Get ready for your new go-to summer cocktail! This Strawberry Gin Smash is bright, fruity, and perfectly balanced—sweet, refreshing, and easy to make.
About this Cocktail
If gin isn’t usually your first choice, this cocktail might change your mind. Fresh ingredients—ripe strawberries, bright lime, and aromatic herbs—lift the gin and create a summer drink that’s both simple and sophisticated. The classic gin smash pairs muddled mint with citrus; here, juicy strawberries add a naturally sweet, summery twist.
Strawberry simple syrup combined with muddled berries and lime complements the subtle citrus notes in a dry gin. Finish the drink with a splash of club soda for effervescence and a light, refreshing finish.
Recipe Ingredients
- Sugar & water – to make a quick strawberry simple syrup.
- Strawberries – for the syrup, muddled in the cocktail, and for garnish.
- Lime – fresh lime juice adds the citrus brightness a smash needs.
- Gin – a dry gin works best; the recipe uses Aviation for its balanced profile.
- Garnish – mint and strawberry slices are classic; basil and lime wedges are great alternatives.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements and full instructions.
Substitutions and Variations
- Fruit: Swap strawberries for blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries for a different berry smash.
- Spirit: Replace gin with vodka or silver tequila if you prefer.
- Carbonation: Instead of club soda try tonic, sparkling mineral water, ginger beer, or a lemon-lime soda for a sweeter finish.
- Simple syrup shortcut: Use 1 tablespoon honey plus 1 tablespoon strawberry jam if you don’t want to make syrup from scratch.
How to Make This Recipe
1. For the strawberry simple syrup: In a small saucepan whisk together 1/2 cup cane sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 1 cup diced strawberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat, mash the berries a bit to break them down, then reduce to a simmer for 5–10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool 20 minutes; strain if you prefer a smoother syrup.
2. In a cocktail shaker or tall glass, add 4 large strawberries and the juice of 1 lime. Gently muddle to release juices and oils. Add 4 oz gin and 2 oz strawberry simple syrup, then stir (or shake with ice if you want it extra chilled—don’t add club soda to the shaker).
3. Fill two glasses with ice. Strain the gin-and-strawberry mixture into the glasses.
4. Top each glass with club soda (about 6 oz per drink or to taste). Garnish with mint or basil, a lime wedge, and a strawberry slice. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Overripe strawberries are perfect here—musher berries release more juice and sweetness.
- If you like a colder cocktail, store the gin and remaining ingredients in the fridge beforehand, or shake the drink with ice (again, don’t shake with club soda).
- Extra strawberry syrup keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks and can be used in other drinks, on yogurt, or over ice cream.
Recipe FAQ
Keep it in a sealed glass jar or bottle in the fridge for up to two weeks. You can also freeze it for longer storage.
Yes—combine the gin, muddled strawberries, lime juice, and syrup up to 24 hours ahead. Keep ice and club soda separate until serving to preserve chill and carbonation.
Chill ingredients in the fridge, shake the mixture with ice, or serve over shaved ice for faster cooling.
Yes. Replace the gin with extra tonic or sparkling water, or use a non-alcoholic spirit alternative for a similar flavor profile.
Recipe Card
Strawberry Gin Smash
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup diced strawberries
Cocktail
- 1 lime (juice)
- 4 large strawberries (muddle)
- 4 oz gin
- 1/2 cup ice (approx.)
- 12 oz club soda (approx., divided)
Instructions
- Whisk water, sugar, and diced strawberries in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Mash the berries to break them down, then simmer 5–10 minutes until sugar dissolves. Cool 20 minutes; strain if desired.
For the cocktail:
- Muddle 4 strawberries with the juice of 1 lime in a shaker or tall glass.
- Add 4 oz gin and 2 oz strawberry simple syrup; stir (or shake with ice for a colder drink).
- Fill two glasses with ice and strain the mixture into them.
- Top with club soda, garnish with mint and a strawberry slice, and serve.
Notes
If you don’t mind strawberry bits in the drink, you can skip straining. Save leftover syrup in the refrigerator for other uses.
Nutrition (per cocktail)
Calories: 263 | Carbohydrates: 70 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 1 g | Sugar: 21 g
More of our favorite Cocktail Recipes…
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- Strawberry Mango Daiquiri
- Pineapple Moscow Mule
- Strawberry Gin Smash Cocktail
- Frozen Raspberry Prosecco Sangria
- Sparkling Peach Sangria
- Blueberry Lemonade Vodka
- Strawberry Martini
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
Search “A Paige Of Positivity” for Strawberry Gin Smash nutrition. For the most accurate macronutrient and calorie tracking, enter each ingredient into your food diary.
Notes on counting alcohol: If you track alcohol as carbs or fat, use your preferred macro-calculation method to estimate how the drink fits your targets.
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