Ditch the store-bought sour mix and try my perfectly balanced whiskey sour cocktail recipe. It is unbelievably simple to make, and the flavors are mind-blowing. Bourbon adds warmth and subtle caramel notes, lemon juice adds a citrusy kick, simple syrup introduces a hint of sweetness, and a frothy egg white gives the whole thing a luxurious, rich mouthfeel.
Nowadays, recipes for whiskey sours often omit the egg white. But I think it is a necessary ingredient in this cocktail for both taste and looks. Not only does it look pretty, foaming atop the cocktail, but it also adds a creamy texture. For more easy cocktail recipes, try my negroni recipe, martini recipe, and cosmopolitan.
What you need to make this recipe
Whiskey — whiskey sours are typically made with bourbon whiskey, a sweeter whiskey. If you enjoy a spicy, drier flavor profile, you could use rye whiskey instead.
Lemon juice — fresh lemon juice is a must in this cocktail recipe! And don’t forget to peel the lemon first so you have the garnish ready.
Sweetener — simple syrup is a sweetener with a neutral flavor that won’t compete with the other whiskey sour ingredients. For more caramel undertones to complement the bourbon, you could use an equal amount of maple syrup instead.
Egg white — this might seem like an odd ingredient, but it’s common for a classic drink recipe. The raw egg whites form a frothy, creamy topping that takes whiskey sours to a whole new level of deliciousness. That said, you can skip them if you prefer, but keep in mind that your cocktail will lose its decadent silky mouthfeel.
How to make a whiskey sour
1. Cut a strip of lemon zest off a fresh lemon and set the lemon peel aside to garnish the glass later.
2. Halve and juice the lemon into a fine-mesh strainer to catch the seeds.
3. Pour the bourbon into a cocktail shaker.
4. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
5. Drop in the egg white.
6. Add simple syrup. Close the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 15 seconds to aerate the egg white. If you opted to not use the egg, skip the dry shake and move on to the next step.
7. Fill the shaker halfway with ice.
8. Close and shake again for about 30 seconds or until the outside is frosty.
9. Strain the drink into a chilled cocktail glass or a glass filled with fresh ice.
10. Garnish with the lemon peel and a maraschino cherry.
Pro tips for making this recipe
- Chill the cocktail glass. Place the glass into the freezer for about 30 minutes before you start working on your whiskey sour drink. This cocktail is great served in a coupe glass or rocks glass.
- Peel the lemon before juicing it. It’s much easier to cut off the lemon peel while the lemon is still intact.
- Dry shake first. This simply means that all the ingredients are added to the cocktail shaker and shaken without ice. This is an important step to combine and add air to the egg white, turning it into a foamy, silky topping for the cocktail.
- Don’t use crushed ice. Crushed ice will melt rapidly while you shake the cocktail, watering down the other ingredients. Use ice cubes instead.
- Make a gold rush cocktail: This is a simple twist on a classic whiskey sour that uses honey syrup instead of simple syrup. To make honey syrup, heat an equal amount of honey and water in a saucepan and stir to dissolve the honey. This variation doesn’t need an egg white, so you can skip the dry shaking step.
- Try a New York sour: Another simple twist on the classic recipe, the New York sour has a layer of red wine carefully floated on top, adding a gorgeous visual element as well as dry, fruity flavor. This sour can be made with or without an egg white. Make the cocktail as directed. After straining the mixture into a glass, slowly pour 2 ounces of red wine over the back of a bar spoon so the wine floats in its own layer on top of the rest of the drink.
Frequently asked questions
While the recipe for whiskey sours appeared in The Bartender’s Guide by Jerry Thomas in 1862, some cocktail historians believe that sailors actually invented the cocktail as a way to consume vitamin C from citrus juice while at sea.
Whiskey sours are made with bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup. If you add egg white, like I do in this recipe, it also goes by the name Boston sour.
Both the old fashioned and whiskey sours are iconic cocktails made with similar ingredients. The main difference is that an old fashioned contains bitters and a sugar cube with no egg white, and whiskey sours have lemon juice for a bright, citrus element.
Bourbon is a type of whiskey with sweet, vanilla-and-caramel notes, making it the classic choice for this whiskey cocktail. For a spicier, less sweet version, use rye whiskey instead.
While you can make this cocktail without them, a whiskey sour with egg white is something special. The egg white adds richness and creaminess in addition to a silky texture that you’ll love! Adding egg whites makes a great whiskey sour.
If you want to make simple syrup from scratch instead of heading to the store, you’ll be pleased to know you only need 2 simple ingredients to make it: sugar and water. Bring equal parts of the ingredients to a simmer in a pan and allow the sugar to dissolve. Let cool, and then store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week. You can also shake equal parts sugar and water in a mason jar until fully dissolved, about 1 minute.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this whiskey sour recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Whiskey Sour
Video
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon 60mL
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice 22mL
- ½ oz simple syrup 15mL
- ½ oz egg white 14g, optional
Optional Garnish
- lemon peel
- maraschino cherry
Instructions
- Pour the bourbon, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white into a cocktail shaker.
- Close and shake vigorously.
- Strain the drink into a coupe glass.
- Garnish with lemon peel and maraschino cherry.
Notes
- Chill the cocktail glass. Place the glass into the freezer for about 30 minutes before you start working on your whiskey sour drink. This cocktail is great served in a coupe glass or rocks glass.
- Peel the lemon before juicing it. It’s much easier to cut off the lemon peel while the lemon is still intact.
- Dry shake first. This simply means that all the ingredients are added to the cocktail shaker and shaken without ice. This is an important step to combine and add air to the egg white, turning it into a foamy, silky topping for the cocktail.
- Don’t use crushed ice. Crushed ice will melt rapidly while you shake the cocktail, watering down the other ingredients. Use ice cubes instead.
- Make a gold rush cocktail: This is a simple twist on a classic whiskey sour that uses honey syrup instead of simple syrup. To make honey syrup, heat an equal amount of honey and water in a saucepan and stir to dissolve the honey. This variation doesn’t need an egg white, so you can skip the dry shaking step.
- Try a New York sour: Another simple twist on the classic recipe, the New York sour has a layer of red wine carefully floated on top, adding a gorgeous visual element as well as dry, fruity flavor. This sour can be made with or without an egg white. Make the cocktail as directed. After straining the mixture into a glass, slowly pour 2 ounces of red wine over the back of a bar spoon so the wine floats in its own layer on top of the rest of the drink.
