Hello, dear ones. Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you? I hope your weekends were better than mine. Either way, here’s a cheerful little number that is perfectly suited for brunch, happy hour or a nightcap. Think of these French 75’s as an extra boozy, extra bright version of traditional orange mimosas.
Instead of a traditional French 75 with lemon juice, I thought it would be fun to use clementines, which are in season now. I learned that clementines are really easy to juice with a handheld lemon juicer. You’ll need a few clementines per drink, so if you’re trying to polish off one of those big bags of them, these cocktails (or this smoothie) will do the trick!
Clementine French 75
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Category: Cocktail
Sunny clementine French 75 cocktails are a perfect brunch or happy hour drink!
Ingredients
*Honey simple syrup (yields enough for 4 drinks, scale as necessary)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons water
Per cocktail
- 1 ounce gin (I used Hendrick’s)
- 1 ounce fresh clementine juice
- ½ ounce honey simple syrup
- Dry Champagne or Prosecco or Cava, for topping off the drink (a few ounces per drink)
- Twist of clementine peel or a clementine wedge, for garnishing
Instructions
- To make the honey simple syrup: You’ll need to warm the honey so it will mix it into the water. In a tiny saucepan on the stove, combine honey and water. Warm over medium heat, whisking occasionally, just until the honey has melted into the water. Remove from heat.
- To make a cocktail (you can make multiple drinks at once): Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the gin, clementine juice and simple syrup in the proportions listed above. Securely fasten the cap on the shaker and shake until well chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain the liquid into Champagne glasses and top with Champagne. Garnish with a twist or wedge of clementine and serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my Earl Grey French 75.
*Make it vegan: Either use ¼ ounce agave nectar or substitute regular simple syrup for the honey simple syrup. You can just combine equal parts fine [vegan] sugar and water in a jar and shake it until the sugar disappears into the water.
Make it gluten free: I found Hendrick’s on a list of gluten-free gins, but you might double-check to be sure.
Change it up: Any fresh citrus juice will work here. If you’re using something really tart, like lemon or lime, scale back to ¾ ounce juice.
▸ Nutrition Information
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Kari
What a beautiful take on a classic cocktail!
Eva
Hello from London! Love the idea of using mimosas instead of lemon. I have given it a seasonal Christmassy twist by using vanilla/cinnamon/clove infused sugar syrup ( equal parts sugar/water, sinner with the cloves, cinnamon stick and half a vanilla pod, sliced lengthways)
Happy Christmas!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Eva!
Ellie | Hungry by Nature
This drink looks bright, refreshing, and so lovely! I’m sorry to hear your weekend wasn’t the best, but keep your head up and have yourself one of these beauties – a good cocktail always does the trick for me :)
Kate
Thank you, Ellie! I appreciate it.
Evelyn
Oh, this reminds me I STILL need to make your Earl Grey French 75! But these look amazing too, and maybe more suited to the early sort of Spring (or less winter-y, actually) we’re having here the past few days.
And the upper picture looks stunning. It’s almost like the glasses are floating, with how you can barely see the stem of especially the glass on the left. It’s so nice to see how much progression you’re still making with your pictures. They keep getting more sharp and bold, and these are no exception.
Kate
Thank you, Evelyn! I don’t want to speak too soon, but it’s sure feeling like spring around here. I couldn’t be happier about it. Thank you for the photo compliment—part of it is that I’m uploading photos in a higher resolution, so you can see them in their full glory now. I hope they’re improving overall, too!
Katrina
This sounds SO good! I love the fresh clementine juice in there!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
So gorgeous and bright!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables
This looks delicious! What a perfect drink to serve at brunch! :)
Sarah | Well and Full
I love mimosas, so I bet I’ll love this cocktail! :D
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life
Oh Kate! I hope the week is better than the weekend. I can’t wait to try these sunny gorgeous cocktails! I love the clementine twist, and the name just sounds so pretty too :)
Kate
Thank you, Amy!
Celeste | The Whole Serving
I love the idea of the honey simple syrup instead of sugar. I’ll put this one on my cocktail list.
Kate
Thanks, Celeste! Honey simple syrup adds a little extra flavor, which is lovely here.
Angela - Patisserie Makes Perfect
Ooh what a grown up looking cocktail! Gin and champagne, it sounds amazing.
Hendricks is my favourite gin too!
Laura (A Beautiful Plate)
Beauty! Hope you had the chance to drink a few of these yourself yesterday ;)
Linda G
Kate I just want to say how happy I am to have found your blog! My husband and I have been wanting to eat healthier and you have helped a bunch. Now when we buy fresh vegetables we actually eat them before they go bad. :-)And have tried a few we have never eaten before. Hope your week is better than you weekend!
Kate
Thank you for saying hello, Linda! I sure appreciate it. Glad you have enjoyed the recipes (and the veggies) so far! :)
Kelley
I’ve never heard of honey simple syrup before, but now I’m dying to give it a try.
Kate
Hope you find an excuse to try it soon! ;)
Aimee @ Food Banjo
What a great idea! Mmmmm….. I love clementines. I wish it were happy hour right now.
Nell
Yum – It’s Ojai Clementine season & they’re at our farmers market in abundance. That cocktail looks festive & oh so tasty!
Kate
I bet your extra fresh clementines are extra delicious! Yum!
Amelie Moore
My mouth is watering just reading this and looking at the pics. Now that that the weather is getting hot, this sounds like perfect comfort drink after a long day. Thanks Kate