Grapefruit Vodka Cocktail with Rosemary

This Grapefruit Vodka Cocktail is a fizzy and refreshing drink that pairs perfectly with food. Easy homemade rosemary simple syrup comes together with fresh grapefruit juice.

Last year at this time, I shared my recipe for my homemade rosemary simple syrup, as well as the rosemary gin cocktail that I make with it.

Since then, I’ve been waiting for grapefruit to come back into season again, so I could share my favorite grapefruit vodka cocktail with rosemary with you (and also eat it alongside almond crusted chicken)!

Well, grapefruit has finally hit my store again, so here I am. Fresh grapefruit juice is always my top choice for fancy cocktails like a grapefruit mule and this grapefruit vodka drink, although bottled grapefruit juice will do in a pinch.

This Grapefruit Rosemary Cocktail is perfect for Christmas, New Year’s or any winter evening when you want to feel like a fancy bartender at home.

This grapefruit vodka cocktail starts with homemade rosemary simple syrup.

Please click over to my post for rosemary simple syrup and make that recipe before you begin to make your grapefruit rosemary cocktail. Or, if you can find store bought rosemary simple syrup near you, go ahead and buy it!

But if you’re making homemade syrup for this grapefruit vodka drink, it will take you just 15 minutes to make, and 10 of those minutes are allowing the syrup to stand at room temperature. So yeah, it’s pretty easy.

The simple syrup will keep fresh in your fridge for at least 5 days, so you can enjoy a few rounds of rosemary vodka cocktails throughout the week (or even stir the syrup into honey lemonade or agave lemonade for an alcohol free refresher).

The ingredients for this grapefruit rosemary recipe are simple:

• vodka – use a good quality unflavored vodka for this grapefruit vodka cocktail. I like Valentine Vodka made here in my home town of Ferndale, MI, or Tito’s, which is a national brand. This is also what I use in my jello shot recipe Halloween!
• fresh grapefruit juice – ruby red grapefruit preferred for this grapefruit vodka drink! If you can find the ones labeled “sweet” (usually from Texas), even better! Buy a few extra grapefruits and brulee them for a great yogurt topping!
• rosemary simple syrup – linked to in the section above and the recipe card below, my recipe for this easy homemade cocktail syrup takes just about 15 minutes to make, and can be made and refrigerated in advance. Especially a great idea when you have rosemary left over after making salmon baked in oven or mini Hasselback potatoes.
• club soda – or sparkling water like Lacroix, if you want to use that for this grapefruit cocktail recipe (also works in my basil cocktail).
• ice – crucial for this grapefruit rosemary cocktail, obviously.
• rosemary sprigs – the sprig garnish is optional but makes it oh so pretty.

How to make a grapefruit rosemary cocktail:

First, refer to 6 easy ways to squeeze fresh citrus juice to get your fresh grapefruit juice ready for this grapefruit cocktail recipe.

After that, this grapefruit vodka drink is THE EASIEST, you don’t even need a cocktail shaker. I make it all in the glass it’ll be served in.

Simply fill a double old fashioned glass with ice. Add the grapefruit juice, club soda, vodka and rosemary simple syrup and give it a really good stir until everything is well combined.

Stick a rosemary sprig in there for garnish, and it’s ready to drink. I told you, this grapefruit vodka cocktail is so easy!

More ideas for rosemary infused simple syrup cocktails:

• BOURBON – My bourbon lemon rosemary cocktail is an herby twist on a classic bourbon sour cocktail. It uses the same homemade rosemary simple syrup. Bourbon lovers will also enjoy my bourbon mule recipe!
• GIN – The Rosemary Gin Cocktail I linked to in the first sentence of this post is a refreshing blend of fresh orange juice, gin, tonic water and rosemary simple syrup.
• A DIFFERENT VODKA IDEA – My cranberry rosemary cocktail is perfect for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season!

Tasty snacks to serve with a grapefruit vodka drink:

You can never go wrong with melted cheese and bread, so my savory baked brie is always a crowd pleaser. The cheese is topped with basil pesto and roasted garlic, and it’s the stuff dreams are made of to munch on with this grapefruit cocktail recipe.

My Greek chicken meatballs and turkey meatballs recipe air fryer can be served as either main dishes or a party snacks, and they’re great with this grapefruit vodka cocktail. Don’t forget to make the yogurt dipping sauces – my favorite part!

If you’re into cured meats like prosciutto, I highly recommend my charcuterie cups, jarcuterie or even a charcuterie chalet to nibble on alongside a grapefruit rosemary cocktail.

My prosciutto sandwich recipe has an herby mayo that echos the rosemary flavor in this drink.

For even more ideas, see my New Year’s Eve snacks and Valentine’s Day snacks posts. They’re all great for ANY occasion, not just those holidays.