French 75 Recipe

The combination of gin, lemon juice, and Champagne brings out the best in each.

By
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a longtime food and drink expert whose recipes and cocktail-making tips can be found on her newsletters What to Drink and The Dinner Plan. She is the author of  The One-Bottle Cocktail and Batch Cocktails, both published by Ten Speed Press.
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Updated December 21, 2023
Two classes of a French 75

Serious Eats / Two Bites

According to Ted Haigh (aka Dr. Cocktail), the French 75 is one of two cocktails named after the French 75-mm field gun, which was commonly used in World War I. "One barman in 1947," reports Haigh, "called it a Tom Collins with champagne instead of club soda. Vive la difference!" Here's Haigh's version of the recipe, from his wonderful book, Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails.

The combination of gin, lemon juice, and Champagne brings out the best in each: it's tart, refreshing, herbal, and effervescent.

Recipe Details

French 75 Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 2 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces gin

  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons sugar

  • Champagne or sparkling wine

  • Garnish: long thin lemon spiral and cocktail cherry

Directions

  1. Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Shake gin, lemon juice, and sugar in a cocktail shaker until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a champagne flute.

    Four image collage of making a french 75

    Serious Eats / Two Bites

  2. Top with Champagne. Stir gently, garnish with a long, thin lemon spiral and a cocktail cherry.

    Two image collage of topping drink with champagne and garnish

    Serious Eats / Two Bites

Special equipment

Cocktail shaker, cocktail strainer

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
252Calories
0gFat
16gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories252
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 13mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 16g6%
Dietary Fiber 1g2%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 5mg25%
Calcium 15mg1%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 116mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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