Sparkling Cucumber Gimlet

This fresh Cucumber Gimlet, made with vodka, cucumber, sparkling water, and lime, is a classic cocktail with a twist. It’s the cocktail you will want to sip all summer long. 

While we’re cooling off in the summer heat we enjoy a cucumber cocktail with Grilled Blackened Salmon for dinner and Peach Cobbler for dessert.

Sparkling Cucumber Gimlet

Sometimes you just need a delightfully refreshing cocktail to kick off the weekend right. This sparkling cucumber gimlet is just what you need in your life. 

You heard that right, a cocktail with cucumber as the main focus. This delightful vegetable is making its way out of its role in salads and water and entering the big leagues of the cocktail world. What a time to be alive!

You’ll be amazed by how refreshing and enjoyable the flavors are in this summer sipper with cucumber-infused vodka, sparkling lime soda or water, and fresh mint sprigs. I’m craving one just thinking about it!

What is A Gimlet?

As with most cocktails nowadays, the gimlet had a strict recipe back in the day, but there are plenty of variations now that allow you to play around with the drink to meet your preferences, like this cucumber gimlet. 

A tried and true gimlet is half gin and half lime juice, that’s it. People now also still consider it a gimlet when the gin is replaced with vodka.  The classic cocktail got its name after Navy surgeon Thomas Gimlette encouraged his shipmates to mix their gin with lime juice to prevent scurvy. 

Since preventing scurvy is no longer too much of a concern, recipes tend to tone down the lime juice a bit making the ratio more like 3:1 instead of 1:1. 

The 411 On Cucumber Infused Vodka

Infusing vodka essentially means you are taking a fruit or vegetable and letting it seep into the vodka for several days until the flavors have had enough time to mingle and become one amazing flavored alcohol.  

The whole point of infusing vodka is to make just plain old vodka have a little more excitement and flavor without adding a bunch of sugars and additives. Don’t get just regular flavored vodka confused with infused vodka.

If you’re buying a premixed bottle, you’ll want to look out for that wording or you might end up with an overly sweet fake-tasting vodka that you hate. I used the Smirnoff Infusions for my sparkling cucumber gimlet and loved it.

Can I Make My Own Infused Vodka?

Absolutely! Most people actually prefer to make it at home instead of trying to find a premade infusion. 

Making your own allows you to save a buck and buy a cheaper bottle of liquor since the infusion will be the star of the show, not the vodka itself. Check out this great recipe for making your own Cucumber Infused Vodka

Do I have to use infused vodka?

While I highly recommend using infused vodka, it’s not completely necessary if you really don’t want to. Plain vodka will work fine, the cucumber cocktail just won’t have nearly as strong of a cucumber flavor, unless you add in a little cucumber sparkling water with the lime sparkling water. 

How To Make a Sparkling Cucumber Gimlet 

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

1. Fill two rocks glasses half full with ice and place 3 cucumber slices in each glass. I like to put them between the ice and the glass.
2. Add 2 ounces of cold cucumber vodka to each glass and top off with sparkling water or soda. Squeeze a little lime juice in each cocktail and stir.
3. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, or a small pinch of dill weed. Enjoy!

Tools You’ll Need: 

• Rocks Glasses 
• Cocktail Shaker Bar Set
• Shot Glass  

Can I Make A Cucumber Gimlet Non-Alcoholic?

I this was your typical gimlet cocktail there would really be no way to make it non-alcoholic, seeing as that would leave you with just a glass full of lime juice. Hey if you’re into that, go for it, I just don’t recommend it. 

Since this particular recipe is a bit more complex than the traditional recipe, you actually could make it non-alcoholic. 

Just replace the cucumber vodka with extra sparkling water or soda. If you still want that infused cucumber flavor, try out a cucumber sparkling water to go with your lime sparkling water. Other than making that switch everything else in the recipe will stay the same. 

Not Fan of Sparkling Water?

So what if you still want to make this alcoholic, but you aren’t a fan of sparkling water? Good news is you can still make this cucumber gimlet it just won’t be nearly as sweet. 

If you eliminate the sparkling water you’ll end up with a slightly sweet cucumber and lime martini, which still sounds so amazing! So, if you mix it this way be sure to swap those rocks glasses for a nice martini glass to make it official. 

Once you try that martini and love it, you have to try my all-time favorite martini recipe, Lemon Drop Martini With Elderflower. 

Love This Drink? Then Check Out Even More Summer Refreshers!

The Perfect Paloma Cocktail – a Mexican favorite cocktail. Made with fresh grapefruit juice and silver tequila the Paloma is arguably more refreshing than a margarita.  This bright citrus drink is perfect for weekend get-togethers. 

Mango Coconut Daquari – There’s nothing quite like a refreshing tropical daiquiri made with fresh mango, coconut rum, and coconut cream on a hot summer day.

Sangria Mexican Mule – Wine lovers, this Moscow Mule is for you!! Sangria Mexican Mule is a tequila-based version of the classic Moscow Mule along with red wine and berries. Making it fruity, zingy and a guaranteed win.

Basil Raspberry Mojito – This vibrant Mojito with Basil makes a Pitcher of Mojitos that is sure to be the life of the party! It’s the best mojito recipe I’ve tasted, by far. 

Watermelon Grapefruit Wine Slush – Take your bottle of Riesling to the next level with this recipe for a Watermelon Grapefruit Wine Slush. It’s the backyard BBQ drink of the summer.

Pineapple Cucumber Rum Punch – This bright and refreshing pineapple cucumber rum punch is perfect for Sunday brunch, Mother’s Day, Easter, or just quenching a thirst!

Excite Your Taste Bus With A Sparkling Cucumber Gimlet

Perfectly crisp refreshing cocktail for weekend brunches, summer BBQs, or Girls’ night in.