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Here’s how to make the perfect gin fizz cocktail with frothy egg white foam in just 5 minutes! My classic gin cocktail recipe delivers sweet, tangy flavors with a luscious fluffy topping.
Ever had a gin fizz? This classic cocktail is perfectly balanced, both sweet and tart with a pop of lemon and a botanical finish. Add to that a frothy egg white foam topping, which adds a creamy smoothness to each sip.
The gin fizz holds a special place in my cocktail repertoire. Alex and I have become cocktail experts and this was one of the first cocktails we learned to make. I love sours like a margarita or a whiskey sour, so this tangy drink is where I turn when I’m looking for a classy gin drink!
Essential gin fizz ingredients
The gin fizz is a classic sour cocktail made with gin, lemon, simple syrup and soda water. The first printed recipe was in an 1876 cocktail book, and the drink became very popular in the 1900’s. The gin fizz ingredients are:
- Gin (2 oz): I typically use a London Dry gin like Beefeater or Malfy for their balanced botanical flavor. In this drink, I avoid overly floral gins like Tanqueray or spice-forward options (keep reading for more on types of gin).
- Lemon Juice (¾ oz): Always use fresh-squeezed lemon juice: it’s essential for creating that classic sour profile. Bottled lemon juice just doesn’t work!
- Simple Syrup (½ oz): I prefer using simple syrup, but maple syrup is my favorite substitute. It adds subtle caramel notes without tasting maple-forward.
- Egg White: This creates the signature foam. If you’re uncomfortable with raw eggs, substitute 2 tablespoons of aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas). Another popular egg white substitute for cocktails is this Fee Brothers Cocktail Foamer.
- Soda Water: The final touch that gives the drink its “fizz.” I like using soda water from my SodaStream, but store-bought club soda works perfectly.
5 star reader review
“Just found you guys, tried the gin fizz recipe, my wife and I absolutely LOVED IT, and this is coming from a Chilean guy that loves making pisco sour. Thank you so much!” -Daniel
How the egg white foam works
What sets the gin fizz apart from other cocktails is that distinctive foam topping. Bartenders have actually been using egg whites in cocktails since the mid-1800’s: they add a frothy texture and a creamy rich flavor, balancing the sharpness of the citrus.
For the gin fizz you’ll do a dry shake to make the frothy layer of foam, just as with other classic egg white cocktails like the Boston Sour or Pisco Sour. I’ve experimented with techniques over the years, and here are a few things I’ve learned:
- Shake the drink ingredients without ice first. This lets the protein in the egg begin to form foam, instead of being diluted by the ice.
- Add ice and shake again. This cools the drink and strengthens the foam. Strain it into the glass and you’ll get a thick, white frothy layer.
- A spring is a simple trick for increasing the foam. Adding a metal spring to the inside of the cocktail shaker helps to agitate the ingredients even more (this really works: we’ve tried it!).
Tips for selecting gin
For a gin fizz, don’t buy the cheapest gin you can find. Try to invest in a mid-price range gin: the drink will only taste as good as the gin you invest in! Here are a few types I like:
- Malfy and Beefeater London Dry have a developed, botanical flavor that blends well in cocktails.
- Locally distilled gin is a great option. In Indianapolis, I like 8th Day Distillery, Hotel Tango, and Big Heart Gin.
- Steer clear of strong flavored sipping gins. For me this includes brands like Tanqueray (very floral) and Opihr (spice-forward), which can overpower the subtlety in gin drinks.
Here are some more of my favorite gin cocktails, from classic Gin and Tonic to a Gin Gimlet!
Variations worth trying
Once you’ve mastered the classic gin fizz, these variations will expand your cocktail repertoire:
- The Ramos Gin Fizz is the most famous variation that was invented in New Orleans. It adds lime juice, heavy cream, and orange blossom water, making a drink that tastes like liquid lemon meringue pie.
- For a fruitier option, try a Sloe Gin Fizz, which swaps regular gin for the berry-flavored sloe gin.
- The Tom Collins is essentially a gin fizz without the egg white, served over ice in a tall glass.
- A Bee’s Knees has similar ingredients, but swaps in honey syrup for simple syrup.
Let me know what you think of this gin fizz recipe and if you try any of the variations!
Gin Fizz Cocktail
Try the refreshing gin fizz: it’s sweet, tangy, and has a frothy egg white foam topping. This classic cocktail is simple to make at home with my step-by-step guide on how to get tall and fluffy foam!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup*
- 1 egg white**
- Garnish with lemon twist (optional)
- Soda water
Instructions
- Place the gin, lemon juice, syrup and egg white in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
- Fill the shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds until cold.
- Strain the drink into a glass and top with the soda water; the egg white foam forms on top. If desired, garnish with a lemon twist. Serve immediately.
Notes
*Maple syrup is our favorite substitute for simple syrup in a cocktail; it adds subtle caramel notes without tasting like maple.
**For vegan, substitute 2 tablespoons aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas. Another popular egg white substitute for cocktails is this Fee Brothers Cocktail Foamer.
To convert to ounces, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons
Delicious! I just discovered that I might like gin so made this with Bombay Sapphire. Really good. I made with simple syrup instead of maple. For my own taste, I might prefer a little more simple syrup but this drink is so refreshing and foamy and delicious! Definitely a keeper!! Question though . . . . would this taste different with another gin such as Tanqueray?
The taste changes with each gin, but not significantly!
Amazing recipe! Would advise when making your own simple syrup to infuze it with lemon zest for this recipe, makes it even better!
Just found you guys, tried the gin fizz recipe, my wife and I absolutely LOVED IT, and this is coming from a Chilean guy that loves making pisco sour. Thank you so much! Looking forward for some more recipes
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed.
I am going to make this for a cocktail challenge night. What is a good desert to serve with this?
It would be good with one of our crisps! https://www.acouplecooks.com/category/recipes/dessert-recipes/?_search_recipes=crisp
I just made this for fun because I happened to be making dinner with chickpeas. What a revelation, really easy to get a good foam and the taste was much lighter than with egg white. Will definitely be doing again.
Awesome!
Absolutely loved it. I used Golden Syrup instead of Maple Syrup and will definitely be making it again.
This is perfect! I had rhubarb syrup, so I used that instead of making more – my drink is the loveliest shade of blush pink
I love that idea!
This is delicious and now my go-to pandemic cocktail! Just add a smidge more syrup and lemon.. But that’s just me.
The foam was great. The substitution of maple syrup gave it a little maple flavor…which was unpleasant.
Thanks for this recipe! I’m historically terrified of eggwhite drinks and this one inspired me to give it a go. DEEELISH!!
So glad you enjoyed! Don’t you love the foam?!
Hahaha, same