Pink Lady
The Pink Lady is a Prohibition-era American cocktail made with gin, apple brandy, grenadine, and egg white, served in a… · United States
The Pink Lady is a Prohibition-era American cocktail made with gin, apple brandy, grenadine, and egg white, served in a coupe glass with a cherry garnish.
About Pink Lady
The Pink Lady is a classic American cocktail that emerged during the Prohibition era in the United States, named after a famously demanding Broadway actress of the early 20th century. It is built on a base of gin, with apple brandy or calvados providing fruit depth, a measure of grenadine syrup giving the drink its signature blush color and a touch of sweetness, and a raw egg white creating a thick, velvety foam when shaken vigorously with ice. The cocktail is served in a chilled coupe or martini glass, often with a cherry or a thin slice of apple as garnish. In the postwar decades, the Pink Lady fell out of fashion along with many Prohibition-era drinks, but it has experienced a significant revival in the craft cocktail movement since the early 2000s, when bartenders rediscovered and reworked classic gin cocktails. The balance between the botanical notes of gin and the sweet-tart apple brandy makes it a sophisticated choice among retro cocktails.
🏛️ History & Culture
The Pink Lady cocktail emerged in the early 20th century United States, with its name commonly linked to the 1911 Broadway play of the same name, though its precise origin and creator remain debated. The classic recipe, featured in early bartending guides, combines gin, grenadine, lemon juice, and egg white, creating a distinctive frothy pink drink.
Regional variations have occasionally swapped gin for applejack or added a splash of cream, but the gin-based version remains the standard. Its vibrant color and delicate texture made it a symbol of elegance and sophistication, particularly popular in mid-century American bars, and it experienced a revival with the modern craft cocktail movement.
🍳 How to make Pink Lady
AI-assisted, not kitchen-testedPink Lady Cocktail
A classic American cocktail that blends gin, applejack, and grenadine with a frothy egg white for a silky, pale-pink finish.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
Recipe ingredients
- 45 ml (1½ fl oz) gin, London dry gin recommended
- 30 ml (1 fl oz) applejack, or calvados or apple brandy
- 15 ml (½ fl oz) fresh lemon juice
- 7.5 ml (¼ fl oz) grenadine, adjust to taste
- 1 large egg white, use pasteurized egg white to avoid salmonella risk; if using fresh, ensure it is very fresh and clean
Steps
- 1 Add the gin, applejack, lemon juice, grenadine, and egg white to a cocktail shaker.
- 2 Dry shake (without ice) for 15 seconds to fully emulsify the egg white.
- 3 Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds until well chilled.
- 4 Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
- 5 Optionally garnish with a maraschino cherry.
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Pink Lady — frequently asked questions
What is Pink Lady?
The Pink Lady is a classic American cocktail that emerged during the Prohibition era in the United States, named after a famously demanding Broadway actress of the early 20th century. It is built on a base of gin, with apple brandy or calvados providing fruit depth, a measure of grenadine syrup giving the drink its…
What is Pink Lady made of?
Pink Lady is made with gin, apple brandy, grenadine, egg white, lemon juice and cherry.
Where does Pink Lady come from?
Pink Lady comes from United States, and is especially associated with United States. The Pink Lady cocktail emerged in the early 20th century United States, with its name commonly linked to the 1911 Broadway play of the same name, though its precise origin and creator remain debated.
Where can I eat Pink Lady?
In craft cocktail bars and speakeasy-style lounges in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago; at historic bars including the Oak Room at the Plaza Hotel in New York; increasingly common on cocktail menus worldwide.
How do you make Pink Lady?
Making Pink Lady at home takes about 5 minutes of prep. The recipe on this page serves 1 and is rated easy. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.
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