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The Japanese Slipper cocktail is a bright green melon liqueur drink that balances sweet and sour with Midori, Cointreau, and fresh lemon juice. This sophisticated classic is easier than you’d think!
Here’s an impressive cocktail that’s as sophisticated as it is stunning: the Japanese Slipper! This bright green drink is perfectly balanced between sweet and sour, with notes of melon and citrus. Don’t let the electric green color fool you, it’s not overly sweet or artificial tasting: it’s just delicious (and I’m not a fan of overly sweet drinks).
I originally bought Midori, a Japanese melon liqueur, to try out the famous Midori Sour. But in my opinion, the Japanese Slipper is just as good as the classic sour, if not better!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The Japanese Slipper was invented in 1984 in Melbourne, Australia, by a French bartender, Jean-Paul Bourguignon. As the story goes, a sales rep brought him a bottle of the new Japanese melon liqueur, Midori. He mixed it with lemon juice and Cointreau, an orange liqueur from his native France. It became an instant hit (read more here).
While it might seem like the overly boozy and neon drinks of the 1980s, it’s surprisingly well-balanced. The Japanese Slipper is an equal parts cocktail, meaning it uses the same quantity of each of the three ingredients:
- Midori liqueur
- Cointreau
- Lemon juice
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Love this! The lemon juice balances the sweetness of the Midori and makes a delicious sour cocktail.” -Jillian
Spotlight Ingredient: Midori
Midori is a honeydew melon-flavored Japanese liqueur that’s bright green in color. It was first released in 1964 as Hermes Melon Liqueur. When released in the US in 1978, the name was changed to “Midori,” the Japanese word for green.
The flavor is very sweet, with a candy-like honeydew melon essence. The most famous cocktails with Midori are the Japanese Slipper, Midori Sour, and Tokyo Tea (Long Island Iced Tea with Midori).
Is Midori worth buying? I personally think so — for the adventurous home mixologist! You can make the cocktails above or mix it with soda water or champagne. A small bottle (375 ml) costs around $15, and a large bottle (750 ml) is about $25-$30.
Tips for Making a Japanese Slipper
The Japanese Slipper is an easy cocktail for two reasons: it has just 3 ingredients, and it’s equal parts. So, it’s easy to remember when you’re measuring! You have to mix it up in a cocktail shaker, but that’s all there is to it. Here are the basic steps:
- Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake. Add 2 handfuls ice and shake until cold. Don’t have a cocktail shaker? You can use a mason jar with a cover.
- Strain and garnish. Strain the drink into a cocktail glass (use any strainer if you don’t have a cocktail shaker). Then garnish with a cocktail cherry — it’s traditional to have it rest at the bottom of the glass.
Substitutions for Cointreau
Cointreau is an orange liqueur with a lightly sweet, orange perfume flavor. Orange liqueur is a high-quality liquor worth the splurge vs. pedestrian triple sec. If you don’t have it, here are a few things you can substitute for Cointreau:
- Triple Sec
- Grand Marnier
- Orange Curacao
- Any other orange liqueur
Related Cocktails To Try
The Japanese Slipper is actually constructed more similarly to classic cocktails of the past than a 1980s drink. The Cointreau and lemon harken back to sour cocktails of the 1920s. Here are a few related drinks to try if you love this one:
- Tokyo Tea: This easy sipper is like Long Island Iced Tea…but with Midori! And even tastier.
- Midori Sour: Pair Midori with lemon, lime, and soda water for a sweet-tart drink.
- Cosmopolitan: This Cosmo stars vodka, cranberry, lemon, and Cointreau, and has a similar vibe!
- Sidecar: One of the most famous classic sour cocktails, starring Cognac, lemon, and Cointreau.
When to Serve a Japanese Slipper
This classy cocktail is sure to impress all your friends! Try it as a:
- Happy hour drink
- Dinner party drink
- Late night drink
- Guys or girls night drink
- Cocktail hour drink
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Can you make Japanese Slippers ahead? Yes! You can pre-mix the Midori, Cointreau, and lemon juice in a bottle or pitcher and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before serving. Then measure out 4 ½ oz servings and shake individually.
Storing leftover Midori: Midori keeps indefinitely at room temperature. Store it in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight.
Batch recipe: To make a pitcher for 8 servings, combine 1½ cups each of Midori, Cointreau, and fresh lemon juice. Store in the refrigerator and shake 4 ½ oz individual portions with ice when serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
It tastes like a balance of sweet honeydew melon and tart lemon, with subtle orange notes from the Cointreau. The green color might suggest something overly sweet or artificial, but it’s actually a well-balanced cocktail.
Despite the name, it was actually invented in Australia! The “Japanese” part refers to Midori, which is a Japanese liqueur. The exact origin of “Slipper” in the name is unclear, though some people think it refers to how smoothly it goes down.
Absolutely not! While the bright green color might give that impression, this is a legitimately delicious cocktail that anyone who appreciates a good sweet-and-sour balance will enjoy.
The Japanese Slipper
The Japanese Slipper cocktail is a bright green melon liqueur drink that balances sweet and sour with Midori, Cointreau, and fresh lemon juice. This sophisticated classic is easier than you’d think!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces* Midori
- 1 ½ ounces Cointreau
- 1 ½ ounces lemon juice
- For the garnish: Cocktail cherry (optional)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 15 seconds until cold.
- Strain the drink into a cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry and serve.
Notes
*1 ½ ounces = 3 tablespoons
Love this! The lemon juice balances the sweetness of the Midori and makes a delicious sour cocktail.