How to make a Gin and Tonic? It’s easy! This classic cocktail recipe is fabulously simple and super refreshing, and made with just 3 ingredients – gin, bubbly tonic water, and fresh lime juice!
The Best Gin and Tonic
A Gin and Tonic never goes out of style. And with 3 simple ingredients, it’s so easy to make!
When it comes to classic cocktails, you can always find a refreshing gin & tonic at the top of the list. When I’m wanting a simple, no-frills drink that’s crisp and refreshing, you’ll more than likely find a G&T in my glass.
Today I’m sharing tips on how to make the BEST gin and tonic cocktail, with the classic three ingredients – gin, tonic water, and lime. I’ll be talking about ratios, gins, tonic waters, variations, and more!
Why You’ll Love This Classic Cocktail
Crisp and refreshing, and garnished simply with a slice of lime, this gin and tonic recipe is a keeper!
Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Easy. No shaking is required to make this gin and tonic – just stir together the gin, tonic, and lime juice and you’re good to go.
- Classic flavor. A gin & tonic is a cocktail staple all around the globe. If you don’t know what to order, a gin and tonic will always be a good choice.
- Super refreshing. This cocktail is incredibly refreshing and light, with a fresh squeeze of bright lime juice. It has only a minimal element of sweetness, which will depend on the types of gin and tonic water that you use.
- Always in style. Sure, it’s fun to serve a pretty pitcher of sangria or a colorful, fruity pina colada, but sometimes simple is best. A classic gin and tonic is always in season, always stylish.
- Just 3 ingredients. If you keep a bottle of gin on your cocktail cart, plus tonic and limes in the pantry, you’ll always be able to make this simple drink.
What You’ll Need
This is the simplest and best recipe for a classic g&t! Here’s what you’ll need.
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Gin – Choose a good-quality gin for this recipe.
- Tonic water – Tonic water (not club soda) is essential for this classic cocktail.
- Lime – Use only fresh lime wedges for the best, brightest citrus flavor.
What’s The Best Gin for a Gin & Tonic?
What is gin? Gin is a spirit flavored from juniper berries and other botanicals.
When I first met my husband, he refused to order gin-based cocktails, saying that gin tasted like drinking a pine tree. His first gin experience was obviously with a cheap bottle of gin!
A good quality gin will have a very light, clean citrus flavor with herbal notes, and yes, a hint of evergreen from the juniper berries. But it should be delicate and satiny smooth, not abrasive like a pine tree!
Because a G&T is based on gin, you’ll want to use good-quality gin to make the best tasting cocktail.
There are dry gins, with no added (artificial) flavorings. And there are sweet gins, with added flavors and sweeteners. I like Hendrick’s gin and The Botanist – both are dry gins noted for their fresh citrus, floral, and juniper. Each one has their own unique flavor nuances.
There are a lot of gins out there, and many local gins as well (here in Minnesota, anyway). So experiment and see which gin you like best!
What’s the Best Tonic for a Gin & Tonic?
What is tonic water? Tonic water is carbonated water that is infused with quinine, which gives it a slightly bitter flavor. A bit of sweetener is included to offset the bitterness.
Just like gin, there are quite a few tonics to choose from, ranging from the standard Schweppes brand to higher-end and specialty tonics. While Schweppes is fine, I do prefer Fever-Tree brand when making cocktails. Fever-Tree is widely available at grocery stores, liquor stores, Target, Amazon, etc.
Tonic water usually includes some sweetener, but each specific one will vary. Fever-Tree offers several different styles of tonic water, including a lighter-calorie style that replaces cane sugar with fruit sugar, which is a nice option when I’m wanting the lightest drink possible.
How to Make a Gin and Tonic
A gin and tonic is one of the easiest drinks to make. Here’s how to make this classic cocktail:
- Add ice to a glass and pour the gin over the ice. Squeeze one lime wedge over the top and drop it into the glass.
- Slowly add the tonic water (it’s very bubbly!). Squeeze the second lime wedge over the top and drop it into the glass. Give the drink a small stir to incorporate.
