Gin, St. Germain, grapefruit juice, sliced Jalapeño, and fresh basil come together for a deliciously balanced and refreshing blend of spicy, sweet, and sour.
This cocktail is inspired by a cocktail of the same name at one of my favorite Denver restaurants, Root Down.

📖 Recipe
Yield: 1 drink
Pepper Blossom Cocktail ~ Citrus and Jalapeño
Gin, St. Germain, grapefruit juice, sliced Jalapeño, and fresh basil come together for a deliciously balanced and refreshing blend of spicy, sweet, and sour.
Ingredients
- 2 oz gin
- 3 or 4 slices jalapeño, seeds removed
- 4 or 5 large basil leaves
- 1 oz St Germain
- 2 oz grapefruit juice
- Club soda (optional)
Instructions
- Add the gin, jalapeño slices, and basil leaves to a liquid measuring cup and muddle a bit to release the flavor of the jalapeño and basil. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.
- Wet the rim of a glass with grapefruit juice and coat with sugar (optional). Fill with ice.
- Strain the gin into a cocktail shaker and add the St Germain and grapefruit juice. Stir or shake to combine and pour into the ice-filled glass.
- Top off with a bit of club soda (optional).
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
Bren Mercer says
Love this cocktail so much! Question… What grapefruit juice do you prefer?
RebeccaBlackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that you like this cocktail as much as I do Bren! It's one of my very favorites! I usually try to find a brand that says it's "not from concentrate" and just juice with no added anything. Simply Grapefruit is usually the one I choose because almost all major supermarkets seem to carry it. I hope that helps! xo
Kristie says
I had this, or a very similar drink, at Ozark Mill Restaurant in Ozark, MO a couple weeks ago and it's hands down the best drink I've ever gotten at a restaurant...maybe anywhere!? It's the perfect sweet, but not too sweet; spicy, but not too spicy; and interesting, without too much going on, drink! It's refreshing and surprising at the same time! I googled the ingredients to find the recipe. Our server said that it was Maren Morris' signature wedding drink, I can see why! Kudos to the inventor of this delicious treat in a glass!
RebeccaBlackwell says
I agree 100% with every singe thing you said about this drink! I completely fell in love with it the first time I tried it and haven't looked back. I'm so glad you found this recipe! Now you can make them whenever you like. 🙂 Cheers! xo
Insley says
Great reciepe!!! Kept the seeds in for a little bite at the end of the drink. Beautiful favor combo. Thanks for sharing. You got anymore goodies up your sleeve?
RebeccaBlackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that you liked this recipe! It's truly one of my all-time favorite cocktails. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I appreciate it so much! xo
Vince says
This is perfect. Just like what we tried at Root down at the Denver airport. Thank you for posting.
RebeccaBlackwell says
Hi Vince! I am so happy to hear that you like this recipe! I just loved that cocktail so much that I knew I had to figure out how to make them at home. 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me! xo
Joshua Mulroney says
My name is Joshua Mulroney and I invented the Pepper Blossom at Root Down. Just to let you know. Cool drink recipe and I am glad it inspired a new drink.
RebeccaBlackwell says
Hi Joshua! So happy to meet you! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Pepper Blossom. Thank you so much for inventing such a delicious cocktail! And, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me! The next time we're eating at Root Down I'll ask if you're in. xo