Romantic Pink Lady Cocktail

A pink lady cocktail garnished with a bright red cherry and an edible flower.

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.

Three lovely pink lady cocktails garnished with bright red cherries and edible flowers.

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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.

One pink lady cocktail garnished with a bright red cherry and an edible flower.

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.

Ingredients required to make one Pink Lady Cocktail.

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.

A series of process images showing how to mix up a pink lady cocktail.

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.

Adding egg white foam to a pink lady cocktail in a coupe glass.

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.

Three foam topped pink lady cocktails in coupe glasses.

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.

Three coupe glasses garnished with red stemmed cherries filled with foamy pink lady cocktail.

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.

Three foamy pink lady cocktails garnished with edible flowers.

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).
One pink lady cocktail garnished with a bright red cherry and an edible flower.

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.

One pink lady cocktail garnished with a bright red cherry.

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!

Pinterest image featuring a foamy pink lady cocktail in a coupe glass garnished with a cherry and an edible flower.

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.

If you make this Romantic Pink Lady Cocktail recipe, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section or in the recipe ratings. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please share your photos and tag me on Instagram. I hope you like this recipe!

Yield: 1 cocktail

Pin Lady Cocktail

Three coupe glasses garnished with red stemmed cherries filled with foamy 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.

Prep Time 3 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes

Ingredients

  • ice
  • 2 oz. Gin
  • 1 tsp Grenadine
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
  • 1 egg white (or 2 tablespoons aquafaba)
  • maraschino cocktail cherry, for garnish
  • edible flower, for garnish

Instructions

    1. Chill a coupe glass by filling it with ice or placing in the freezer.
    2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the gin, grenadine, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake it vigorously until the outside of the shaker feels very cold.
    3. Strain the cocktail into a jug and dump the ice out of the shaker. 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.
    4. Pour the cocktail into the chilled coupe glass.
    5. Garnish with a maraschino cocktail cherry and/or an edible flower.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 372Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 64mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 4g

Nutritional calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator.

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28 comments

  1. silvia

    This cocktail looks so pretty, perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Easter. Grenadine is one of my favorite ingredients in cocktails so of course I had to try it right away.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Yes, it’s the perfect drink for many occasions. Some may think grenadine is ‘old fashioned’ but I’m an old fashioned kind of gal. It brings a nice flavour to so many cocktails.

  2. Katie Crenshaw

    This is such a beautiful cocktail. The gin, lemon, and grenadine are a delicious combination. I love everything about this drink.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Ah, me too. It makes me smile. Thanks for trying it out Katie.

  3. nancy

    this pretty pink Gin is super tasty and pretty to look at! I will be serving this over girls brunch for sure!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      I’m sure it will be a hit. have a great girls brunch!!

  4. Kristina

    This is a cute cocktail for Valentine’s Day, and I am hoping to change things up from my usual cranberry vodka. Do you think it would taste okay if I used plain white sugar instead of simple syrup?

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Well the reason for making the simple syrup is so that the sugar dissolves properly into the cocktail. Otherwise, you’ll be left with sugar in the bottom of your glass. It’s pretty easy to make simple syrup ahead of time.

  5. Erin

    This has the most gorgeous color! And I just happen to have some simple syrup that needs to be used up. I know that I’ll be doing tonight. 😉

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      It was meant to be Erin. Cheers!

  6. Carrie Robinson

    Gin cocktails are my favorite! 🙂 I am loving the pretty pink color of this one. It would be perfect to make for Valentine’s Day.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Amazing! I hope you have an excellent Valentine’s day!

  7. Krysten

    I made this cocktail for girl’s night and everyone loved it! I was a little nervous about the egg white, but it turned out great. This is my new go-to “gin and juice” recipe.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Gin and Juice… I love it! So glad you tried it with the egg white. It brings a fun element to the cocktail.

  8. Lauren

    This cocktail is so pretty that I just had to have my husband make one for me. It came out great – I’ll be requesting another soon for sure!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Oh, that’s so funny… I have a personal bartender too! Glad you enjoyed this cocktail Lauren. Cheers!

  9. Gloria

    Such a pretty colour. It is always fun playing bartender. This is the perfect drink for an afternoon with the girls.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      That’s such a great idea… it goes perfectly with the Barbie movie for a great girls afternoon. Cheers!

  10. Marta

    I love any gin cocktail, but this pink lady looks so delicate and beautiful that it’s bound to become my favorite.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      It’s such an elegant cocktail… it tastes great and is super easy to make. Cheers, Marta!

  11. Kristen

    This is one of my favorite recipes of yours, it is such a beautiful, classic cocktail. It’s perfect for girls nights, a birthday party, or bachelorette or anytime for that matter.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      woot woot!! Cheers, my friend.

  12. Sean

    Beautiful execution of a classic cocktail! I have to say, I really appreciate the detail, variation, and nuance you get into with the recipe. Cocktail recipes are so often presented in the briefest form possible, but as a tinkerer, I really like getting to dig into the details. Great overview on the use of eggs too!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Well, as they say, the devil is in the details lol. I love learning about cocktails and food in general and I love to share that knowledge with my readers!

  13. Marie-Pierre Breton

    I love a foamy drink! So pretty! This is spot on for Valentine’s Day! I have no fear for egg whites since I was a kid; I have always eaten mollet eggs (half-cooked) and have never had a single time problem with raw eggs. Do you think if I simply do fresh raspberry juice with fresh fruit, it would be good, too? I don’t want to invest in the raspberry liquor.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      The grenadine does not contain alcohol and you can make it yourself with pomegranate juice (see recipe for details).

  14. Asha

    I made this cocktail the other night when a friend was visiting. We both enjoyed it and would make it again. It’s pretty, too.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      It’s a very classy cocktail… and best for sharing! Cheers Asha!

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