- Garnish the glass rim with a lime wedge or wheel (squeeze it over the top if you like more lime!) and enjoy!
Cocktail Variations
Have some fun and try gin & tonic variations!
I love to add fresh fruit for sweet flavor and beautiful color. Think sweet, juicy strawberries in summertime, tart cranberry and pomegranate juices for the holidays and winter months!
Here are some of my favorite twists on a classic gin & tonic!
- Play with the ratios. I like to keep the alcohol content on the lighter side, and bump up the tonic water and lime – that’s how you’ll find my recipe. But cocktails are meant to be adjusted to your liking, so play around with different ratios if you like. If you’re not a huge fan of tonic water, try half the amount and then add some club soda. If you’d like a sweeter drink, add a little bit of simple syrup. You get the idea. :)
- Muddle in fresh berries. For a sweet, pretty take on a classic G&T, muddle in some sweet strawberries and make my strawberry gin and tonic cocktail.
- Add fruit juice. For an easy, delicious cocktail, add fruit juice. My tart cranberry gin & tonic and pomegranate gin & tonic are ALWAYS a hit when we entertain during the holidays/wintertime!
- Add fruit syrup: During the summer, you can usually find a bottle of rhubarb syrup in our fridge. It’s gorgeous in cocktails. You could also make a blueberry gin & tonic by using the blueberry syrup in this blueberry lemonade – simply complete Steps 1 through 4 in the recipe card, then add this pretty syrup to your cocktails!
- Muddle in cucumbers. I love cucumber flavored cocktails, like a cucumber mojito and a spicy cucumber margarita. Cucumbers are perfect in a gin & tonic, adding light and refreshing flavor – just plop a few slices into your glass before adding the ice, and muddle to break them up and release their flavor. Then proceed with making the drink.
Serving Suggestions
A gin & tonic is light, refreshing, and citrusy – and pairs perfectly with lighter meals and appetizers. I especially like this cocktail with fish and seafood!
- Appetizers. A gin and tonic is perfect for cocktail hour. Serve it with nibbles like shrimp dip and spinach artichoke dip. Or with chips, plus classic guacamole and pico de gallo. A butter board with bacon butter is super fun, always a topic of conversation. Potstickers are also a favorite, or pick something that fits your needs from my appetizer section.
- Fish & seafood. How about bacon wrapped scallops or grilled chipotle orange salmon. Or shrimp ceviche, grilled shrimp cocktail, or margarita grilled shrimp. Can you tell that I LOVE shrimp?!
- Grilled meats. Serve G&Ts at your next bbq. Choose from teriyaki grilled pork tenderloin, easy grilled pork chops, or beef and asparagus kabobs. Our family loves grilling recipes, we grill year-round…even here in Minnesota!
- Salad. A lighter dinner of salad like my grilled zucchini salad, Italian chopped salad, or arugula beet salad would go perfectly with a cold gin and tonic. I should also mention my grilled vegetable salad, as many people are fans!
- Pizza. Pizza and a cold drink are made for each other. Try my farmers market grilled flatbread pizza, for a fresh, lighter pizza meal. Or use my excellent thin crust pizza dough and easy pizza sauce recipes for homemade pizza night. A skillet pizza or my bacon cheeseburger pizza rolls are also delicious!
Classic Gin & Tonic
Ingredients
- 2 ounces good quality gin
- 3 lime wedges
- 4 ounces cold tonic water
Instructions
- Add ice to a glass and pour the gin over the ice. Squeeze one lime wedge over the top and drop it into the glass.
- Slowly add the tonic water. Squeeze the second lime wedge over the top and drop it into the glass. Give the drink a small stir to combine.
- Garnish the glass with a third lime wedge or wheel, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
More Classic Cocktail Recipes
- Hot Toddy
- Classic Mojito
- Whiskey Sour
- Pina Colada
- Classic Manhatten
- New York Sour
- Espresso Martini
- Classic Margarita
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