3 Easy and Delicious Crème Yvette Cocktails to Make at Home

Calling Crème Yvette a violet liqueur doesn't really do it justice. It has hints of berries, vanilla, orange peel, and spices that a straight-up creme de violette lacks. The recipe, which dates back to the 1890s and went out of production in 1969, was revived in 2009 by Rob Cooper (the force behind St. Germain) in response to requests from bartenders around the country. Crème Yvette is essential to classic cocktails like the Aviation and the Blue Moon, and while it's no surprise that something made from violet petals in France feels super fancy, Crème Yvette also completely at home in more everyday cocktails like these. Let's get mixing, shall we?

Yvette Collins

Let's say your living situation doesn't allow for you to enjoy lemonade in a garden on a regular basis. This gussied-up version of a Tom Collins brings the garden to the lemonade. Floral lavender simple syrup, gin botanicals, and the violets and berries in Crème Yvette make this a perfect cocktail for summoning spring or welcoming it when it finally arrives.

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Strawberries & Crème Shake

I think it's fair to say that boozy milkshakes aren't exactly known for their air of sophistication. Really, frozen alcoholic beverages as a genre don't have the greatest reputation. This one, however, is as classy as they come. Frozen strawberries help draw out the berry and vanilla flavors in the Crème Yvette. They're blended with tangy buttermilk for a not-too-sweet treat that dresses up the classic strawberry milkshake. This drink doesn't have a ton of alcohol either, so it's definitely brunch appropriate.

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Hard Cider and Crème Yvette Sparkler

I'm fiercely practical and can't help but be frugal too, which is a combination of traits that—admittedly—doesn't always have the most fun results. Luckily, in this case, it led me to this take on the Stratosphere, a classic cocktail that combines Crème Yvette and sparkling wine. While I can talk myself into spending fifty or so dollars on a bottle of booze like Crème Yvette that will last forever, I have a harder time justifying a bottle of sparkling wine just to make a few cocktails because I know that the leftover portion of the bottle will inevitably end up flat in the fridge. I solve that by using hard cider in place of the bubbly. The crisp cider cuts the fruity and floral Crème Yvette quite nicely and I have no problem at all finishing off a bottle of it.

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Get The Recipes:

• Yvette Collins
• Strawberries and Crème Shake
• Hard Cider and Crème Yvette Sparkler