Blueberry Citrus Mint Julep
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This Blueberry Citrus Julep is the perfect sip when you’re wanting something light and fruity, but still a little serious. No umbrellas or pineapple wedges here. Just a slightly sophisticated drink that’s the perfect swap on Derby Day if you’re not a classic Mint Julep fan.
I love a good bourbon cocktail, and traditional mint juleps have their place when it comes to the Run for the Roses, but they’ve never made it into my regular summer drink rotation. Mostly because I think they could be a little better! So let’s make them better – starting with blueberry syrup instead of traditional simple syrup. And some fresh citrus and bitters to offset the sweetness.
Ingredients
- Fresh mint – A classic julep ingredient!
- Fresh lemon and orange – Fresh citrus always gives the best flavor. Squeeze fresh fruit for this drink. You’ll need less than half of a lemon and orange.
- Blueberry Simple Syrup – Easily made at home with 3 ingredient, blueberry syrup is bringing both the sweet and blueberry elements to this recipe.
- Bourbon – Choose your favorite bourbon for this recipe.
- Orange bitters – Adds a depth of flavor to your julep cocktail. Don’t have any? Simply leave them out.
- Sparkling water or club soda – Both plain sparkling water and club soda work great, so choose your favorite.
Love This Recipe?
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How to Make a Blueberry Citrus Julep
Place mint leaves, lemon juice and orange juice in a rocks glass or julep glass and muddle to break up the mint leaves.
Add blueberry simple syrup, bourbon, and bitters to the glass.
Add crushed ice to fill the glass and top with sparkling water.
Stir gently to combine and garnish with a large sprig of mint and/or slices of orange.Enjoy!
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Gold Rim Crystal Old Fashion Glass
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Blueberry Citrus Mint Julep
Ingredients
- 8 mint leaves
- 0.25 oz lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 0.25 oz orange juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 oz blueberry simple syrup
- 2 oz bourbon
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- 1 oz sparkling water , or club soda
Instructions
- Place mint leaves, lemon juice and orange juice in a rocks glass.8 mint leaves, 0.25 oz lemon juice, 0.25 oz orange juice
- Muddle to break up the mint leaves.
- Add blueberry syrup, bourbon and bitters to the glass.
- Add ice to fill the glass.
- Top with sparkling water.1 oz sparkling water
- Stir gently to combine and garnish with a large sprig of mint and/or slices of orange.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Use fresh juice! With so few ingredients in this cocktail, fresh squeezed is the best for both the lemon and orange juice. You likely need a quarter of a lemon and a quarter of an orange to get the amount of juice you need for one drink.
Don’t have julep cups? Swap out the metal cups for double rocks glasses or use the copper mugs usually reserved for Moscow Mules. They’ll do the same job of keeping your drink nice and cold.
Julep Cup Options
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Happy Hour Snack Pairings
These Blueberry Citrus Juleps have a lot of flavor to them, so they need a hearty snack to hold up to those flavors.
Don’t Miss These Bourbon Cocktails
Looking for more delicious cocktails using bourbon? Sip my classic mint julep or blackberry mint julep. Want something different? Try my light and foamy Ginger Bourbon Sour or a Coffee Old Fashioned (a twist on a classic!).
