Try the French Blonde cocktail, a light, refreshing and slightly bittersweet cocktail that exudes sophistication. Made with gin, grapefruit juice, elderflower liqueur, Lillet Blanc and a dash of lemon bitters, this citrus cocktail is simple to put together yet feels fancy. Plus, it might be Taylor Swift’s new favorite cocktail.
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About this French Blonde Cocktail recipe
Calling all Taylor Swift fans: It’s official — the Vodka Diet Coke Era is over. Meet the French Blonde, the star’s new favorite cocktail. It might be mine now, and probably yours too.
The French Blonde cocktail is a mixed drink composed of London Dry gin, grapefruit juice, elderflower liqueur and Lillet Blanc, topped with a dash of lemon bitters for an extra punch of citrus flavor. It’s light and refreshing for spring and summer, but also perfect for winter when grapefruit is at its prime.
Taylor reportedly ordered one as her “drink of choice” when she visited the restaurant Rye in Kansas City on a girls’ night out with friends in December 2023, according to Page Six. (The gals also enjoyed the restaurant’s homemade cinnamon rolls for dessert, a favorite of Travis Kelce.)
If you’re not a Swiftie, that’s okay — this cocktail with a beautiful pink color is for anyone who likes a drink with layers of flavor. It’s sweet, bitter, tangy and floral all at once. If you’re looking for a cocktail that feels fancy but isn’t hard to make, this is a great one.
I love fresh citrus so this cocktail did not disappoint! Usually grapefruit is too much for me but it was perfect with this mixture.
— Madison
Why you’ll love this recipe
You’re going to love the French Blonde drink!
- This drink is light, refreshing and bittersweet. You can enjoy it any time of year.
- Made in a cocktail shaker *, it’s easy to throw together quickly.
- Plus, it’s reportedly Taylor Swift’s favorite drink right now, so you can enjoy this delicious drink just like the pop star.
More French cocktail recipes: French Mule • French 75 • French Soda • French Gimlet
Tools & equipment
What do you need to make a French Blonde? Not a whole lot! It doesn’t need any special equipment — if you have a basic bartending set, you can make this cocktail. You’ll need:
- jigger *: This tool helps you measure liquids in ounces to easily pour into cocktails.
- shaker: An ice-filled cocktail shaker * is what you need to mix it all up together. Ensure the lid is secured well so it doesn’t leak when you shake, shake, shake it off.
- strainer: Some shakers have built-in strainers — these are called three-piece shakers or cobbler shakers. The two-piece kind, called Boston shakers, will need a separate Hawthorne strainer * to hold back ice and any pulp from the grapefruit juice.
Glassware & garnish
The French Blonde is usually served in a coupe glass *, which is a stemmed cocktail glass with a rounded bowl shape. It’s similar to the v-shaped martini glass *, which you could also use here and call it a French Blonde Martini. Not just for elegance, the shallow shape of these glasses allow the liquid to come close to your nose, enhancing each sip with the sweet, sour, bitter, floral and herbal fragrances.
A cocktail isn’t complete without a garnish! They make any cocktail next level. You can finish it off with fresh herbs like a sprig of rosemary, thyme or mint. A wedge of grapefruit perched on the edge of the glass or a piece of lemon peel would also work. I used a thin slice of grapefruit to form a rose shape, held together with a cocktail pick.
favorite coupe glasses
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Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need to grab at the grocery store and/or liquor store to make this recipe:
Elderflower liqueur: St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is the most popular brand, though others are on the market, including Bols, Fiorente and Chase. Try it in one of these elderflower cocktails next.
London Dry gin: Different gins will slightly change the flavor of your French Blonde. London Dry is the most common and works really well in this drink. The version on Rye’s menu features Tom’s Town Botanical Gin. Hendrick’s Gin is lovely, or you can try a gin from France like Citadelle Gin. You can also substitute vodka if you don’t like the taste of gin.
Don’t miss Gin 101 where you can learn more about which bottles to buy.
Lillet Blanc: This is a French apéritif wine, a type of bitter liqueur. There are three types of Lillet: Blanc, Rouge and Rosé, which are clear, red and pink. You are looking for the clear one here. It is also sometimes called Lillet Blonde. If you have some leftover, try it in a white negroni. Be sure to stash it in the refrigerator after you open it!
Grapefruit juice: If you have the means to juice a fresh grapefruit, this drink will be all the better for it. If not, a high-quality brand will work just fine, but I don’t recommend using grapefruit juice concentrate.
Lemon bitters *: Bitters are a cocktail ingredient that is very concentrated, so you only need a dash or two. Lemon bitters * are made with bitter lemon peels and adds some additional bittersweet citrus flavor. You can also use aromatic bitters like Angostura bitters * or another flavor of bitters such as grapefruit bitters *. A splash of fresh lemon juice would work in a pinch.
favorite citrus bitters
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Variations & substitutions
Want to mix things up at happy hour? Try one of these variations.
French Redhead cocktail: Use fresh grapefruit juice from a Ruby Red grapefruit or even pomelo juice, which provides more reddish than pinkish color, to make a Redheaded French Blonde cocktail.
Lavender Haze cocktail: Use purple gin like Empress Gin for the gin element. It’s made from butterfly pea flowers, which are blue, but turn pink when they meet citrus. It will give this drink a soft purple color.
