This bourbon rosemary cocktail is the best cocktail for fall and winter. Made with a homemade rosemary syrup, bourbon, lemon juice and a dash of maple syrup. Topped with club soda and served over ice.
If you enjoy bourbon-based cocktails, try this blackberry bourbon smash, pineapple old fashioned, or this blood orange whiskey sour.
For other bourbon cocktails that are perfect for fall, try this ginger pear bourbon cocktail or this apple bourbon cocktail.
For other rosemary cocktails, try this rosemary gimlet.
Recipe Highlights
- It’s made with homemade rosemary simple syrup. This is an easy to make rosemary infused syrup made with fresh herbs.
- It’s the best cozy fall & winter cocktail. Bourbon + rosemary + maple syrup is the best cold weather combination. Perfect for enjoying around a fireplace with family and friends.
- It’s not overly sugary. It’s an earthy, herby drink rather than a super sugary, fruity cocktail.
Ingredients
- Rosemary: This syrup only works with fresh rosemary — you can’t substitute it for dried herbs.
- Maple Syrup: Use real maple syrup rather than artificial syrup. There is a huge difference in the quality, and you can taste the difference especially in a cocktail.
Instructions
First, make the rosemary simple syrup. Heat the rosemary, sugar and water on a saucepan over medium heat.
Bring them to a gentle simmer, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain out the rosemary and let the syrup cool.
Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with some ice and shake to combine.
Strain, top with club soda and serve.
FAQ
Yes. However, this flavor of simple syrup is extremely difficult to find — I haven’t come across any. That being said, if you are able to find one and prefer to use that, go for it!
Yes. For a non-alcoholic version, remove the bourbon. You may want to reduce the amount of rosemary simple syrup and maple syrup added as well to balance the flavors.
Expert Tips
- Don’t let the syrup boil. When making the rosemary syrup, you want to maintain a gentle simmer. Adjust the heat accordingly. If you boil the syrup, the water will evaporate too quickly, leaving a syrup that is too thick.
- Store leftover syrup in the fridge. If you have any extra syrup, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a couple weeks.
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📖 Recipe
Bourbon Rosemary Cocktail
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 cocktails 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This bourbon rosemary cocktail is the perfect cocktail to enjoy while sitting around a fireplace with family and friends.
Ingredients
- Rosemary Simple Syrup:
- ⅓ cup fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- Bourbon Rosemary Cocktail:
- 2 oz bourbon
- 2 oz rosemary simple syrup
- 2 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup
- 6 oz club soda
- handful of ice
Instructions
- Make the rosemary simple syrup: Heat the rosemary, sugar and water on a saucepan over medium to high heat, stirring occasionally. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Continue to gently simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Remove the syrup from the stove and strain out the rosemary herbs. Let the syrup cool for 5 minutes before mixing it into your cocktail.
- Make the bourbon rosemary cocktail: Add the bourbon, rosemary simple syrup, lemon juice, maple syrup and a handful of ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake for about 5-7 seconds until the outside of the shaker is frosted. Strain the cocktail into a glass prepped with fresh ice. Top off with the club soda and serve immediately. Enjoy responsibly!
Notes
- Don’t let the syrup boil. Bring the rosemary syrup to a simmer, not a boil. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Store leftover syrup in the fridge. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cocktail
- Calories: 201
- Sugar: 33.5g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35.7g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Sheryl
Well, this didn’t really work out for me! The recipe doesn’t make enough syrup for the recipe. It makes about 1/2 of what is called for. Then, when you put it into the ice, it coagulates into a taffy-like ball! What did I do wrong here? Because it tastes good, but I left some of the sugary/rosemary goodness at the bottom of the cocktail shaker (in a lump!)
The Littlest Crumb
Hi Sheryl, sorry it didn’t turn out for you! It sounds like too much water evaporated from the syrup. There should be enough syrup for the cocktail (if not a teeny bit more) — if there isn’t, it is because the syrup boiled down too thick. This can happen if the syrup is heated for too long or at too high a temperature. Simple syrup should have a runny, almost watery consistency (not thick like how chocolate sauce or maple syrup is). To solve this, reduce the heat you are using on your stove significantly — low to medium if needed. Make sure it doesn’t boil AT ALL. Just a very very very tiny simmer — teeny tiny bubbles at most. Make sure total time on the stovetop is no more than 10 minutes. If you see the syrup start to thicken up — remove it immediately. I hope this helps!