Ruby Red and Rosemary Honey Cocktail
Beautiful winter cocktail made with vodka (or gin), grapefruit juice, rosemary and honey.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 10, 2024
Quick! Name this cocktail. Iโm at a loss for what to call it. Itโs not quite a sparkler, fizz or smash. Itโs also not a daiquiri, which is made with rum, or a beeโs knees, although itโs close (this little pink number is made with vodka instead of gin). It doesnโt qualify as a martini, either, and letโs definitely not throw -tini on the end, which we all know is code for syrupy sweet, girly drinks.
Maybe I should pause to tell you what this drink is, precisely. It is composed of freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice, vodka, a splash of lemon, a sprig of rosemary and just enough honey simple syrup to make it irresistible. It is: fresh, pretty and pink, but not so sweet that a dude would refuse it. A gussied-up version of my rosemary gin fizz. Light and refreshing but packs a punch, which makes it perfect for the holiday season.
I thought about making up my own name for the drink, but Iโm not feeling quite so bold this morning. Maybe it will come to me if I drink another cup of coffee. How aboutโฆ Rose-Colored Glasses? Or, Pink Drink? Kidding. The Grapefruit Honey? Grapefruit is an awkward word, come to think of it. Grape. Fruit. It doesnโt taste like grapes, nor is it the color of grapes. Why?
Naming recipes is hard. I never know which name will go over well, or which will best sum up the essence of the recipe. The best recipe names incite stampedes to the kitchen; the worst fall flat and get skipped over in the recipe books. Ruby red and rosemary honey just occurred to me and sounds lovely to my ears, but if you have suggestions for this cocktailโs name, letโs hear them!
Ruby Red and Rosemary Honey Cocktail
A beautiful and light winter cocktail made with fresh grapefruit juice, vodka, lemon, rosemary and honey.
Ingredients
Honey simple syrup
- ยผ cup honey
- ยผ cup water
Ingredients per drink
- 2 ounces fresh ruby red grapefruit juice (1 grapefruit yields 6 to 8 ounces of juice)
- 1 ยฝ ounces Stoli vodka (or gin)
- ยฝ small lemon, juiced
- ยผ to ยฝ ounce honey simple syrup
- 2-inch sprig of rosemary
- tiny dash of sea salt (trust me)
Garnish, per drink
- 2 to 3-inch sprig of rosemary
Instructions
- First, juice the grapefruits and make the honey simple syrup. Pour the honey and water into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat. Use a whisk to blend the honey into the water and remove from heat (there is no need to bring the mixture to a simmer, this process should only take a couple of minutes).
- Fill a small cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the grapefruit juice, vodka, lemon juice and honey simple syrup. Top with a sprig of rosemary and a dash of salt. Put on the lid and shake until the mixture is thoroughly chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a small sprig of rosemary. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Gin would also be lovely in this cocktail.
- Leftover honey simple syrup should keep well, refrigerated and covered, for several weeks.
- You can use store-bought grapefruit juice if youโd like, but freshly squeezed juice tastes better.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This cocktail would be perfect for all of your holiday festivities, including brunch. Invite your friends to join you on RecAPP by Stoli to capture your original moments. Itโs a free app that lets you create video recaps of events and share them with friends. Just link your social networks, hit record, and share!
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Stoli and I received compensation for my participation. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who allow me to serve up more recipes. Opinions are my own, always. Savor Stoli Responsibly. STOLICHNAYAยฎ Premium Vodka. 40% Alc/Vol. Distilled from grain. William Grant & Sons, Inc. New York, NY. ยฉ 2013 Spirits International, B.V.
P.s. Here a few more holiday cocktails you might like: cranberry margarita, apple cider hot toddy, blood orange French 75, pear nectar with reposado tequila and the rosemary gin fizz.
I have absolutely zero inspiration on the name front but, frankly, Iโd drink this no matter what you called it! Such a beautiful colour and such a lovely combination of flavours.
How about โThe Ozโ for the ruby red shoes? It looks delicious whatever you name it!
Oh, I love that idea! I will sip on The Oz tonight. Wait, that sounds funny.
I thought of Triple R Pinky, but then a man wouldnโt drinky (it). Sounds yummy though. I do love grapefruit. I can about imagine it, but canโt make it at the moment.
Haha! Triple R Pinky. I like it.
