Let's give this classic gimlet cocktail a fall twist! This pear-sage gimlet balances a trio of sweet, tart and savory notes to make one complex, flavorful cocktail. You'll want to sip on this gin gimlet all throughout the fall.
Nothing makes an evening like a fresh, seasonal craft cocktail. Sure, I always appreciate a meal full of seasonal ingredients, but when you can also combine those flavors into a cocktail, it adds a special touch to the gathering. To me, it feels like you're in a fancy craft cocktail bar from the comfort of your own home.
With the fall here, I can't get enough orchard fruits, and sage has become my go-to herb -- and not just for savory meals. If you've ever tried my sage-fig cocktail -- another delightful fall sipper -- you already know how great it is in seasonal drinks, so I'm excited to bring you another delicious option for the fall. Let's get to it.
Ingredients
Before we start mixing, let's make sure we have our ingredients on hand.
- Pear-sage simple syrup: We're making this ourselves with water, sugar, pears and fresh sage, so there's no need to go searching the store shelves for some obscure syrup.
- Gin: Your favorite London dry gin works. I usually reach for one of my local gins or Bombay Sapphire, depending what I have on hand.
- Fresh lime juice: I definitely prefer freshly squeezing my lime juice rather than squirting in bottled juice, and it takes hardly any effort.
- Ice: Because no one likes room-temperature gimlets. Not good.
How to Make Pear-Sage Simple Syrup
Before making our gimlet, we first need to prepare our pear-sage simple syrup. For this step, we add equal parts water and sugar to a small saucepan along with chopped pear and fresh sage sprigs and then bring the mixture to a boil.
Once the syrup boils, we turn off the heat and let the mixture steep. Ten minutes should do but feel free to let it sit even longer if you'd like. Now we strain the syrup and chill until we're ready for a drink.
As long as you store this pear-sage simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it should last several weeks, which is why I adore making homemade syrups for cocktails when entertaining. These unique simple syrups make it easy to put a custom spin on any cocktail, and you can take care of this step well in advance for hassle-free entertaining.
How to Make Pear-Sage Gimlet
Now that our simple syrup is ready, we can start on the rest of our gin gimlet, which is as easy as can be. To make our pear-sage gimlet, we add our homemade simple syrup, gin, freshly squeezed lime juice and ice to a cocktail shaker. We pop on the top and give it a good shake.
Gimlets are served in a martini glass with no ice, so we want to make sure we perfectly chill it before serving. I find a 30-second shake does the job nicely.
For an extra refreshing cocktail, we can also chill our martini glass, which helps keep our gimlet cold as we sip. To take care of this, we can pop the martini glass in the freezer for about 30 minutes before serving. Another option is to fill the martini glass with ice and water as you prepare the pear gimlet and then empty the glass right before serving.
Now that our fall gimlet is mixed and chilled, we strain it into our martini glass, garnish with a lime wheel and relax with the perfect fall cocktail.
Can I Substitute Another Liquor for Gin?
If you're not a big gin fan, no worries. I happen to love gin, but I know it's not for everyone. Vodka makes a great substitute.
As a neutral liquor, vodka won't add those additional citrus and floral notes that come with gin, but it still makes for a tasty gimlet. This really comes down to personal preference.
Perfect Pairing
You'll love this pear-sage gimlet with my cheddar-apple stuffed chicken thighs in a creamy garlic sauce. The savory sage pairs nicely with the fresh herbs in the cheddar and apple stuffing, and I love how the bright lime cuts through that rich sauce. With these two together, you have the perfect autumn meal.
For a tasty and easy fall cocktail, I hope you try this pear-sage gimlet.
Cheers!
Looking for More Fall Cocktails?
- Plum-thyme margarita
- Apple Bellini
- Chai old fashioned
- Gingered bourbon-apple cider cocktail
- Apple cider old fashioned
If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating — or simply hit the five-star button in the recipe card. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.
📖 Recipe
Pear-Sage Gimlet
Ingredients
For Pear-Sage Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3-4 fresh sage sprigs
- 2 pears cored and diced
For Pear-Sage Gimlet
- 2 ounces London dry gin
- 1 ounce pear-sage simple syrup
- ½ lime juiced
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish, optional
Instructions
For Pear-Sage Simple Syrup
- Add water, sugar, sage and pears to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Turn off heat once it boils and the sugar dissolves.
- Allow to steep for at least 10 minutes and strain. Use the back of a spoon to push down on the pears while straining to extract as much flavor as possible. Chill and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several weeks.
For Pear-Sage Gimlet
- Add gin, pear-sage simple syrup, lime juice and a handful of ice to a cocktail shaker. Put on the top and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- To get the most juice out of the lime, I recommend firmly rolling the lime on the counter several times under the palm of your hand before cutting, and then use a handheld juicer to extract as much juice as possible.
- For full tips, please see blog post.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
Google Web Story: Fall-Inspired Pear Gimlet
Chef Dennis says
Tasty! This Pear-Sage Gimlet will be our new favorite.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Cheers, Dennis!
Kate says
We made this and it was amazing!! Totally loved it!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I’m so glad you loved it, Kate! Cheers!
Debra says
Winner, winner....we have found our Thanksgiving cocktail for this year. It's going to be perfect with our menu too!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I hope you enjoy! I think it’ll be the perfect touch to your Thanksgiving meal.
Chef Dennis says
I use to love gimlets and the pear simple syrup sounds like a delicious addition!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
They were made for each other!
Jo says
That is one delicious cocktail. It looks stunning and I love anything pear. The flavors sounds amazing!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I’m glad you like it!
Leslie says
I'm absolutely drooling over this recipe! I love the flavors you used for this. Pear is amazing and I'm sure quite delightful in this drink!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
It's so good! If you love pear, I'm sure you'll be a big fan.
Tammy says
You know, I've never had a gimlet before but I love the idea of sage and pear. That's such a unique and elegant twist...this looks so pretty!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks! Gimlets are so good and super refreshing. I think you'll love it!
Veronika says
Love this flavor combination! I love trying new drinks and this one looks absolutely delicious! Going to make it this weekend!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Yay! Hope you loved it!
Beth says
This gimlet sounds like a wonderful way to enjoy fresh pears. And how tantalizing that you make your own pear-sage simple syrup - this is a must-try.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I hope you love it, Beth!
Kathryn Donangelo says
I love pear flavored drinks and so glad we made these over the weekend! So refreshing and loved the hint of sage in this cocktail. They are a perfect combination together. We love all of your cocktail recipes and looking forward to trying more!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Awww, thanks so much, Kathryn! I’m so glad you enjoy them. Honestly, cocktails are my favorite to create. ??
Valerie Skinner says
This is such a wonderful flavor combination! The sage will pair so well with all of the Thanksgiving food I have planned. Can't wait to cheers with this.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
It will be the perfect touch to your Thanksgiving meal!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
I am so crushing hard on this Amanda! I LOVE LOVE LOVE pear anything and the fact that you "paired" it with sage is genius! That Pear-sage simple syrup is just everything!!! Having the family over later and this is on the menu for libations!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Yay! Y’all are going to love it — cheers!
Bernice Hill says
Well. It's five o'clock somewhere and I'm craving a gimlet. Love the flavours you have used in this fall version and all the helpful cocktail tips in the post.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I'm so glad they're helpful, Bernice! Hope you enjoy.