• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Howe We Live logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • By Category
      • Appetizers
      • Breads & Muffins
      • Breakfast/Brunch
      • Christmas
      • Desserts
      • Drinks
      • Main Courses
      • Sides
      • Soups/Salads
    • By Cooking Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Instant Pot
      • Meal Prep
      • One Pan
      • Sheet Pan
      • Slow Cooker
    • By Ingredient
      • Beef
      • Eggs
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Poultry
      • Seafood
      • Vegetarian
  • Resources
    • Book Recommendations
    • Cookbook Recommendations
    • Balanced Eating As a Family
    • Kitchen Hacks & Tips
    • Lifestyle
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • All Recipes
  • Resources
  • Shop My Favorites
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Drinks » Pink Lady Cocktail

    Pink Lady Cocktail

    Published: Dec 1, 2020 · Modified: Jan 24, 2021 by Andrea Howe · This post may contain affiliate links.

    119 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pink lady cocktail in 2 coupe glasses with cherry and lemon peel garnish
    close up of a pink cocktail in a coupe glass garnished with a maraschino cherry

    This pink lady cocktail is a classic vintage drink with a refreshing and sophisticated flavor that is not overtly sweet. The addition of an egg white creates a fluffy white foam top, making this cocktail both beautiful and delicious.

    pink cocktail in a coupe glass set against a cocktail napkin and marble backdrop

    Several years ago, a friend gifted me a vintage cocktail recipe card from a now out of business liquor store in our neighborhood. I hadn’t played around with it much since I tend to keep it simple; preferring a glass of wine or a classic margarita. But since we’ve been staying home a lot more this year, I decided to break it out and try a couple of cocktails on the card.

    I decided to try this pink lady cocktail because it was made with an egg white, which made it seem extra fancy and unusual. I’m not one who likes sweet cocktails, so I was more than pleasantly surprised with how delicious this drink was. But fair warning, looks can be deceiving! Despite it’s very girly appearance, this cocktail is surprisingly smooth, with just a hint of tartness.

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 ounces dry gin
    • ¼ ounce fresh lemon juice
    • ¼ ounce grenadine
    • ⅕ ounce apple brandy
    • 1 egg white
    • Ice to shake

    Ingredients to make a pink lady cocktail

    How to make

    Grab a cocktail shaker with strainer, and add some ice. Pour in your ingredients one by one, and shake vigorously, for at least ½ minute. You’ll want to shake this cocktail longer than you would a normal drink, as to incorporate the egg white and achieve a nice foam. When your cocktail is nicely shaken, strain it into a pretty glass that will show off the color and foam.collage of ingredients being poured into a gold cocktail shaker

    Traditionally a pink lady is served in a coupe or martini glass, but it would also work in a beautifully cut low ball glass.

    If you wish, you can garnish the drink with a maraschino cherry or lemon peel.

    These ratios are enough to make 1 cocktail, so obviously double the amounts if you’re also making one for a friend.Collage of a woman adding ice to a gold cocktail shaker then shaking it to make a pink lady cocktail

    Do you Need to Use the Egg White?

    The egg white adds no real flavor to the cocktail, so if you skip it, the drink will taste the same. However, you will definitely miss out on that pretty, silky foam top, which is part of the fun.

    While there is always a bit of a risk when consuming raw eggs, it is generally considered safe to add raw egg whites to cocktails. Ask Adam explains, “The risks of consuming egg whites in cocktails are extremely minimal. That’s because current food safety regulations require most chickens to be vaccinated against salmonella.”

    Furthermore, salmonella is typically found in the yolk or the shell. That’s why if you’re planning to consume raw egg whites, it’s not a bad idea to wash the outside of your egg before cracking.

    If you’re still a little concerned about the egg white, or if you’re vegan, you can substitute chickpea water. This is just the liquid found in canned chickpeas. You won’t achieve quite the same type of silky foam as you would with an egg white, but it will be similar.

    pink cocktail being poured into a coupe glass from a gold shaker

    What If you don’t have apple brandy?

