A French 75 is a bright and bubbly cocktail made with gin, lemon juice, and sparkling wine. It’s elegant enough for the most special celebrations, yet easy enough to enjoy with Sunday brunch. It’s made with just 5 ingredients and ready in minutes.
I love a French 75 when I’m in the mood for something elegant but still refreshing. It’s bright and citrusy with plenty of bubbles, lightly botanical from the gin, and always feels celebratory—one sip in and it’s hard not to think of ringing in the New Year somewhere special.
My version sticks closely to the classic, with one small swap: I use honey instead of sugar or simple syrup. I dissolve the honey in a little hot water, then mix it with fresh lemon juice and gin before topping it with sparkling wine. The honey adds a gentle sweetness that pairs beautifully with the lemon and herbs in the gin, making the whole drink feel soft and balanced. If you love this style of cocktail, you might also enjoy my Mexican 75 , which follows the same format but swaps gin for tequila.
It’s a simple cocktail I come back to again and again, whether I’m serving it for a special celebration or pouring a round at brunch with friends. With just honey, lemon juice, gin, and dry sparkling wine like prosecco or cava, it’s easy to make and always feels like a little occasion in a glass.
How to make a lemon twist
A lemon twist, sometimes called a lemon curl, is a pretty garnish for cocktails with citrus ingredients. They’re easy to make, and they add a lovely touch to your drink! Here’s how to make one:
- Slice a ¼ inch ring from the middle section of a lemon.
- Cut into the lemon slice on one side, and use a pairing knife to cut away the pulp.
- Use your knife to carefully cut away most of the pith (the bitter white part).
- Use your hands to twist it into a curly-q shape. Voilà!
How to make French 75 cocktails for a crowd
If you’re entertaining and you don’t want to mix up a million individual cocktails, you have a couple of options. You can either make multiple servings at once or make a pitcher ahead of time!
- Mix up to four drinks at once . Scale up the ingredients to make four drinks, and use a 4-cup mason jar to stir together the honey water, gin, and lemon juice. Divide between four champagne flutes, and top with champagne.
- Make a pitcher in advance . Scale up the ingredients (using cups instead of ounces), and add the honey water, gin, and lemon juice to a pitcher. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve, and then pour it into each glass before topping it with champagne. If the pitcher has been in your fridge long enough to chill the gin, you can skip adding ice.
French 75 Recipe
- Pin
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
- ▢ 2 tablespoons hot tap water
- ▢ 1 ½ ounces gin
- ▢ ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
- ▢ 3 ounces sparkling wine
Instructions
- In a glass, mix the honey and hot tap water until the honey has fully dissolved. 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons hot tap water
- Fill a mixing glass half-full with ice. Add the honey water, gin, and lemon juice and stir until it’s cold. 1 ½ ounces gin, ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
- Strain into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon peel. 3 ounces sparkling wine
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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French 75 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons hot tap water
- 1 ½ ounces gin
- ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
- 3 ounces sparkling wine
Instructions
- In a glass, mix the honey and hot tap water until the honey has fully dissolved. 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons hot tap water
- Fill a mixing glass half-full with ice. Add the honey water, gin, and lemon juice and stir until it’s cold. 1 ½ ounces gin, ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
- Strain into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon peel. 3 ounces sparkling wine
