Blackberry Smash Cocktail with Vodka and Fresh Basil
This blackberry smash is a refreshing vodka cocktail made with muddled blackberries and fresh basil leaves. It’s perfectly balanced, quick to make, and the ideal end-of-summer drink!
💜 Why You’ll Love This Blackberry Smash Cocktail with Basil
The seasons are changing yet again. If you’re like me, with one hand wistfully clinging to summer and the other looking forward to sweater weather and cozy pants, I’ve got the perfect cocktail to ease the transition- blackberry smash with vodka and fresh basil leaves.
This refreshing vodka cocktail combines juicy blackberries, aromatic basil, lemon, and a hint of sweetness from simple syrup. It’s balanced and delicious. Plus, a smash is just plain fun to make. Let’s dive in so you can get sipping pronto!
🍹 What is a Smash?
A smash is a simple cocktail made by muddling fresh fruit and herbs, then adding a spirit, citrus, and a touch of sweetness.
The muddling (gentle smashing) releases the fruit’s juices and the herb’s aromatic oils, creating fresh, layered flavor. The cocktail is then shaken with ice and poured, rather than strained, into a rocks glass, ice and all, before being topped with club soda.
🔖 Ingredients & Equipment You’ll Need
You’ll find the complete ingredient list with measurements and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe, plus some ingredient and equipment substitutions.
Equipment
Cocktail shaker or a lidded jar
Muddler or the back of a spoon
Shot glass or a ¼ cup measuring cup
Rocks glass or a low, wide drinking glass
Ingredients
🍯 Equal parts sugar and water, plus a pinch of salt to make the simple syrup.
💜 Fresh blackberries- If using frozen, thaw them first.
🌱 Fresh basil leaves- Use sweet basil aka Italian basil, not Thai basil. You can also use 4 fresh mint leaves in place of the 6 fresh basil leaves.
🍸 Vodka- Choose plain, unflavored vodka. If you’d like to make a bourbon blackberry smash, substitute bourbon for the vodka.
🍋 Lemon juice- Freshly squeezed is best! If using mint leaves instead of basil, go with freshly squeezed lime juice instead of lemon.
🧊 Ice- A smash calls for crushed or pebble ice. Ice cubes will work too if that’s what you have on hand.
💦 Club soda- Basic club soda is just fine. No need to get too fancy with this simple ingredient.
🍯 How to Make Simple Syrup (With Photos)
When you’re ready to make this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post. You’ll find the complete ingredient list with measurements there.
1. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Gently stir until the whole mixture comes to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, while the sugar dissolves.
3. Slide the saucepan off the heat and let the syrup cool completely. Transfer to a lidded glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Simple syrup can be made well in advance.
🌱 How to Make a Blackberry Smash Cocktail (with photos)
1. In a cocktail shaker, add the blackberries and fresh basil leaves. Use a muddler to gently press and twist the berries and leaves 6-8 times. The goal is to release the blackberry juice and basil’s aromatic oils without pulverizing the mixture. If you don’t have a muddler, tilt the cocktail shaker slightly and use the back of a spoon to press the berries and basil.
2. Add the vodka, cooled simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice. Fill the shaker with 1 cup of crushed ice or pebble ice.
3. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds, or until the outside of the shaker is very cold.
4. Dump the entire contents of the cocktail shaker, ice and all, into a rocks glass. Top with club soda and garnish with fresh basil leaves and a few blackberries. Serve immediately.
❄️ How to Store Simple Syrup
This blackberry smash cocktail is meant to be served right away. But you will need to refrigerate the simple syrup. Here are a few tips.
How long does simple syrup last in the fridge?
Plain simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water) lasts about 1 month in the fridge in an airtight container.
Flavored syrup, like cinnamon simple syrup, lasts about 3 weeks.
Tips for longer storage:
Store in a sterilized jar or bottle. This can be done in a hot dishwasher or by boiling a glass container (like a mason jar) for 10 minutes. Let the container air-dry and cool before using.
