Basil Lime Cooler Recipe

Clean, crisp, and perfect for those who find themselves with an abundance of fresh basil.

By
Kelly Carámbula
Kelly Carámbula is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kelly Carámbula

Kelly Carámbula is an artist and sculptor based in San Francisco. Kelly was the designer and publisher behind Remedy Quarterly (2009–2018), a magazine about food memories and the recipes that inspire them, as well as an award-winning food blogger at The Best Remedy.

Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated March 14, 2025
A glass of a vodka cocktail made with basil and lime, garnished with fresh basil and a striped paper straw.

Serious Eats / Kelly Carámbula

Why It Works

  • Simmering basil with water and sugar for just 10 minutes creates a simple syrup that still tastes fresh and herbal.
  • Lime juice adds bright flavor and acidity, while vodka allows the other ingredients to shine.

Once I found myself with a bushel of basil—I was in over my head with bunches of the herb and needed to use them up ASAP. After making the prerequisite pestos, I ventured into pizza and even a basil and lime sorbet, which got me thinking: Those two flavors are perfect summer partners—refreshing and full of flavor—so they can only get better with the addition of a little booze, right? I quickly got to work creating a cool summer cocktail (and using up more of that basil).

Since both the basil and lime have strong, clean flavors, I kept the cocktail pretty simple. After infusing a simple syrup with basil, I paired it with lime juice, vodka, and a splash of seltzer water. It's a light and easy cocktail for an afternoon in the sun.

August 2012

Recipe Details

Basil Lime Cooler Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 10 mins
Active 5 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 1 serving
Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

For the Basil Syrup:

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 6 basil leaves

For the Cocktail:

  • 1 ounce basil syrup

  • 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed juice from 1 whole lime

  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka

  • 3 basil leaves

  • 2 to 3 ounces seltzer

  • Basil sprig to garnish

Directions

  1. For the Basil Syrup: Combine water, sugar, and basil leaves in a small saucepan. Heat over high heat until boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Basil syrup will keep for 1 week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

  2. For the Cocktail: Combine 1 ounce basil syrup, lime juice, and vodka in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fill a Collins glass with ice, then strain the cocktail into the glass. Add extra basil leaves to the glass, top with seltzer, and stir gently. Garnish with straw and basil sprig.

Special Equipment

Fine-mesh strainer, cocktail shaker

Make-Ahead and Storage

This recipe makes enough basil syrup for about eight cocktails. Excess syrup can be stored for up to one week in a covered refrigerated container.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
151 Calories
0g Fat
14g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 151
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 23mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

More Serious Eats Recipes