September 24, 2018

Sage-Fig Cocktail

Let’s make the most of fig season with this sage-fig cocktail! Featuring a sage simple syrup, fresh figs, sweet orange liqueur and rum, this tasty and oh-so pretty cocktail is the perfect welcome to the fall.

Sometimes life isn’t fair. How can fresh figs be so delicious yet only available for such a short time? Sigh. Well, the best we can do is make the most of fig season, and I have just the recipe for you: a sage-fig cocktail with a healthy dose of rum.

Besides incorporating one of my favorite seasonal treats, I especially adore this cocktail for its pretty color. Anything in blush pink —- cocktail or otherwise —- makes me swoon. Is it weird to like a cocktail for its color? If it is, go ahead and call me weird because this cocktail is so pretty, and that makes me happy.

On top of that gorgeous hue, I love how the sweet fig and savory sage flavors complement each other without one overpowering the other. The sage comes through in an infused simple syrup while we muddle fresh figs to get that signature jammy sweetness. The two flavors meld together like equal partners who just want to work together to bring you the most delicious cocktail possible. How nice of them.

A pile of fresh black mission figs on burlap with fresh sage around them.

How to Make

OK, enough chatting. Let’s start mixing. For this cocktail, we need a sage-infused simple syrup, fresh black mission figs, lemon juice, Grand Marnier, white rum, ice and club soda. With infused simple syrup, it’s best to make it ahead of time. This gives the simple syrup time for the sage to steep for a stronger flavor as well as a chance to cool.

To make the sage-infused simple syrup, we bring equal parts water and sugar along with a handful of fresh sage leaves to a high simmer. We give the simple syrup a stir here and there to help dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar dissolves, we turn off the heat and let the sage steep for at least 30 minutes.

Of course, if you don’t get around to making the simple syrup beforehand, you can still make it right before cocktail time and give it less time to steep. Just know that the sage flavor won’t be as prominent, and you may want to use a little extra ice in the next step.

Once the sage-infused simple syrup is ready, we’re just minutes away from a delicious cocktail. We slice the figs in half, add them to our cocktail shaker and muddle until they break down.

If you don’t have a fancy muddler, you can use the blunt end of a cooking spoon. That said, a muddler is definitely worth picking up if you enjoy making cocktails at home.

After we muddle the figs in the cocktail shaker, we add the sage-infused simple syrup, lemon juice, Grand Marnier, rum and ice and then pop on the top and give it a good shake. About 15 to 30 seconds works.

As you can see, figs have a lot of seeds. That just comes with the territory. I don’t mind the seeds because it makes the drink seem fresher in my brain. Plus, I enjoy the added texture. However, if you’re not into seeds, you might want to strain the cocktail over a cheese cloth-lined fine-mesh sieve.

Once we strain, we top this fall cocktail with club soda for a bubbly kick, gently stir and sip away.

Two sage and fig cocktails from an aerial view on burlap with sliced figs on the side.

What if I Can’t Find Fresh Figs?

Considering the short growing season of figs, you can’t always find them fresh. But don’t worry. That doesn’t mean you can only make this cocktail when you have fresh figs on hand.

For those times, we can instead add a cup of dried figs to the simple syrup with the sage. Dried figs give a richer, more concentrated flavor. The color won’t be the same as pictured, and the flavor will be a bit different, but it’s a delicious option when you can’t get fresh figs.

Perfect Pairing

Figs are delicious with caramelized onions and blue cheese, and I just happen to have the perfect recipe: caramelized onion polenta with a blue cheese sauce. I love the way fig and the caramelization from the onions mimic each other with their sweet, rich flavors, and the blue cheese offers a salty, briny contrast. This sage-fig cocktail and that caramelized onion polenta were made for each other.

Or maybe you can’t get enough figs. In that case, you’ll love my baked Brie with fig and Kahlua sauce. This is easily one of my favorite fall appetizers.

I hope you put this sage-fig cocktail on your fall menu and take advantage of fig season while it lasts. Please let me know how you enjoyed this recipe in the comment section and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter. You can also catch me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.

Cheers!

A close-up of a sage-fig cocktail with a fig next to it.

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