Store in the coldest part of the fridge. Place the jar at the back of the fridge, not in the door, which is exposed to warm air every time it’s opened.
If your simple syrup starts to look murky or has floating bits, that’s a sure sign of spoilage.
⭐️ Helpful Tips
Use crushed ice or pebble ice. Small pieces of ice melt faster for controlled dilution as you sip. It also chills the cocktail very quickly. That frosty, slushy texture is part of the smash experience.
Muddle gently to release the juices and aromatic oils without pulverizing the ingredients. Press and twist rather than pound.
Fresh is best. Fresh blackberries, basil leaves, and lemon juice make this smash taste its brightest.
Wild blackberries that grow near my house!
🍸 More Cocktails with Simple Syrup
Cosmopolitan Recipe With Pomegranate Simple Syrup
Lillet Blanc Spritz with Easy Cinnamon Simple Syrup
Vegan Gin Sour Recipe with Forsythia Simple Syrup
Gin and Tonic with Pine Needle Syrup
Lavender Lemonade with Lavender Simple Syrup
How fun and easy is that?! I hope you have a chance to make this yummy cocktail at least once while blackberries are still in season and the sun sets after 7:00 pm. I’ll be on the patio, glass in hand, cheering you on.
💜 Happy sipping!
X,o,
Leave a Comment & Rating
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Blackberry Smash Cocktail with Vodka and Fresh Basil
This blackberry smash is a refreshing vodka cocktail made with muddled blackberries and fresh basil leaves. It’s perfectly balanced, quick to make, and the ideal end-of-summer drink!
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Gently stir until the whole mixture comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, while the sugar dissolves.
- Slide the saucepan off the heat and let the syrup cool completely. Transfer to a lidded glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Simple syrup can be made well in advance.
- In a cocktail shaker, add the blackberries and fresh basil leaves. Use a muddler to gently press and twist the berries and leaves 6-8 times. The goal is to release the blackberry juice and basil’s aromatic oils without pulverizing the mixture. If you don’t have a muddler, tilt the cocktail shaker slightly and use the back of a spoon to press the berries and basil.
- Add the vodka, cooled simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice. Fill the shaker with 1 cup of crushed ice or pebble ice.
- Secure the lid and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds, or until the outside of the shaker is very cold.
- Dump the entire contents of the cocktail shaker, ice and all, into a rocks glass. Top with club soda and garnish with fresh basil leaves and a few blackberries. Serve immediately.
Notes
❄️ How to Store Simple Syrup
This blackberry smash cocktail is meant to be served right away. But you will need to refrigerate the simple syrup. Here are a few tips.
How long does simple syrup last in the fridge?
- Plain simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water) lasts about 1 month in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Flavored syrup, like cinnamon simple syrup, lasts about 3 weeks.
Tips for longer storage:
- Store in a sterilized jar or bottle. This can be done in a hot dishwasher or by boiling a glass container (like a mason jar) for 10 minutes. Let the container air-dry and cool before using.
- Store in the coldest part of the fridge. Place the jar at the back of the fridge, not in the door, which is exposed to warm air every time it’s opened.
- If your simple syrup starts to look murky or has floating bits, that’s a sure sign of spoilage.
⭐️ Helpful Tips
Use crushed ice or pebble ice. Small pieces of ice melt faster for controlled dilution as you sip. It also chills the cocktail very quickly. That frosty, slushy texture is part of the smash experience.
Muddle gently to release the juices and aromatic oils without pulverizing the ingredients. Press and twist rather than pound.
Fresh is best. Fresh blackberries, basil leaves, and lemon juice make this smash taste its brightest.
For step-by-step instructions with photos, scroll up to blog post!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
219Fat (grams)
0 gSat. Fat (grams)
0 gCarbs (grams)
24 gFiber (grams)
1 gNet carbs
23 gSugar (grams)
22 gProtein (grams)
0 gSodium (milligrams)
80 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.
