Elderflower French 75

The Elderflower French 75 takes everything I love about the classic French 75 and adds a soft floral note from St-Germain liqueur. It’s one of those cocktails that feels elegant without being fussy, perfect for brunch, celebrations, or when you want something more interesting than a basic cocktail.

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Build out your New Year’s Eve cocktail spread with our cranberry French 75, cranberry Manhattan, cranberry orange whiskey sour, and mistletoe martini.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need four ingredients to make this cocktail, and most of them are probably already in your bar cart.

In the printable recipe below, you can find a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

• Gin: The backbone of any French 75. London Dry gin is a great choice because its juniper-forward profile pairs well with elderflower. If you prefer something softer, try a more floral gin like Hendrick’s. Avoid heavy, navy-strength gins that have higher alcohol content, which can overpower the delicate elderflower.
• St-Germain: This is our elderflower liqueur of choice and it gives the cocktail its signature flavor. It’s lightly sweet with a floral finish that replaces the simple syrup in a traditional French 75. You can try subsitituting another eldflower liqueur but depending on the its sweetness you may need to add a little less or a little more.
• Fresh Lemon Juice: Fresh-squeezed lemon juice keeps the drink bright. One lemon typically yields enough juice for two cocktails. Bottled juice won’t give you the same clean flavor. 
• Champagne or Sparkling Wine: Despite the fancy name, you don’t need actual Champagne from France. Any dry sparkling wine works well in this elderflower champagne cocktail. Brut champagne, prosecco, cava, or a California sparkler are all good options. Choose something dry rather than sweet. A mid-priced bottle is perfect since the other ingredients carry most of the flavor.

How to Make a Elderflower French 75 with St-Germain

Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.

Pro-tip: Chill your glassware in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before making the cocktail. A cold glass keeps the drink chilled and prevents it from warming up too quickly as you drink it.

1. Prep the Shaker: Fill a cocktail shaker about halfway with ice. You want enough ice to chill the mixture without diluting it too much. Small ice cubes work better than large ones for this step.

2. Add the Base: Pour in the gin, St-Germain, and fresh lemon juice. The ratio here is important. You want enough elderflower to taste it, but not so much that it becomes syrupy.

3. Shake It: Shake vigorously for 12-15 seconds. You’ll know it’s ready when the outside of the shaker feels ice-cold and frost forms on the metal. Under-shaking gives you a warm, flat cocktail; over-shaking adds too much dilution.

4. Strain and Top: Strain the mixture into your chilled coupe or flute glass. Tilt the glass slightly and pour the champagne gently down the side to preserve the bubbles. You’re aiming for a nice head of foam on top.

5. Garnish: Add a lemon twist by expressing the oils over the drink and dropping it in. For something prettier, float a small edible flower on top.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Room temperature lemons give you more juice. They’ll produce more juice than cold lemons. Roll them on the counter with your palm before cutting to break down the membranes inside.
• The shake matters more than you think. Some people want to just stir these ingredients together to save time. Shaking properly chills and aerates the mixture, which is what gives you that silky texture when you take your first sip.
• Pour your champagne slowly down the side of the glass. If you dump it straight in, you’ll lose half your bubbles and end up with a flat cocktail. Tilt the glass at an angle for the best results.
• Adjust the sweetness to match your preference. Like sweeter cocktails? Increase the St-Germain to 1 ounce. Prefer it drier? Drop it to ½ ounce and add an extra ¼ ounce of lemon juice.
• Your glass choice affects the drinking experience. A coupe glass shows off the color and allows the aromatics to concentrate. A flute preserves the bubbles longer. Both work, and it’s more about preference than rules.

Frequently Asked Questions