This French 75 cocktail recipe is perfect for celebrations! It’s made with gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup and topped with Champagne. Cheers!
This French 75 recipe is my favorite cocktail. Bubbly, botanical, lemony, and lightly sweet, it’s exactly what I want to be drinking on New Year’s Eve…or anytime, really. A French 75 is easy to make at home with 4 simple ingredients. If you’re looking for an elegant, refreshing cocktail recipe to mix up for happy hours, parties, or even brunch, you should definitely try this one!
In case you’re not familiar, a French 75 is a Champagne cocktail made with gin or cognac, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Ever had a Tom Collins? It’s like that, but topped with Champagne instead of club soda. Though the exact origins of the French 75 are unclear, it likely originated in France during World War I. It takes its name from French 75-millimeter field guns, which were used widely during the war.
Let me know if you try this recipe—I think you’re going to love it!
French 75 Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this classic cocktail:
- Gin – We like Hendrick’s gin, which has delicious notes of cucumber and rose. Another good option is St. George Botanivore Gin, which is fresh and herbaceous. Koval Dry Gin (made locally in Chicago!) is great too.
- Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed, please! It tastes so much brighter than the kind from the bottle. Bonus: you can use some of the lemon peel for garnish!
- Simple syrup – For sweetness. Homemade simple syrup is easy to make in 5 minutes with equal parts sugar and water.
- Champagne – There’s no need to go all-out on a very expensive bottle for this recipe. That said, decent Champagne will taste better than the really cheap stuff. Look for brut Champagne, which is not too dry and not too sweet. Be sure to chill it before making these cocktails!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Variations
There’s more than one way to make French 75s! Change up this recipe with a simple variation:
- Replace the gin with cognac.
- Swap out the Champagne for another dry sparkling wine. Cava and Prosecco work nicely and are often more affordable.
How to Make a French 75
This French 75 recipe is SO easy to make!
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup and shake until chilled.
- Strain into a Champagne flute or coupe glass and top with Champagne.
- Garnish with a lemon twist, and enjoy!
More Favorite Cocktail Recipes
If you love this French 75 recipe, try one of these classic cocktails next:
French 75
Serves 1
This French 75 cocktail is perfect for celebrations! Made with gin, simple syrup, and lemon and topped with Champagne, it’s bubbly, bright, and festive. Be sure to chill the Champagne (or other dry sparkling wine) before making the recipe.
Prevent your screen from going dark
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In a cocktail shaker with ice, place the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
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Shake until chilled and strain into a Champagne flute or coupe glass.
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Top with the Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.