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lose-up of a bubbly French 75 cocktail topped with a fresh lemon twist.
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5 / 5 votes

French 75 Cocktail (for a Crowd)

Forget playing bartender all night. This classic French 75 recipe is designed for hosting. We’ve batched the gin, fresh lemon, and syrup base so you can prep it ahead and simply top with Champagne when guests arrive. It has that perfect botanical snap of gin and the festive fizz of bubbly—without the fuss.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizers, beverage, cocktail, Drinks
Cuisine: French
Servings: 6 cocktails
Calories: 123

Ingredients

For the French 75 base

  • 6 ounces London Dry gin
  • 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, preferably organic, strained
  • 6 tablespoons simple syrup, or less to taste
  • ice cubes

To finish

  • 1 (750-ml) bottle Champagne, well chilled
  • 6 strips lemon zest, for garnish, preferably organic
US - Metric

Instructions

Mix the gin base

  • In a large pitcher or a large cocktail shaker, combine the 6 ounces London Dry gin, 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 6 tablespoons simple syrup.
    If serving immediately, add plenty of ice cubes and stir (if using a pitcher) or shake (if using a shaker) until very cold.
    If making ahead, don't add the ice. Instead, add 3 ounces of cold water to the batch (to account for the dilution you'd usually get from shaking), cover the pitcher, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Assemble the cocktails

  • Pour the chilled gin base evenly into 6 Champagne flutes (about 2 ounces per glass).
  • Top each glass with the 1 (750-ml) bottle Champagne. Pour slowly to avoid overflowing the foam.
  • Twist the 6 strips lemon zest, one over each glass, to release the oils, then drop it into the drink. Serve immediately. Rinse and repeat!

Notes

  1. Simple Syrup: To make your own, combine equal parts granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool completely before using.
  2. Scaling: If you're hosting a smaller group, the ratio is simply 2 parts gin, 1 part lemon, 1 part syrup.
  3. Glassware: If you don't have flutes, coupes are a lovely alternative, though the bubbles will dissipate faster.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktail | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.04g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 15g