Romantic Pink Lady Cocktail

This velvety Pink Lady cocktail is a gin-based cocktail with a delicate balance of sweet, tart and fruity flavours topped with a layer of bubbly egg white foam. Enjoy this harmonious blend of botanical gin with fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and ruby red grenadine as a refreshing ‘anytime’ cocktail.

Looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day or a special night in with your sweetheart? Make it extra special and pair this cocktail with dinner for two in the air fryer. Then, follow this memorable meal up with an impressive heart shaped Baked Alaska.

Pink Lady Cocktail

This elegant Pink Lady gin cocktail is as classy as it looks. A hint of floral gin shines along with freshly squeezed lemon juice, creating a fine balance between the bitter and sour notes. Next, the vibrant grenadine adds a touch of sweetness and turns the cocktail the prettiest shade of pink.

Finally, the frothy top layer and velvety texture of this blushing beverage are a result of the aerated egg whites. They add a glamorous finishing touch to any cocktail, allowing garnishes like edible flowers to ethereally float along.

This cocktail recipe makes one drink but is easily scaled to make cocktails for two. After all, it is date night and romance is in the air. I think that deserves a toast!

What is a Pink Lady Cocktail?

The classic cocktail contains three ingredients only: gin, grenadine, and egg whites. However, this variation is closer to a clover club cocktail, where grenadine replaces the traditional raspberry syrup. Both cocktail recipes otherwise contain gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg whites.

Additionally, both cocktails are shaken twice, once with ice, then again without ice during the ‘reverse dry shake’. This double shake results in a generous surface layer of egg white foam. Clover Club and Pink Lady Cocktails are traditionally served in chilled coupe glasses.

Like many cocktails, the origin story of this pre-prohibition era cocktail is murky at best. Some stories say it was named after a 1911 Broadway musical of the same name, or at least the star Hazel Dawn who was known as ‘The Pink Lady’. In any case, this decidedly ‘feminine’ aperitif has a long history tied closely with the popularity of gin.

Other variations over the years include drinks containing Applejack (or Apple Brandy) or the addition of sweet cream to make a Pink Shimmy cocktail. I think a sprinkle of edible glitter would make for a magical cocktail presentation.

Cocktail Equipment and Ingredients

Here is another impressive, yet simple cocktail you can make at home. Like the Carajillo Cocktail, you will need a cocktail shaker and a Hawthorne strainer (affiliate links) to make this recipe. However, I suggest serving it sans ice in a chilled 6 oz. coupe glass instead of over ice in a rocks glass.

• Ice
• Gin
• Lemon
• Grenadine
• Simple Syrup
• Egg
• Cherry or Edible Flower for Garnish

While there is no ice in the finished drink, ice is used to chill the coupe glass and during the first shake of the cocktail.

Use only freshly squeezed lemon juice, not store-bought lemon juice in this recipe. Fresh tastes best! Some bartenders pre-squeeze citrus juice and allow it to ‘mellow’ for a few hours before using it in cocktails.

Grenadine, originating from the French word for pomegranate or ‘grenade‘ (groe·nad), is essentially pomegranate syrup. You can buy it or make it using a ratio of one-part pomegranate juice to two-parts sugar. If you like it a little more tart, add as much lemon juice as you like.

A Few Words About Gin

Originally, the Pink Lady Cocktail was created to mask the poor quality of ‘bathtub’ gin available at the time. Currently, there are many styles of gin including London Dry, Sloe gin, Navy gin and Old Tom gin. Each has their own history and recipe style that has played a pivotal role in shaping gin’s interesting history.

Thankfully, this unique spirit has evolved over the years into an outstanding artisan product, often carefully crafted to reflect sense of place. Boutique distilleries go above and beyond the required ‘base vodka infused with juniper berries’ profile.

This cocktail is best with a dry gin. However, any gin will do particularly those with a floral flavour profile like Hendrick’s Flora Adora Gin, The Botanist Gin, or French Citadelle gin.

Are Egg Whites Safe to Use in Cocktails?

Eggs can add a fun, interesting dimension to an otherwise basic cocktail. They are a flavourless way to add a smooth or creamy texture and thick surface layer of foam. However, many people wonder if consuming raw egg whites is safe.

Technically, it isn’t 100% safe to consume egg whites. However, the risk of getting sick is extremely low, especially if you use pasteurized egg whites and or wash the eggs immediately before use. You are more likely to have an upset stomach from over-imbibing than consuming raw egg whites.

If you are concerned, here are a few added precautions you can take:

1. Use only fresh organic eggs.
2. Buy only refrigerated eggs and store them in the fridge.
3. Do not use the egg if it is cracked.
4. Wash eggs carefully under hot running water immediately prior to use.
5. Crack eggs on a flat surface, not the cocktail shaker to avoid contamination from the shell.
6. For a completely vegan version, replace one egg white with 2 tablespoons of aquafaba (the juice from a can of chickpeas).

So, what actually happens when you shake raw egg whites in a cocktail? Egg whites contain many dense proteins that break and stretch around air molecules during agitation. Once the shaking stops, the air trapped within the proteins causes them to float to the surface of the cocktail.

How to Make a Pink Lady Cocktail

A Pink Lady cocktail is best served immediately so that it can be enjoyed chilled.

Begin by chilling one (or two) coupe glasses in the freezer or by filling with ice cubes. Next, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the gin, grenadine, lemon juice, and simple syrup. PRO TIP: The color of the cocktail comes from the grenadine. You can add more or less depending on how vibrant of a pink hue you would look to achieve.

Shake the cocktail vigorously until the outside of the shaker feels very cold. Next, strain the cocktail into a jug and discard the shaker ice. Pour the cocktail back into the shaker and add the egg white (or aquafaba if using).

Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds. The longer you shake, the tighter the foam will be. Pour the cocktail into the chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschino cocktail cherry and/or an edible flower. Cheers!

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill and I’ve been the sole recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen for the past eleven years. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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