Let's make the most of fig season with this sweet and savory sage-fig cocktail! Featuring a homemade sage simple syrup, fresh figs, orange liqueur, lemon juice and rum, this tasty and oh-so pretty cocktail is the perfect welcome to the fall months. With those rich, warm flavors, you'll want to sip on this autumn cocktail by the fire all season long.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Enjoy a unique flavor combination: Sure, you've had plenty of strawberry drinks in your time, but how many fig cocktails do you get a chance to sip? A unique craft cocktail always creates a memorable drinking experience and makes your look like a master mixologist. This cocktail is ready to impress.
Shows off the perfect sweet and savory balance: You'll adore how the rich, sweet fig and savory sage flavors complement each other. The sage comes through in an infused simple syrup while we muddle fresh figs to get that signature jammy sweetness. We then finish the drink with a splash of club soda for an effervescent touch to make a perfectly balanced cocktail.
Makes a stunning signature cocktail: With those favorite seasonal flavors and that pretty, head-turning blush pink hue, this is one swoon-worthy drink that deserves top billing on any fall cocktail menu. Wouldn't this make the loveliest Thanksgiving cocktail as you graze on a charcuterie and cheese platter while waiting for the big meal?
Related: For more fall cocktails, try my apple cider margarita and cranberry old fashioned!
Ingredients
Figs: I highly recommend using Black Mission figs, which are bursting with a sweet, honey-like sweetness. Brown Turkey figs are another common type, but they're much milder in flavor. Your drink won't be quite as rich. For best results, go with the Black Mission variety. If you can't find fresh figs at your local grocery store, I have a couple alternatives for you.
White rum: I used white rum to really allow the fig flavor to shine, but I bet a dark rum would also taste wonderful if you'd like to experiment. For a little mixing inspiration, you can check out this list of best rums for cocktails.
Sage simple syrup: As a specialty syrup, we'll need to make this ourselves. This requires fresh sage and equal parts water and white sugar. And please make sure you get fresh sage. Dried sage won't work here.
Orange liqueur: Although you can use any orange liqueur, such as triple sec, I especially love Grand Marnier. This brandy base of this spirit pairs beautifully with the rich figs.
Lemon juice: Make sure you use fresh lemon juice. Bottled juice tastes muddied down. Taking a few seconds to squeeze your own juice makes all the difference.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Before starting on the cocktail, we need to prepare our sage simple syrup. To do this, we bring water, sugar and sage to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat (photo 1). Once it boils and the sugar dissolves, we turn off the heat and allow the mixture to steep for 15-30 minutes.
Step 2: Now we add a couple figs with the sage syrup to a cocktail shaker and muddle until the mixture breaks down like so (photo 2).
Step 3: After we muddle the figs, we add the rum, orange liqueur, lemon juice and a handful of ice (photo 3).
Step 4: We pop on the cocktail shaker top and shake well (photo 4). About 15 to 30 seconds works.
Step 5: From here, we strain into an ice-filled cocktail glass (photo 5). I love the rustic look of the pictured glasses, but a rocks or old fashioned glass works beautifully.
Step 6: For our final step, we top our drink with chilled club soda for a bubbly kick, gently stir and sip away (photo 6).
Recipe FAQs
Fresh figs are available for a short stint in June, but the main harvest begins in August and lasts through November. Of course, dried figs are available any time of year.
If you can't find fresh figs at your standard store in season, check Whole Foods, Sprouts or another higher-end grocer. Fresh figs are more of a specialty produce, so not all grocery stores carry them.
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 with the sage, water and sugar to make a homemade fig syrup. 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 alternative when you can't get ripe figs.
Another option is to add a couple tablespoons of fig jam with the rum, sage simple syrup and other ingredients and shake as directed. There's no need to muddle when using fig preserves.
For proper storage, keep the simple syrup in a sterile, airtight container in the refrigerator. The sugar acts as a preservative, so it should last a few weeks. Once the syrup turns cloudy, it's time to toss it and make a new batch.
Variations
Swap club soda for ginger beer. This adds a nice spice kick, which is always appreciated in those fall months.
Try another spirit. As mentioned, dark rum would make a nice option, and bourbon and figs are wonderful together.
Substitute sage for another herb. For instance, rosemary or thyme make a nice pairing with the fig, or you could even boil the three together in the simple syrup.
Expert Tips
Remove excess seeds with double straining: Fig seeds are perfectly fine to consume, and I enjoy them in this drink. But if you're not into seeds, pass this drink through a cocktail fine-mesh strainer twice.
Keep a Hawthorne strainer handy: The built-in cocktail strainer on your shaker might be able to pass through the whole drink, but the fig purée will likely block a lot of the drink from getting into the glass. Besides shorting you from a proper drink, it will mess up the proportions of the cocktail and club soda. A Hawthorne strainer ensures you pour the perfect drink.
Make the sage-infused simple syrup 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. Plus, it makes entertaining that much easier.
Use a wooden spoon if no muddler is available: While I definitely recommend buying a muddler if you enjoy making cocktails, a wooden spoon can mash the fruit fine, especially given its soft texture.
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, and the flavors are perfect together.
