenadine, and a silky egg white foam. This vintage favorite is both sweet and tart, with a velvety finish that makes it ideal for brunch, date nights, or special celebrations.🍸 Quick & Easy to Make – Just shake, strain, and serve!🍒 Beautifully Pink & Refreshing – A show-stopping drink with a cherry garnish.✨ Perfect for Entertaining – Impress guests with this elegant classic.
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker – A Boston shaker or Cobbler shaker to properly mix and aerate the ingredients.
- Fine Mesh Strainer – To double strain and ensure a smooth, silky finish without ice shards or egg white bits.
- Jigger or Measuring Cup – To accurately measure gin, applejack, lemon juice, and grenadine for balanced flavor.
- Bar Spoon – Useful for stirring ingredients before shaking or adjusting sweetness.
- Citrus Juicer or Reamer – To extract fresh lemon juice for the best tartness and brightness.
- Dry Shaking Tip: You can use a protein shaker bottle if you don’t have a cocktail shaker!
- Cocktail Frother (Optional) – If you want extra foamy texture, a handheld frother can enhance the egg white’s fluffiness.
- Egg Separator (Optional) – If separating egg whites manually is tricky, a small egg separator can help.
- Chilled Coupe or Martini Glass – The traditional glass for serving the Pink Lady, keeping it elegant and stylish.
- Cocktail Picks – To beautifully skewer and place the maraschino cherry garnish.
- Ice Cubes or Ice Maker – For shaking and chilling the drink properly.
- Large Mixing Pitcher – If making multiple servings, a pitcher can help batch-mix the ingredients before shaking.
- Immersion Blender (Optional) – For large batches, it can froth egg whites evenly without hand-shaking each drink.
Ingredients
Essential Ingredients:
- 2 oz gin London Dry gin works best
- ½ oz applejack or apple brandy for a richer taste
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice for a touch of acidity
- 1 tsp grenadine for sweetness and that signature pink color
- 1 egg white for a velvety, foamy texture
- Ice for shaking
For Garnish:
- Maraschino cherry or a lemon twist
Instructions
Step 1: Dry Shake the Ingredients
- In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, applejack, lemon juice, grenadine, and the egg white. Shake vigorously without ice for about 15 seconds. This dry shaking step helps the egg white emulsify, creating a smooth and frothy texture.
Step 2: Add Ice and Shake Again
- Add a handful of ice to the shaker and shake again for another 15-20 seconds. This second shake chills the mixture and enhances the foaminess of the egg white.
Step 3: Strain and Serve
- Strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe glass using a fine mesh strainer. The strainer ensures a smooth, velvety finish without any ice shards or egg residue.
Step 4: Garnish and Enjoy
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry or a twist of lemon peel for a finishing touch. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage
While the Pink Lady is best enjoyed fresh, here are some storage and make-ahead tips:Make Ahead:
- Pre-mix the gin, applejack, lemon juice, and grenadine and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- When ready to serve, add egg white and shake for the signature frothy texture.
Storage:
- Once shaken with egg white, this cocktail should be served immediately to maintain its foam.
- If you need to store leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and shake again before serving.