The French Blonde Cocktail: Taylor Swift’s Fruity & Floral Fave
Inside: This elegant drink is a delectable mix of sweet, tart, and floral flavors. Made with gin, grapefruit juice, lemon, Lillet Blanc, and elderflower liqueur, it’s delicious and glamorous enough to be Taylor Swift’s favorite cocktail!
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I’m a fan of cocktails that are slightly sweet—but not too sweet. That are light and refreshing. And that don’t taste so strong they leave a burning trail all the way down your throat.
Enter the French Blonde, a lovely cocktail with just as lovely a name, with its delicate balance of sweet and tart flavors, and a pretty peachy color.
Taylor Swift was once spotted sipping on one of these at Rye restaurant in Leawood, Kansas, while enjoying a night with other KC Chiefs football wives and girlfriends. And the restaurant reported that the French Blonde was America’s favorite blond pop star’s new favorite cocktail.
I’ll admit I’m somewhat of a Swiftie, so I had to try her go-to drink. Plus, I love partaking in a hip cocktail served in a martini glass or vintage-style coupe glass to make me feel all cool. (And while I’m kidding myself that I am cool, in this alternative universe TSwift and I might toast with these delicious drinks on our girls night out. 🍸)
What’s in a French Blonde?
When I read what was in the French Blonde Martini, I knew this would be a drink for me. Flavors of grapefruit, lemon, and elderflower combined with a little gin—yes, please.
Here’s what you’ll need to make a French Blonde Cocktail:
Lillet Blanc.
The French aperitif wine Lillet Blanc (pronounced lee-LAY) is infused with various fruits, herbs, and a bit of honey.
SH&H Tip: Make sure to store the Lillet in the refrigerator after opening. It will save for up to a month.
St-Germain Liqueur.
St. Germain elderflower liqueur is a French liqueur made with fresh elderflowers that add sweetness and a citrusy, floral flavor to any cocktail.
Gin.
The French Blond is often made with Hendrick’s gin because its rose and cucumber botanical notes blend nicely with the other flavors. But feel free to use any dry gin.
Grapefruit Juice.
The sweet and tart balance of the grapefruit juice is a perfect complement to the florality of elderflower. The kind of grapefruit juice you use largely determines the tartness level and color of the cocktail. Many recipes call for fresh grapefruit juice, but I chose to use the bottled version. Bottled is not only easier, but it makes the drink a little on the sweeter side and less tart.
Lemon Juice.
Most French Blonde recipes call for lemon bitters, but not only are they hard to find, I actually prefer the taste of freshly squeezed lemon juice so that’s what I’ve used in this recipe.
SH&H Tip: Squeeze a lemon twist over the drink to release the oil in the peel, then drop it in the drink to add to the citrus flavors.
How to Make a French Blond Cocktail.
Making this refreshing, delicious cocktail is quick and easy!
Add the few simple ingredients (ratios in the recipe below) to an ice-filled cocktail shaker, give it a good shake, and strain into a coupe glass, martini glass, or a retro Nick & Nora glass. Garnish it with a lemon twist or grapefruit wedge and enjoy!
SH&H Tip: To make this cocktail even more cool (literally), serve it in a chilled cocktail glass. Place sturdy glassware in the freezer for 30 minutes to two hours, or more delicate crystal glassware in the fridge for 1-4 hours. Remove and fill the glass with crushed ice to keep it cold while you mix the drink. Then dump the ice before pouring in the drink.
What’s the Difference Between a French Blonde Cocktail and a French Redhead Cocktail?
In a nutshell it’s the same cocktail, but like the hair, the difference is the color.
- To get the true “blonde” color, use yellow-colored grapefruit juice.
- To make a redheaded French Blonde cocktail, use the juice from a Ruby Red grapefruit or other red variety, or bottled Ruby Red or pink grapefruit juice. The result is a beautiful pink color rather than the peachy yellow shade.
Looking for more “French” cocktails? See this recipe for the French 75, a classic cocktail with a low sugar option in the post “Skinny French 75 Champagne Cocktail: Celebrate With Less Sugar“.
French Blonde Cocktail Variations.
- Substitute vodka if you’re not a gin drinker.
- Or bourbon, for a stronger, deeper taste.
- Add a tiny bit of Chambord for more sweetness and a vibrant reddish color.
- Add a little sparkle with a splash of Champagne or Prosecco.
- Lighten the alcohol volume with a dash of club soda.
Printable French Blonde Cocktail Recipe:
French Blonde Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Grapefruit Juice (bottled or fresh depending on desired tartness)
- 2 ounces Lillet Blanc
- 1 ounce Gin (Hendrick’s or any dry gin)
- 1/2 ounce St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
- 1 teaspoon fresh Lemon Juice (or 2-3 dashes lemon bitters)
- 1 Grapefruit or Lemon Peel for garnish
Instructions
- Add Grapefruit Juice, Lillet Blanc, Gin, St-Germain, and Lemon Juice (or bitters) to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake well and strain into a martini glass, coupe glass, or Nick and Nora glass.
- Garnish with a twist of grapefruit or lemon peel, or a grapefruit or lemon wedge.
Notes
This beautiful blond makes the perfect drink for a girl’s night, pre-dinner cocktail, or even a fancy brunch. Cheers Taylor Swift style!
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This is the best cocktail I’ve ever made! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
That’s so great to hear Courtney! Cheers!!
This looks like a perfect cocktail for me. I am going for the ‘Redhead’ version. Can’t wait to try it!