Spring Fling Cocktail Recipe
The Spring Fling Cocktail (aka Rose Garden Fizz) is a refined blend of floral gin, elderflower liqueur, rose water and citrus, topped with club soda and garnished with peony ice cubes.
It’s springtime, and that can mean only one thing. Peony season has arrived! It never gets old seeing these beautiful blooms flooding our feeds, their lush petals and vibrant colors bringing serious joy to the start of the season. We’re definitely guilty of keeping a bouquet (or two) in the house at all times during this short-lived window of floral bliss.
But beyond being a visual treat and Instagram favorite, peonies also have a delicious secret. They’re edible flowers! You can sprinkle their petals over salads, float them in soups, or (our personal favorit) use them to elevate your cocktails. Peony petals add a touch of elegance and whimsy to any drink, and they’re the star of today’s recipe: the Spring Fling Cocktail, also known as the Rose Garden Fizz.
This drink is everything you want in a spring cocktail: light, balanced, and subtly floral. The mix of gin, St. Germain, lemon syrup, rose water, and bubbly club soda creates a refreshingly delicate sip that feels perfect for patio hangs, bridal showers, or garden parties. We like to use a soft, floral-forward gin without a heavy juniper punch so the rose water and elderflower can really shine.
Top it all off with peony petal ice cubes, and you’ve got yourself a show-stopping cocktail that’s as pretty as it is tasty. Trust us. This one’s almost too lovely to drink. Almost.
Ingredients Needed
- Gin — Use a soft, floral gin with botanical notes, something like Hendrick’s, The Botanist, or a cucumber- or citrus-forward gin. Avoid heavily juniper-dominant gins, as they can overpower the delicate rose and elderflower.
- St. Germain elderflower liqueur — It’s on the sweeter side, so adding some club soda not only adds a fun fizz, but helps keep the drink from being cloying.
- Lemon simple syrup — Recipe below.
- Rose water — Just a few drops go a long way. Rose water is potent, and too much can make your cocktail taste soapy. Start small—you can always add more.
- Club soda
- Edible flower ice cubes — Make your own by freezing edible flowers (such as peonies and marigolds) into large ice cube trays using using distilled or boiled water (cooled) for clearer cubes. It’s a showstopper garnish that slowly releases floral notes as the ice melts.
- Lemon peel — Optional for garnish.
How to Make Spring Fling Cocktail or Rose Garden Fizz
1 — In a cocktail shaker with flower cocktails, add gin, St. Germain, lemon syrup, and rose water. Shake into chilled.
2 — Strain into a glass filled with flower ice.
3 — Top with club soda.
4 — Garnish with a lemon twist or edible flower if desired.
How to Make Lemon Simple Syrup
Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by dissolving sugar in water, commonly used in cocktails for smooth, even sweetness. Unlike granulated sugar, it blends easily into cold drinks and can be infused with flavors like herbs or fruit for added depth. It’s an easy way to balance and elevate cocktails without the grit. There are many variations brown sugar simple syrup, mint simple syrup, rose simple syrup or lemon syrup below.
Ingredient needed:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- Lemon zest from 1 lemon — Optional but will give the simple syrup a citrus boost
Instructions:
1 — Combine sugar, lemon juice, water and lemon zest in a small saucepan.
2 — Heat over low to medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves to a boil.
3 — Let it cool before using. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed container.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Chill everything first: If possible, chill your glass and ingredients before mixing. It helps keep the drink crisp and refreshing without needing to water it down with too much ice.
- Experiment with herbs for depth: Adding herbs like fresh thyme, basil, or mint to your spritz brings complexity and layers of flavor. Lightly muddle them before mixing for an aromatic boost that complements the floral notes of the gin and elderflower.
- Garnish thoughtfully: A lemon twist, floating petal, or even a mini edible flower on a cocktail pick adds that finishing touch. Presentation is part of the experience!
More Floral Cocktails to Try
So who’s going to whip this up for next this evening soiree, or girls get together? The peonies are calling! For more light and refreshing floral cocktails, check out some of our favorites below —
Spring Fling Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
To make the cocktail:
- 1 oz gin
- 3/4 oz St. Germain or any elderflower liqueur of your choice
- 1/2 oz lemon simple syrup recipe below
- 8 drop rose water
- 5 oz club soda
- 1 lemon peel optional for garnish
- Edible flower ice cubes
To make the lemon syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 lemon for the zest
Nutrition
Instructions
To make the edible flower ice cubes:
- Freeze clean, edible peony petals or edible flowers of your choice into large ice cubes using distilled or boiled water (cooled) for clearer cubes.
To make the lemon syrup:
- Combine fresh lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest and water in a small saucepan. Heat over low to medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves to a boil. Let it cool.
To make the cocktail:
- In a cocktail shaker with flower ice cubes, add gin, St. Germain, lemon syrup, and rose water. Shake into chilled.
- Strain mixture into a glass filled with flower ice.
- Top with club soda.
- Optional: Garnish with a lemon peel or edible flower if desired.
Don’t forget to share your Spring Fling Cocktail with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? You can find them all right here!
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