Virgin French Blonde: If you want to make the drink without alcohol, you can use elderflower syrup instead of St-Germain and a non-alcoholic spirit such as Seedlip Grove 42 * or Ritual gin alternative *. Replace the Lillet Blanc with cooled white tea. The flavor of any non-alcoholic drink isn’t exactly the same, but this combination will still be delicious.
Change the spirit: If you like, you can mix things up by swapping the gin for bourbon, rum or vodka. This will change the flavor of the cocktail but it would still be great with any of these.
What’s in a name? The “French” comes from using St-Germain and Lillet Blanc, two French spirits. “Blonde” likely refers to its rosy hue from clear spirits and pink grapefruit juice, or possibly Lillet’s nickname, Lillet Blond. In French, it’s la blonde française.
How to make a French Blonde cocktail
Here’s how to make this easy French Blonde cocktail recipe:
First, if you are using fresh grapefruit juice, be sure to strain out the pulp. Otherwise, it will float to the top, and the drink won’t be quite as smooth or pretty.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes, combine the elderflower liqueur, gin, Lillet Blanc and grapefruit juice. Shake well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass such as a coupe glass *. Top it with a dash of bitters. (Lemon is ideal, but any you have that sounds good will work.) Garnish with a grapefruit slice or piece of grapefruit zest.
To make my grapefruit rose garnish: Cut a thin slice of grapefruit. With a sharp knife, make a cut from the center of the slice to the edge of the peel (the radius, if you want to use high school geometry terms). Then roll it up to form a rose shape, then pierce it with a cocktail pick so you can perch it on the edge of the glass.
Tips & tricks
When you make this fun Taylor Swift cocktail, here are some tips for making it the absolute best:
- Use fresh grapefruit juice for the best, sweetest, juiciest flavor. Be sure to strain out the pulp with a fine-mesh strainer *, too.
- Shake, shake, shake it up well. The ice in the shaker helps to invigorate and combine the ingredients, but it is also meant to chill the ingredients so you have an ice-cold cocktail when you pour it into the glass.
- Finish it off with a beautiful garnish, such as a piece of fresh thyme or a grapefruit rose.
Food pairings
The French Blonde would be delicious with anything cheesy, like a baked brie or a charcuterie board.
It would also be great with anything citrus, like spicy citrus chicken tostadas, crostini with grapefruit curd or a slice of grapefruit poppy seed cake. Grapefruit is often enjoyed at breakfast, so this would be a great brunch cocktail as well.
Of course, you may want to make some of Taylor’s favorite recipes too, such as her famous chai cookies or the colorful milk bar cake. You could also make some other Taylor-approved cocktails (see below for some ideas!)
More Taylor Swift cocktails
Whether you make Tay’s favorite beverages or a drink inspired by one of her hit songs, these drinks are here to help liven up any Eras party.
- Vodka & Coke: Previously, TSwift’s favorite drink. Replace the whiskey with vodka in whiskey & coke!
- Lavender Haze: Use purple gin in any cocktail, like a French 75, to give it a purple vibe like her hit song.
- Cosmopolitan cocktail: Taylor was spotted sipping cosmos with Zoë Kravitz. Try a guava cosmopolitan for a delicious twist on this cranberry drink.
FAQ
For a French Blonde, you’ll need St-Germain or another elderflower liqueur like Bols, Fiorente or Chase. Use a London Dry gin — Hendrick’s or Tom’s Town Botanical Gin are good options —or substitute vodka if you prefer. You’ll also need Lillet Blanc, a clear French apéritif wine that’s sometimes labeled Lillet Blonde.
The French Blonde is a cocktail with layered flavors. You’ll taste bittersweet notes from the sweet-tart grapefruit juice—especially if it’s fresh. Gin brings an herbal, botanical quality, though you can use vodka if gin isn’t your thing. Elderflower liqueur adds soft, floral sweetness, like a fragrant garden, and Lillet Blanc contributes delicate notes of honey, orange and pine. Bright citrus from the grapefruit juice and lemon bitters gives it a pleasantly sour finish.
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French Blonde Cocktail
ingredients
- ¾ ounce London Dry gin such as Hendrick’s
- ¾ ounce elderflower liqueur such as St-Germain
- 2 ounces clear bitter liqueur such as Lillet Blanc
- 2 ounces grapefruit juice fresh
- 2-3 dashes lemon bitters or Angostura bitters *
- grapefruit slice or wedge for garnish
instructions
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the elderflower liqueur, gin, Lillet Blanc and grapefruit juice. Shake well.
- Strain into a coupe glass. Add 2-3 dashes of lemon bitters.
- Garnish with a grapefruit slice or piece of grapefruit zest.
notes
- Use fresh grapefruit juice for the best, sweetest, juiciest flavor. Be sure to strain out the pulp with a fine-mesh strainer, too.
- Shake, shake, shake it up well. The ice in the shaker helps to invigorate and combine the ingredients, but it is also meant to chill the ingredients so you have an ice-cold cocktail when you pour it into the glass.
- Finish it off with a beautiful garnish, such as a piece of fresh thyme, grapefruit slice or a grapefruit rose.
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Madison says
You know how much I love fresh citrus so this cocktail did not disappoint! Usually grapefruit is too much for me but it was perfect with this mixture.