    Vintage pink lady recipes always call for apple brandy (often called Apple Jack). The apple brandy lends fruit-forward depth that complements the gin’s botanicals and creates a double-spirit base. While I found several modern recipes that exclude it, I recommend keeping it in the recipe. When I omitted it from a batch, the cocktail tasted just a little less unique, and surprisingly sweeter.

    Apple brandy is an affordable spirit, running about $10, and can be found at any liquor or grocery store. Even Target carries it!

    Pink cocktail with a foamy egg white top in a coupe glass

    What does the Pink Lady Cocktail Taste Like?

    When I first read the ingredients of this drink, I expected it to taste very sweet, much like a Cosmo. But I was so pleasantly surprised that the herbal notes of the gin stood out nicely against the grenadine. The fresh squeezed lemon juice helps to mellow out sweetness you would typically get from the grenadine, and the apple brandy adds a bit of warm depth.

    Overall, this drink is refreshingly earthy with just a bit of tartness. I should mention that you can add more or less lemon juice to adjust the sourness of the drink.

    pink foamy cocktail in a coupe glass garnished with maraschino cherry

    Since this is a double spirits cocktail, and it tastes so mellow, be careful when consuming. They go down real smooth haha, so sip slowly!

    I hope you enjoy this fun cocktail, perfect for the holidays. Please let me know if you give it a try!

    2 coupe glasses filled with a pink cocktail and garnished with a maraschino cherry and lemon peel, against a marble backdrop

    pink lady cocktail

    Pink cocktail with a foamy egg white top in a coupe glass

    Pink Lady Cocktail

    This pink lady cocktail is a classic vintage drink with a refreshing and sophisticated flavor that is not at all sweet. The addition of an egg white creates a fluffy white foam top, making this cocktail both beautiful and delicious.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 3 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 minute
    Total Time: 4 minutes
    Servings: 1 people
    Author:Andrea

    Equipment

    • Cocktail Shaker with Strainer
    • Shot glass

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 ounce Dry Gin
    • .5 ounce Apple Brandy
    • .25 ounce Grenadine
    • .25 ounce Fresh lemon juice
    • 1 egg white
    • Ice
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add ice and all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass such as a coupe, martini glass or low ball.

    Notes

    If you want a vegan replacement for the egg white, use the same amount of chickpea water, found in a can of chickpeas. 
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Howe.We.Live or tag #HoweWeLiveRecipes!

    More Cocktail Recipes:

    • Maple Whiskey Sazerac
    • Gin Grapefruit Cocktail
    • Apple Cider Moscow Mules

     

     

    « Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree (and steamed pumpkin too!)
    Planetbox Rover Lunch Box FAQ »

    About Andrea Howe

    Andrea Howe is the recipe developer and photographer of Howe We Live. She is also a seasoned home cook of over 20 years, for her family of 5. Andrea has spent over 10 years in the food industry, writing for various publications including Babble and Disney. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Taste of Home, Yahoo, Buzzfeed and ABC News.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susie says

      December 02, 2020 at 5:52 am

      5 stars
      Oh My Gosh!!!! I love a cocktail with an egg white! This is perfection.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    woman with brown hair and orange shirt smiling

    Welcome to Howe We Live. I’m Andrea, a passionate home cook and mother of 3. I’ve been cooking and writing about healthy eating for almost a decade, and my number one goal here is to help you develop the tools needed to throw together a great meal at home that is both delicious, and healthy-ish. All eaters are welcome here! Read More

    Latest Posts

    • Nourishing Fiesta Salad Recipe
    • Easy Creamy Protein Hummus
    • Creamy Spicy Ranch Dressing
    • Homemade Air Fryer Taquitos
    • High Protein Italian Sub Salad
    • Easy Homemade Air Fryer Croutons

    Top Posts

    • Coconut Pineapple Margarita Recipe
    • Beef Sirloin Tip Steak With Garlic Butter Potatoes
    • Skillet Turkey Meatballs & Rice
    • Chicken Cutlets In the Air Fryer

    As Featured In:

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • About

    Newsletter & Contact

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Contact

    Notable Links

    • Recipes by Category
    • Shop Clean Beauty

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 · Howe We Live · Privacy Policy