Frothy, creamy, and tart, this 4-ingredient Vodka Sour is a classic cocktail made with vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and an egg white. A quick dry shake gives this drink its signature foamy top, just like restaurant cocktails. Make one in minutes at home!
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Have you had a cocktail with an egg white? This Vodka Sour recipe is the perfect way to try it. Adding egg white to a cocktail doesn't make your drink taste eggy at all. Rather it adds a creamy texture (and gorgeous foamy top) that will make you team egg white all the time.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- It's easy to make from scratch. With only four ingredients, this drink comes together in minutes.
- It's not too sweet. This recipe is the perfect balance of creamy, foamy and tart. A simple squeeze of lemon adds the perfect amount of tartness.
- It's an easy sipper. Cocktails don't have to have long ingredient lists to be tasty. A secret ingredient - egg white - gives this drink a lot of depth and creaminess.
Ingredients
You only need 4 ingredients to make this easy cocktail.
ingredient notes
- Vodka: The vodka is the star of this show so pick a premium vodka for a smooth drink. A good guide is to choose a vodka you would use for a martini, not a vodka tonic.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh is the best and a must have for this vodka sour. It only takes seconds to squeeze your own juice with the help of this reamer.
- Simple Syrup: Make your own simple syrup at home or pick it up at your local grocery store next to the other drink mixers.
- Egg Whites: You always want to use an egg white from a pasteurized egg in cocktail recipes to avoid any bacteria from raw eggs. You can also buy a carton of egg whites at your local grocery store, which makes it easy to whip up cocktails quickly without having to separate an egg.
Instructions
It only takes 5 minutes to shake up a vodka sour cocktail!
Step 1
Add all of the ingredients to an empty shaker.
Step 2
Cover and shake for 30-60 seconds to create a foamy layer.
Step 3
Pour drink over ice to chill. Garnish and serve immediately.
Top Tip
Sours are shaken without ice which allows the egg white to foam. Water will break the foam down so add ice to glass before serving!
FAQs
A sour is actually a category of mixed drinks that can be made with nearly any spirit, lemon or lime juice, a sweetener and nearly always include an egg white.
A dry shake is when you shake a cocktail without ice. This is commonly done when you are making a sour or any drink with an egg white. Adding water to an egg white immediately reduces the amount of foam that is produced.
It is safe if the eggs (or egg whites) are pasteurized. Pasteurized eggs have been cooked to 140°F for 3 minutes and are immediately cooled. This process kills the bacteria in an egg making them safe to eat raw. I keep a carton of egg whites on hand for making cocktails. You can also buy pasteurized eggs and separate them, if you prefer.
Don't be scared by the egg white in cocktails. You don't taste egg at all but it adds a ton of creaminess and depth to a cocktail. Not to mention the gorgeous foam on top.
Expert tips for the best sour cocktails
- Chill your ingredients. A sour cocktail is made using the dry shake method, so starting with cold ingredients makes your drink chill faster when you pour it over ice.
- Use fresh lemon juice. The recipe doesn't call for a lot but the freshly squeezed juice adds a much smoother flavor than bottled juice which can be bitter.
- Serve this drink with a large sphere ice cube. The large size allows the drink to be chilled without diluting it. You can make them at home using a sphere ice cube mold.
- Shake your drink vigorously for at least 30-60 seconds. Shaking the drink adds air into the egg whites giving you the foamy, creamy layer on the top of the drink.
- Don't forget the garnish. We used a cherry and a lemon slice to give this drink the perfect finishing touch. Bada Bing Cherries are one of our favorites.
More Fun Cocktails
Check out all of our vodka cocktails!
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Recipe
Vodka Sour
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Vodka
- 1 ounce Lemon Juice
- 1 ounce Simple Syrup
- 1 ounce Egg White
- Lemon Slices
- Bada Bing Cherry
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Instructions
- Add vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white to cocktail shaker without ice.2 ounces Vodka, 1 ounce Lemon Juice, 1 ounce Simple Syrup, 1 ounce Egg White
- Shake vigourously for 30-60 seconds to emulsify the drink.
- Place a large sphere ice cube in a low ball glass and pour content of shaker into glass.
- Garnish with a cherry and lemon sliceLemon Slices, Bada Bing Cherry
Notes
VIDEO
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Kathy R says
Made this over the weekend. I had never had a sour cocktail before - what was I waiting for?! This is delicious! So smooth and goes down so easily! First time made it in the cocktail shaker, and for some reason the top slipped off and made a mess! Second night I used the mason jar - and it was perfect! Cannot wait to make the Aperol Sour next!
Hi Kathy, Thank you!! Sours are SO good! I don't know what took me so long to try them either, but I am totally team egg white in drinks. Let me know how you like the Aperol Sour, you won't believe how smooth it is! Cheers!
jamshed says
It was created over the weekend. What was I waiting for if I had never tried a sour cocktail before? It tastes good! So easy to swallow and smooth! The top slipped off the cocktail shaker when I made it for the first time, creating a mess. I used the mason jar on the second night, and it worked perfectly! I am very excited to make the aperitif next!