I have nothing to name it. Other than uhhhhhmazing.
not good with names either. though ruby red slipper keeps coming to mind as I want to put on my slippers and cozy up w/ a couple of these and a book underneath a nice warm comforter for the evening.
That is such a cute name! Thanks, Jacquie!
How about a reindeer holiday name like Vixen (girlie) or a Comet? Sounds perfect for the holidays!
An interesting piece of trivia: grapefruits are actually named such because they grow on trees in clusters, like grapes do!
Oh! That makes so much sense! Thanks, Hannah. :)
I am terrible at naming things also. But I am obsessed with grapefruit drinks. So I must make this. And it will be so fabulous that it wonโt even need a name. Iโll just call it The Drink.
(Maybe the Pink Honey Bee?)
Rubyโs Holiday Honey
Great idea!
So many tasty recipes on your home page right now!! That cauliflower soup and this cocktailโฆ yum!!
The cocktail and ingredients are captured beautifully!
Your photos are stunning, kate! And this cocktail needs to shake up my life asap :)
Hope youโre well, friend! xo
I love the sound of this cocktail. The pressure of naming recipes is intense. Iโm not even going to attempt this one! Cheers
This drink is so dang pretty! I bet itโs tasty, too. Itโs lady-like beauty makes me think it should be called The Pink Lady :) This would be the perfect sip for NYE!
Oh, I love that name! Thanks, Nicole!
Yum โ looks amazing!!! May have to make these tonight. Your pictures are beautiful.
I love your drink recipes. If you published a book of drinks Iโd buy one for me and one for each of my friends!
Whatever the name, it sounds delicious and just my kind of cocktail. Iโm putting this one on the menu for the weekend.
Made this tonight with white grapefruit off my neighborโs tree and gin instead of vodka. I love a Salty Dog, the addition of rosemary and a touch of honey is wonderful. Delicious!
My Mom wanted me to comment for her, her and my Papa love this drink! Since my Papa just got off lipitor heโs been dying to have some grapefruit, and my Mom wanted to do something special for him for Christmas so she took a peek at this blog and decided to make the cocktail. Needless to say it was a hit! As for a name, how does Pretty in Pink sound?
Lauren, Iโm so sorry I didnโt respond sooner! Iโm so glad you all enjoyed the cocktail. Pretty in Pink is a terrific idea!
Oh my god. I told my mom about this recipe around Thanksgiving time and I swear she has made one for herself at least twice a week since. Thanks for sharing! Love these pictures and this recipeโฆas always.
This sounds incredible! Grapefruit is my favorite citrusโฆI can only imagine how amazing this drink smells!
Please name it the Ruby Catherine. Ruby because of the grapefruit. Catherine for Catherine the Great. (Ruby Catherine is my maternal grandmother who died when I was 19.) She (and my mom) taught me to cook and to entertain. Itโs because of them that I am a caterer today!
(By the way; this coctail is devine.)
โฆand I mispelled COCKTAILโฆugh!
I like that idea! Iโm a fan of all Catherines (my name is Kathryne) and my best friend named her little girl Ruby, so those are sentimental names for me, too. Glad you enjoyed the cocktail, Troy.
Could you substitute the simple honey syrup for the Stoli honey vodka, and find another sweetener for this drink? I just found a bottle, and this drink sounds DIVINE for its inaugural opening!
Hey Lisa, Iโm not quite sure I understand your question. I used plain vodka and honey simple syrup, which is very easy to make! Or if you want to use honey vodka (which I didnโt know existed until right now), you might not need any sweetener! Not sure.
Sorry, I didnโt quite say what I meantโฆoops! I meant to say that I wanted to use the Stoli Honey Vodka (sold under the name Stiki), instead of the vodka and honey simple syrup. I was just scared that it wouldnโt be sweet enough, thoughโฆalthough I just bought the vodka last night and havenโt tried it yet, so I donโt know how sweet it is on its ownโฆ.but I believe taste testing is in order for the weekend! :)
the red slippers were the inspiration for a name: Dorothyโs Delight?
Looks wonderfulโฆlove pink and red grapefruit! I never thought of honey simple syrupโฆso easy! Thanks!
Oh, I like Dorothyโs Delight! Glad you enjoyed the cocktail!
Ooo i just found this site in May and im so happy to have your site bookmarked now, everything looks sooo very yummy! This drink is fabulous! I am good at naming things and while you probably already have a name for this since i am so late, i thought i would throw a few out that maybe you could use later. Here are my thoughts:
1. Ruby Red Sipper
2. Rosemary Baby
3. Lovely Couple (Ruby and Herb) :D
Let me know what you think!
