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Ginger pairs deliciously with all kinds of bourbon and whiskey. This Ginger Bourbon Sour plays up that perfect pairing alongside a creamy egg white, which gives the cocktail a silky texture for a decadent sip.

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I love a twist on a classic cocktail and you don't get a more classic drink than a whiskey sour cocktail.
I have always found egg white in drink recipes to be intimidating - something I’d order at a fancy cocktail bar, but not something I make at home. Then I tried a couple recipes that included egg whites and discovered that not only are they NOT a big deal, but they’re actually pretty fun to make. I definitely feel like a pro bartender every time I make one.
Adding egg white to a cocktail gives it a silky, creamy texture. If you don't like the idea of consuming raw egg whites in your cocktail or would like this drink to be vegan, substitute 1 tablespoon of aquafaba (canned chickpea liquid) for the egg white in this recipe or use a few dashes of cocktail foamer.
This bourbon sour cocktail is great to serve during the holiday season, since it feels fancy enough for special events. Make this festive cocktail for the whiskey lovers and bourbon lovers at your next holiday party.
What's in a Ginger Bourbon Sour Cocktail?
- Bourbon or whiskey
- Ginger simple syrup
- A lemon
- Ginger liqueur
- Egg white
How to Make a Ginger Bourbon Sour
Put everything in a cocktail shaker with a ball whisk and shake for 15 seconds. (If you don't have a ball whisk, dry shake your cocktail - without ice - for 30 seconds.)
Note: When you shake up an egg white cocktail in a three piece cocktail shaker, pressure will build up inside the shaker. Don't fight this! Don't try to muscle through it or your shaker will explode cocktail all over your kitchen. (Trust me on this!!)
When you feel the pressure building up, pause, pop off the top of the shaker to release the pressure, then put the top back on and resume shaking. Stopping shaking will in no way impact the texture of your drink and will save you a lot of clean up.
Add ice and shake for an additional 15 seconds. (Shake for 30 seconds if not using a ball whisk.)
Double strain into a coupe glass.
Enjoy!
Making Ginger Simple Syrup
Ginger syrup is quick and easy to make using only 3 ingredients! Pick up some fresh ginger at the grocery store and follow the directions in my ginger simple syrup recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Since this cocktail is served without ice, skip the rocks glass and serve this one in a coupe glass (or even a martini glass if that's what you have).
- Garnish this Ginger Bourbon Sour with a twist of lemon peel or place a few small drops of angostura bitters in the foam on the top of the drink, then carefully run a toothpick through the drops to form designs.
FAQs and Substitutions
A ball whisk is that metal ball that came in your protein shake blender bottle. You probably have one lying around in a drawer somewhere. It’s not necessary, but will make getting a creamy and dense foam on the top of your cocktail much easier.
Absolutely! If you don’t have a ball whisk, shake the cocktail without ice (a.k.a. dry shaking) for 30 seconds.
When dry shaking your cocktail in a three piece cocktail shaker, pressure will build up. If you feel this happening, pause and let the pressure out of the shaker, re-cover, then resume shaking. Do NOT just keep going or your shaker will come open and explode your cocktail all over. (Trust me on this!!) If you're using a Boston shaker, this shouldn't be an issue.
Absolutely, though the egg white in this cocktail is what gives it a creamy texture. If consuming uncooked egg white bothers you, substitute 1 tablespoon aquafaba (canned chickpea liquid) for the egg white in the cocktail or use a few dashes of cocktail foamer.
No. There are only 5 ingredients in this recipe. Fresh lemon juice is important in cocktails.
Use your favorite bourbon or whiskey in this recipe, just make sure it's not flavored - skip the honey, cinnamon, etc. I like Bulleit bourbon or Buffalo Trace bourbon in this drink.
Try These Bourbon Cocktails
Bourbon is delicious as a main spirit in drinks or as an accompaniment to other bold flavors. Try it with ginger in my Bourbon Ginger Cocktail, with coffee in this Coffee Old Fashioned, with amaretto liqueur in an Amaretto Sour, or frozen with lemon and orange in a Citrus Bourbon Slush. Prefer whiskey? Try this Maple Whiskey Sour recipe.
Print the Recipe Card
PrintGinger Bourbon Sour Cocktail Recipe
Ginger pairs deliciously with all kinds of bourbon/whiskey. This Ginger Bourbon Sour cocktail recipe plays up that perfect pairing alongside a creamy egg white, which gives the cocktail a silky texture for a decadent sip.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: Cocktail Shaker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon or whiskey
- 1 oz ginger simple syrup
- 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 oz ginger liqueur
- 1 egg white
Instructions
Put everything in a cocktail shaker with a ball whisk and shake for 15 seconds.
Add ice and shake for an additional 15 seconds.
Double strain into a coupe glass.
Enjoy!
Notes
If you don’t have a ball whisk, shake the cocktail without ice (a.k.a. dry shaking) for 30 seconds.
When dry shaking your cocktail, if you are using a three-piece cocktail shaker, pressure will build up inside the shaker. If this happens, pause and let the pressure out of the shaker, then resume shaking. If you're using a 2 piece Boston shaker, you likely won't have this issue.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cocktail
- Calories: 265
- Sugar: 20.9 g
- Sodium: 55.7 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.5 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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