We’ve dubbed this unicorn gin cocktail the drink of the summer over here at Fit Foodie Finds! It’s a magic color-changing cocktail that goes from purple to pink with the squeeze of a lemon.
Get ready for this crowd-pleasing summer cocktail recipe we’ve been making on repeat for the past few months! You’ll combine a yummy herbal tea with gin and simple syrup, pour it into cocktail glasses and then finish off with a squeeze of lemon (this is the secret sauce!), which causes the drink to change from a purple to a pink color. It’s not a Harry Potter spell, but you bet your friends and family will think it’s just as cool 😋
If you are looking for more cocktail recipes to serve alongside these gorgeous gin cocktails, check out our Hibiscus Arnold Palmer Drink, Honey Greyhound Cocktails, or one of these Sex on the Beach Slushies. FUN.
Unicorn Gin Cocktail Ingredients
- Blackberry-raspberry hibiscus tea by Bigelow: we recommend this specific tea for the most drastic color changing drink. Any herbal tea will technically work, but this tea is vibrant in color, which means it will create a more noticeable change in color with the squeeze of a lemon.
- Gin: the higher quality gin, the better it will taste! We love Prairie Organic Gin 😀
- Simple syrup: feel free to use store-bought or make your own with our recipe!
- Orange bitters: any citrus bitters will do.
- Lemon wedges: don’t skip these! It’s what will change your drink color from purple to pink.
- Mint: fresh mint leaves make for a gorgeous garnish.
What makes it change color?
Herbal tea can change color when citrus is added because the citrus increases the tea’s acidity. This changes the pH levels of the tea’s ingredients, and can result in a color change of the tea itself when it’s a vibrant enough color.
![A hand uses a metal spoon to stir a dissolving purple effervescent tablet in a clear glass pitcher filled with water.](https://fitfoodiefinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Unicorn-Gin-Cocktail-08.jpg)
![A hand placing ice cubes into a cocktail glass filled with a clear drink, with more ice-filled glasses and lemon slices blurred in the background.](https://fitfoodiefinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Unicorn-Gin-Cocktail-05.jpg)
Choosing the Best Tea
When it comes to choosing tea for this drink, you need to make sure it’s an herbal tea since that’s what causes the chemical reaction that changes the color of the liquid. BUT we will say, it’s best to go with a vibrant colored tea like raspberry or blackberry or hibiscus tea. And that’s exactly why we chose this Bigelow raspberry blackberry hibiscus tea — it makes for a vibrant colored drink and also the most drastic color change with the squeeze of a lemon. It really will change from purple to pink like in these photos!
Make it Non-Alcoholic
This is a great drink to serve if you want something that can be easily accommodated for an NA option. Simply omit the gin or substitute 1:1 for another clear liquid like sparkling water. Just avoid any colored liquid because it will impact the color changing quality of this drink!
![A person's hand placing a lemon wedge on the rim of a glass filled with pink lemonade garnished with mint leaves, with another similar glass in the background.](https://fitfoodiefinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Unicorn-Gin-Cocktail-01.jpg)
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![A hand placing a lemon slice on the rim of a pink cocktail garnished with mint in a stemmed glass.](https://fitfoodiefinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Unicorn-Gin-Cocktail-12-550x550.jpg)
Unicorn Gin Cocktail Recipe
We’ve dubbed this unicorn gin cocktail the drink of the summer over here at Fit Foodie Finds! It’s a magic color-changing cocktail that goes from purple to pink with the squeeze of a lemon.
Prep:8 minutes
Total:8 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 oz. blackberry-raspberry hibiscus tea by Bigelow
- 12 oz. gin
- 1 tablespoon simple syrup
- ½ teaspoon orange bitters any citrus bitters will do
- 4 lemon wedges
- Mint for garnish
Tips & Notes
- You can use your favorite herbal tea, but we highly recommend using blackberry, and raspberry hibiscus tea.
- We used Grey Whale Gin. The higher quality gin you use, the better.
Nutrition facts
Calories: 218kcal Carbohydrates: 6g Protein: 0.2g Fat: 0.1g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 4g