I like all of those ideas! I think number one is my favorite name of the three. It rolls off the tongue nicely.
Those glasses though! I instantly googled them to find some.
I serendipitously found your website while looking for a grapefruit-based cocktail recipe. I made candied grapefruit peel this morning and have some grapefruit-flavored simple syrup, which I will substitute for the honey simple syrup in your recipe. I may garnish my drinks with a piece of the candied peel and a sprig of Rosemary. Thank you and Stoli for this recipe!
Can I have one?! Your candied grapefruit and grapefruit simple syrup cocktails sound amazing, Alecia!
I would call it Ambrosia Revamp. Ambrosia is the Immortalโs food and it should be honey!
Ohh, nice!
I just made this last night and it was fabulous. My only substitution is that I used rosemary vodka that I recently infused. So good As far as a name, itโs so similar to a greyhound that I may call it the Rosy Greyhound. :)
Thanks, Mary! Your rosemary vodka sounds fantastic. Love that name!
This looks so festive! I would love to make this for one of our upcoming holiday get togethers. Where did you get those glasses? They are beautiful!
Hi Jessie! Iโm sorry for the delay. Theyโre vintage. I found them in my parentsโ cabinets. Sorry! I think I have seen something similar at West Elm/World Market?
I love all the names people have come up with. As for what kind of drink it is, Iโd say it is a variation on a classic cosmopolitan.
Try using Saint Germaine (elderberry liqueur)instead of the honey syrup for a different (and delicious) twist!
Thank you, Sarah! I love St. Germaine. Canโt wait to try your suggestion.
I swear this is the first time Iโve seen this. I make that pronouncement because I made something similar several months ago โ and it hasnโt found itโs way onto my blog yet. Iโm calling mine a Ruby-Thyme Spritzer. Obviously, I used thyme, but my simple syrup used honey instead of sugar too. Great minds or suspiciously similar? Too funny!
Well, yours sounds great to me! Grapefruit, honey, herbs and booze is a great combo, and Iโm sure Iโm not the first to think of it. :)
This cocktail is perfect. Simple to make with easy to find ingredients. It is eloquent and sophisticated in flavour with the perfect hint of honey. Will be making this at our next holiday party. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Averie! Iโm glad you appreciate this one. :)
Ave, what type of vodka did you use?
Grey Goose itโs what I had on hand.
Just had two of these! :) So delicious. I squeezed a meyer lemon for each drink and just used a dash of agave instead of making the honey syrup. Wish I bought more than one grapefruit! You could call it a Ruby Rose :)
Thank you, Taylor! Now I want one. :) Ruby Rose sounds perfect!!!
Delish!
This looks delicious! I have a friend that makes something similar, which I gladly named โThe Pink Bohemianโ for her.
Thanks for sharing!
Rosemarys Baby???
Sounds delicious! Did you finally name it? I thought โRuby Roseโ and scrolled down the comments to find one other reader had the same thought!
Iโm trying it tonight!
Let me know what you think, Diane!
I loved the smidgen of salt and smelling the rosemary with every sip! Divinely delicious! Thank you!!
How about โCookie Teaserโ?
Honestly, meh. The salt doesnโt help, and the subtlety of honey is lost in the grapefruit. A rosemary simple syrup and grapefruit juice would go much farther towards a yummy combo on these flavors.
Iโm sorry you didnโt love this one. I appreciate your review, Jonathan.
Calling this a โwinterโ cocktail is very misleading. This is a perfect spring, summer, fall AND winter cocktail!!! So delicious. The dash of sea salt is almost magical. Thank you!!!!
Iโm glad you love it, Andrea!
Iโm way late to this party but I have to say this drink is incredible. I made it for some friends recently (I chose The Botonist gin as my base spirit) and they raved about it. I think you should name it, โA Walk in the Garden.โ So many wonderful smells and flavors.
Iโm glad you loved it, Tammy!
I was skeptical if this as someone who has never had fresh grapefruit juice but holy wow is this good! I added club soda on top to make it a little fizzy and will calling this a grapefruit rosemary fizz on my insta (@casiethecook). Absolutely delicious recipe!!
I am happy you enjoyed it, Casie!
Late to the party, but you should obviously call this a Ruby Rose!!
Hi Kathrine, I love that suggestion! Cheers.