I hope you put this sage-fig cocktail on your fall menu and take advantage of fig season while it lasts. It's the perfect cocktail for any fall gathering.
Cheers!
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📖 Recipe
Sage-Fig Cocktail
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Cocktail shaker
- Citrus juicer
- Jigger or small measuring cup
Ingredients
Sage Simple Syrup
- 3-4 fresh sage sprigs
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup water
Sage-Fig Cocktail
- 2 black mission figs halved (see note if fresh figs aren't available for dried fig alternative)
- 1 ounce sage simple syrup
- 2 ounces white rum
- 1 ounce orange liqueur preferably Grand Marnier
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Chilled club soda for topping
Instructions
Sage Simple Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine sage, water and sugar. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Frequently stir to help dissolve sugar.
- Once the mixture simmers and the sugar dissolves, turn off heat, allow the sage to steep for at least 30 minutes and strain. Chill and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several weeks.
Sage-Fig Cocktail
- Muddle the figs in a cocktail shaker with the sage simple syrup until they mostly break down.
- Add white rum, orange liqueur, lemon juice and ice to the cocktail shaker.
- Put on the top of the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 15 to 30 seconds.
- Strain into ice-filled glasses and top with club soda. Enjoy!
Notes
- Figs have a lot of seeds, so if you want a seedless cocktail, strain the cocktail over a cheese cloth-lined fine-mesh sieve or double strain.
- If you can't find fresh figs, you can add a cup of dried figs to the simple syrup with the sage. Dried figs have a richer flavor than fresh figs, but it will still be super tasty and infuse plenty of fig flavor. You can also substitute the muddled fresh figs for 2 tablespoons fig jam.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Hailey B says
Is there another liquor other than white rum that would work well with these flavors? Some of my bunch are not into rum, but this cocktail looks amazing! Or does the rum go really well?
Thanks!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Hey, Hailey! Do they like bourbon/whiskey? I haven’t tried bourbon specifically with this recipe, but I’ve used it with another fig cocktail, and it was excellent. Vodka is pretty neutral, so I imagine that could work. I bet a reposado tequila would be nice too! Reposado ages in oak barrels for a few months, so I think the oak and vanilla notes would work well. Let me know what you end up using! I’d love to hear how it turned out.
Hailey B says
Awesome, thanks! We love Reposado Tequila and whiskey, I'll play with it and check back in!
Ramona says
What a great combination, I definitely need to try it as I never thought of pairing the two. This cocktail looks so refreshing and I am sure the flavours are simply divine.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
They're so delicious together! I think you'll love it.
Chelsey says
What a beautiful drink! I love figs (as you could probably tell from my blogs name), and I love what you’ve done with them in this drink, especially paired with sage!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Cheers to a fellow fig lover! Thank you so much, and your blog is beautiful!
Stephanie Simmons says
This sounds so delicious! I haven't done much fig-eating but I think this would be a great way to start!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I most definitely agree!
Chef Mireille says
I love the season when fresh figs are available just wish the season was longer and with the sage - must be so delicious!!!
Mirlene says
The recipe for this cocktail is amazing! YES, life is not fair - we should be able to have figs all year round. Pinning to try later.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Seriously! I hope you love it as much as I do.
Michelle says
This looks yummy and figs are my fav, perfect for the fall, I think I will have to make this!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Totally! I hope you love it.
Jacqueline Debono says
I love figs too! Luckily they grow nearly everywhere here in Italy and I have a neighbouring farmer who lets me pick from his trees! Never made a cocktail with them. Great idea. Def want to try it!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Ohhh, I'm a little jealous. That sounds amazing!
Shernell P Cooke says
Figs are one of my favorite fruits so I know I would love these. Excellent photography.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Awww, thank you so much!
Adriana Lopez Martn says
Figs are my favorite fruit; the season goes so short though. It is difficult to find them fresh, but I have some at home need to make this sage figs cocktail sounds like a great fall libation, cheers!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
For sure! Hope you enjoy it.
April says
I think this is one of the best ways to blend the sweetness of the fig with the savory flavor of the sage! Not to mention that this cocktail will make any party look so classy!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I think so! I definitely get a pinky-up vibe. ?
Gloria says
What an interesting way to use figs. I would never have thought to use them in a cocktail. What a pretty drink. Perfect to enjoy any afternoon, and great as a brunch item too.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you! Definitely agree on brunch. ?
Kelly Anthony says
I'm also a sucker for blush colored drinks and this one has me drooling. Can't wait to serve this to my girlfriends. They are going to fall in love.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
So fun! Hope y'all love it. Cheers!
Stine Mari says
I am a sucker for pretty cocktails in all sorts of colors, too! And this is no exception, a beautiful cocktail and it does sound absolutely drool worthy! I just used all my sage in the garden, but there are still so many things I want to make with sage (including this!!) so I think I have to buy another. Thank you for sharing.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You're welcome and thank you! I think it's definitely a good excuse to pick up some more sage.
Deryn says
I'm gathering up some fun cocktails for the holidays and this sounds just perfect. I love figs so much! I can't always find fresh ones but I'll have to really keep my eyes open for them now!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I hope you find them! I've had luck at Whole Foods.