Diane's Food Blog

Every spring when the lilacs bloom, I make a big bottle of lilac liqueur. I’ve always been more into wine than cocktails, so I’ve struggled to find good ways to use this sweet, fragrant liqueur. But good news – I’m branching out into the cocktail realm and plan to amp up my lilac liqueur production now that I’ve discovered this delicious riff on the classic sidecar cocktail.

Substituting lilac flavor for the traditional orange flavor renders a slightly sweeter version of this typically “sour” drink. Enjoy it chilled, straight up, or over ice with a little fizz. Garnish with mint and colorful edible flowers to add to the fun!

Lilac Sidecar
2 parts cognac (or very, very good brandy – this is critical!)
1 part lemon juice
1 part lilac liqueur
Optional: sparkling water, simple syrup (or lilac syrup)

Straight up:
Mix cognac, lemon juice and lilac liqueur together in a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Add simple syrup to taste, if desired. Strain into serving glass and garnish with a twist of lemon.

Over ice:
Mix cognac, lemon juice and lilac liqueur together and pour into a serving glass filled with ice. Add a splash of sparking water (or lemon-line soda). Adjust sweetness with simple syrup, if desired.