It’s summer here in Denver and school and out. That means a few things – hectic schedules, hot days, and porch happy hours. While I’m usually a crisp beer guy, I do enjoy the occasionally fruity cocktail and these Strawberry Basil Gin Fizzes are perfect for a hot day.

I highly dislike overly sweet cocktails so this one is nicely balanced with ripe strawberries (even a bit overly ripe is fine) and just enough sugar. The cocktail is balanced with some fresh lime, which is much needed, and while you could use vodka or tequila, I prefer a crisp, bright gin in my version.

Not drinking this summer? No worries! This is a great non-alcoholic drink as well!

How to make strawberry basil syrup

This is a small batch of the syrup you’ll need for this cocktail and not something you can readily find in stores. The key to it is to use very ripe strawberries, even ones that are a bit past their prime is fine!

Add those to a small pot with some sugar, basil, and water and let it simmer for a few minutes. You don’t have the cook this down too much to keep the fresh strawberry flavor. After a few minutes, cooking covered, you should have a loose syrup with lots of broken-down strawberry chunks.

Blend that mixture up and strain it through a mesh strainer to remove any big chunks and your syrup is ready! Be careful blending hot liquids as they can splatter! Start slow!

Once this is strawberry basil syrup is strained, let it cool before adding it to cocktails. You can stick it in the freezer for quick chilling if you are in a hurry.

How to mix a good gin cocktail

A good cocktail needs balance and to be chilled well. I like to mix mine in a standard pint glass with some lime juice (fresh please!) and ice. Shake that really well and then strain it into your cocktail glass.

I love the color on this cocktail. It just screams summer to me.

Top the cocktail off with some tonic water and garnish with strawberries and basil!

How to make this drink non-alcoholic

This is a very easy cocktail to make non-alcoholic. Add the syrup and lime to a shaker with ice and a splash of water. Then shake and chill well. Add it to a glass of your choice and top with a fizzy water that you like. Obviously a strawberry or lime flavored carbonated water would be a great choice!

Serving this gin cocktail up or on the rocks

I prefer this cocktail served on the rocks, but you could serve it up if you want it fancy. Just strain the cocktail into a chilled martini glass and then top with tonic water to finish it.

Making a pitcher of this cocktail

You can easily double the syrup recipe to make a larger batch of it and then multiply this recipe by 8 to make it in pitcher form. I would still top each drink individually with tonic to keep it fresh and bubbly.