Super light and summery Basil Cucumber Gin Cooler cocktail – made with muddled cucumbers, basil, lemon juice, gin and a splash of seltzer.
Basil-Cucumber Gin Cooler
Basil-Cucumber Gin CoolerWith the holiday weekend coming, if you’re looking for a signature cocktail that looks like it jumped right off a spa cuisine menu for under 140 calories, this is it! More low calorie alcoholic drinks I enjoy are my Boozy Watermelon Lime Granita, Iced Green Tea Mojito, and Citrus Margarita Spritzer.
This cocktail recipe is from a great new book I just got, 150-Calorie Cocktails; All Natural Drinks and Snacks. Filled with lots of great cocktails I plan on trying this summer as well as tips on how to make a low calorie cocktail. Some tips include choosing a lower-proof liquor, skipping store bought syrups and prepared mixes, choosing seltzer over tonic water (did you know tonic water was 90 calories per cup!) and something I often do, adding seltzer to wine to make a spritzer.
More skinny cocktails:
Basil-Cucumber Gin Cooler
Ingredients
- 2- inch piece of cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- 2 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tsp agave nectar
- 1 1/2 oz gin
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ice cubes
- splash of seltzer
- 1 thin slice lemon, for garnish
- 1 thin slice cucumber, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the chopped cucumber, lemon zest, basil and agave.
- Add the gin, lemon juice and ice cubes and stir 10 seconds.
- Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice cubes and top with seltzer.
- Garnish with lemon and cucumber and serve.
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sounds terrible – gin and cukes? I like them both but not together!
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Any idea if white rum would work in place of gin? I thought this might serve as a good substitute for a mojito.
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I just ordered the book off of Amazon. Thank you! My best tip for alcoholic drinks is sparkling mineral water! You can get many different flavors and I use it in place of tonic or seltzer or anything that should fizz. Also, I love watermelon water; you can buy it at a health food store or make your own by using a blender and straining.
Made this last night. It was awesome. Definitely our favorite cocktail now. The only difference is that I had just made some simple syrup for the hummingbird feeder so added a tablespoon of that as I don’t have or use agave. So good!
What can I use as a substitute for agave nectar? It's not something I regularly use.
Honey!
I made these exactly as the recipe required over the weekend and they were delicious!!!! I little labor intensive but I find that the best cocktails are! I loved the herbal notes from the basil and the gin and the sweetness was perfect for me – just enough to cut the tartness from the lemon. These babies are gonna happen WAY more this summer!! LOVED!!
This sounds very much like something I'd make! I'd probably use lime juice and a slice of lime instead of the lemon, though. I might also use the lime basil from my garden. DEFINITELY, I would use Hendricks gin, which has wonderful cucumber notes in it!
OK, someone help me out – what does "muddle" mean?
It means to mash lightly, in order to break the ingredient down a little so that its juices and flavors will be released.
Wow, looks so nice and refreshing must try it soon! x
I love gin and this sounds so refreshing!
-Amber
@hungrymountaineer.com
Oh baby, that sounds yum-o-licious! I'm going out to gather ingredients for a taste test this evening and then mix up a batch for tomorrow. I also might see if I can hunt down that book!
This sounds so refreshing!
Kate
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These seem perfect to me because they aren't too overly sweet. Plus love the spa inspiration 😉 Have a great weekend Gina.
This looks so refreshing and perfect on a hot summers day!
I love the colour of it 😀 Wouldn't mind lying on a beach and sipping on one of these. So far the Scottish weather hasn't proved that great, but if I close my eyes and sit in front of the oven (just made cake), that might work! Hahah 🙂 Thanks for the recipe 🙂 xx
I'm drooling over this right now. Really need a refreshing drink. And this would do it. And it's on the healthy side too. Thank you for sharing I xx Dandy http://thecourtneydiaries.com
This looks so refreshing! Thanks for sharing.
That looks like a lovely way to end a long day…
Love drinks like this! Thank you!!
This sounds amazingly refreshing! I love it. Pinned!
This sounds so refreshing and delicious! I would probably substitute stevia for the agave for even less calories, but I'm accustomed to the taste of it. I can't wait to give it a try!
I'm sure that world be great!