No picnic is complete without refreshments, and nothing is more refreshing than an ice-cold cucumber lemon drop. I enjoy making this drink for events because the flavors are simple, clean, and appeal to most. I made a large batch for my wedding, which happened to be in the 90 degree heat, and they were a hit. But the best part about this particular recipe is that the cocktails are served in cute little mason jars, making them easy to make ahead of time before transporting to your picnic. Once you’re ready to serve, just pop the top, add ice and shake. Each individual mason jar acts as a personal shaker, adding a little fun to your picnic that people love.
INGREDIENTS
For the cocktail
- 1 1/2 oz vodka
- 3/4 oz cucumber syrup
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 1/2 oz cucumber water
- 1 slice cucumber (for garnish)
- 1/2 pint mason jar
INSTRUCTIONS
For the cucumber water
- Cut each cucumber slice in half and place into a glass container with water. Let soak for 1-3 hours, then strain.
For the cucumber syrup
- Cut each cucumber slice in half.
- Add sugar and water to a small saucepan and stir on medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, add cucumber slices, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 minutes
- After 2 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes to continue to soak a bit before straining.
For the cocktail
- Simply add all of your cocktail ingredients to a mason jar and seal.
- Each jar holds one full cocktail, so pack as many as you need for your party into your picnic basket or cooler. Speaking of coolers, remember to bring ice. You'll need it for the final cocktail.
- Once you arrive at your picnic and are ready to drink your cocktail, simply remove the top of the mason jar and fill to the top with ice. Screw the top on tight and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Once shaken, remove the top, add a straw and a thin slice of cucumber for garnish.
NOTES
This recipe makes enough cucumber water and syrup for a few cocktails, though the cocktail recipe is written for one cocktail. It is an easy recipe to multiply for more, if desired.(images by HonestlyYUM)
Hi! This looks delicious! One question – could it be done with gin instead of vodka?
Thanks Irena! Yep, gin should work just fine.
Do you remember what amounts you used for the large batch? And (roughly) how many drinks were made from it?? I am going to make this for a dinner event that has 120people rsvp.’d =)
Hi Natalie – The easiest way I’ve found to quantify a large batch is by using a 1.75 liter bottle of your base spirit. In this case, vodka. Each 1.75 liter bottle contains roughly 60 oz (59.17 to be exact) so the recipe listed above would be multiplied by 40. That way you just dump in the whole bottle of spirit without having to measure. That being said, you can approximate 40 cocktails per batch, each containing 1.5 oz of alcohol. However, the exact number of drinks still depends on the size of the glasses you’re using, how much ice people use in the glass, etc.
Also, I’d recommend making one cocktail to sample ahead of time. That way you can note whether you’d like it more tart, more sweet, or more alcohol, before translating to a large batch. Remember, even small changes in measurement like .25 of an ounce can make a difference when making a large batch.
Lastly, if you’re serving your batch from a large container, be sure to quickly stir (or if self-serve, remind people to stir) before each serving. This is because the ingredients will naturally separate given a bit of time to settle. It is for this reason I like to serve drinks in large batches with a bowl/jar with ladle, rather than from those beverage containers with spout.
Cheers Natalie! Let me know if you have any more questions.
Just made this delicious drink! I cut down on the sweetness a bit and used some club soda to top it off. I also added a bit of salt. It’s so perfect!
seriously love you guys and all the recipes. certainly doing this. minus the picnic. right on the deck.
This looks super refreshing!
Where can I get the jars you used?
Many grocery stores sell mason jars for canning purposes. If you can’t find them there, they have them on Amazon. Two popular brands are Kerr and Ball. I used half-pint, or 8 oz jars.
thanks so much for this recipe, it looks delicious. these kinds of posts make me long for sunny days on which a picnic is actually possible. i’ll just keep collecting ideas until that day comes 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Sounds like a perfect summer drink! I’m always on the lookout for a new, fun cocktail recipe!
Mmm… could imagine making it minus the alcohol and drink it all day long too!
Great recipe and great pictures! And the mason jars are perfect for summer!
This looks dangerously delicious. Love the idea of preparing them in separate mason jars!
LOVE this. My mom was visiting last week and we enjoyed a picnic lunch with banana pudding in jars, pasta salad, and sparkling water. In a can. Not nearly as awesome as cucumber lemon drops in a jar. I adore cucumber in cocktails- this one looks perfect!
This looks soooooo refreshing! I really want to try making this (non-alcoholic) this summer. I wonder how it would taste if I made it sparkling.
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