Lime-Basil Cordial

An herb-infused syrup brightens up gimlets and more

Step away from the bottle of pre-made stuff: it's easy to make sweet-and-sour lime cordial at home. Add it to gin or vodka to make a Gimlet, or splash it into tequila to get a head start on the ultimate Margarita. Into mocktails? The cordial also dresses up non-alcoholic drinks like ginger beer or tonic water.

For more fall cocktail recipes, check out Raise the Bar.

Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen for Crate and Barrel

Lime-Basil Cordial
5 from 29 ratings
The one ingredient your gimlet is missing? Homemade lime-basil cordial.
Prep Time
5
minutes
Cook Time
10
minutes
Servings
2
cups
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
  • 9 limes
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
Directions
  1. Zest the limes directly over a bowl, then cut the limes in half and juice them into a separate bowl (they should produce about ½ cup of lime juice).
  2. Add the sugar to the bowl with the lime zest. Use a muddler to gently tamp down the lime zest, releasing the essential oils from the skin.
  3. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the lime juice, basil leaves and sugar-lime zest mixture. Stir continuously, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. Cover and store in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.
  4. Strain and decant into a bottle or container with a tight-fitting cover. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator. The cordial keeps for up to 4 weeks. Crate and Barrel provided the product featured here and sponsored this post.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 336
Total Fat 0.3 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Trans Fat 0.0
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Total Carbohydrates 90.9 g
Dietary Fiber 4.3 g
Total Sugars 77.4 g
Sodium 3.8 mg
Protein 1.1 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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