Italian Greyhound Cocktail with Rosemary Sugar
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An Italian greyhound is a pretty pink gin and grapefruit cocktail made with fresh grapefruit juice, Aperol liqueur and a sparkling rosemary sugar rim.
This Italian greyhound pink gin cocktail made with fresh grapefruit juice and a dash of bitter liqueur hits the spot when you’re craving adult refreshment. It’s a great drink to make any time of year, and it’s not too sweet or strong.
There’s really nothing better than winding down with a glass of chilled rosé or prosecco at the end of the day, especially during the warmer months. But every once in a while a gin greyhound cocktail recipe is in order!
I’m a fan of the liqueur Aperol, a brand of Italian bitters very much like Campari.
A light and refreshing drink we love is the Pamplemousse, a mixture of fresh grapefruit juice and white wine.
Sipping on it reminds me how refreshing grapefruit juice can be in a cocktail, especially when combined with gin and blended into concoctions like a Salty Dog.
Aperol is not quite as bitter as Campari, with a tiny bit more sweetness and more complex hints of herbal-citrus flavors, which means it takes the place of simple syrup.
You can use either one in this recipe, because the differences between them are pretty subtle.
Instead of a salted rim (usually on a margarita), I embellished this Italian greyhound by rimming the glass with rosemary sugar, which tempers the bitter edge of the grapefruit and Aperol with every sip.
Rosemary sugar is easy to make:
- Mix 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves with 1/4 cup sugar. That’s it!
You will love, love, love this drink! It’s dangerously thirst-quenching. If you’re not usually a fan of gin and grapefruit, an Italian greyhound is a good place to get acquainted.
The complexity of herbs, roots and botanicals that go into a good gin match up nicely with grapefruit juice and aromatic piney rosemary. You can easily substitute with an equal amount of vodka, if you prefer the more neutral taste.
Garnish the drink with a slice or thin grapefruit wedge, along with a sprig or rosemary for that Italian flair. Cin-cin!
Italian Greyhound Cocktail with Rosemary Sugar
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 2 ounces (60 ml) gin
- 4 ounces (120 ml) freshly squeezed pink or red grapefruit juice
- 1 ounce (30 ml) Aperol or Campari liqueur
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig, for garnish
Equipment
Instructions
Combine the rosemary and sugar and spread on a small plate.- Rub the edge of a Collins glass or wide tumbler with a wedge of fresh citrus — grapefruit would be perfect! Then press the glass onto the plate, turning to coat it in the herb sugar.
- Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the gin, juice and Aperol. Stir, and garnish with a rosemary spring and slice of grapefruit. Enjoy.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Any gin you would recommend?
I enjoy London-style gins with herbal and citrus notes. Sipsmith and Plymouth are two of my faves!
hi there, this cocktail sounds delicious but the amount of sugar seems very high! any thoughts about the ratio from those who have made it? thanks!
Hello – The sugar is just for rimming the glass, just like you’d use salt in a margarita. You can totally skip that step!
I have always thought a greyhound was made with grapefruit juice and vodka and a salty dog was made with gin, so this recipe confuses me. The addition of rosemary sugar on the rim however would be great with both. A splash of La Croix grapefruit sparkling water would give it a nice zip
I took creative license with the recipe title 🙂 But if you like gin, I encourage you to try it. And oh, yes I love the idea of grapefruit sparkling water!