Spiked-Gin Lemonade for a Simple Labor Day Soirée

gin spiked lemonade

With Labor Day just around the corner, it’s evident that we need to talk about cocktails. This is summer’s last hurrah! It’s your last three-day weekend for a while, so enjoy every last sip of it.

Try my take on Marcella's Rosemary-Infused Lemonade to get the party started. This cocktail would make the perfect addition to your party, whether it's a huge pool party with all of your friends or a casual late-afternoon barbecue on the back patio. Either way, this lemonade makes perfect sense.

So go ahead — whip up a batch or two and have a ball with your closest local pals before school goes back into full gear and fall sets in.

2 small sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more for serving (optional)
Kosher salt
1 cup fresh lemon juice or more to taste
1/2 cup agave nectar, or other natural sweetener, or more to taste
2 cups sparkling water
1/2 – ¾ cup gin

Bring six cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, then add the rosemary and a pinch of salt. Cover and steep for 30 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and cool to room temperature.

Stir the lemon juice, agave nectar and 2 cups cold sparkling water into the same pitcher. Add more lemon juice or agave nectar to taste. Add the gin and stir. Serve over ice with more rosemary and/or lemon slices, if desired.

Gaby Dalkin is a chef, photographer/food stylist, enthusiastic traveler and guacamole fanatic. She is the founder of What’s Gaby Cooking , where she showcases her simple and sassy recipes that feature whichever ingredients she is currently obsessing over. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Thomas, and her cat, Stella.

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