Welcome spring blooms and warmer weather with this divine Strawberry Rose Cocktail. This spritzer is made with sake, yuzu liqueur, fresh lemon juice, strawberry and rose syrup, and topped with lemon lime soda. It is sweet, refreshing, and a gorgeous shade of pink!
What Is This Strawberry Rose Cocktail?
This cocktail recipe is inspired by the Strawberry Rose Spring Cocktail I had at Walt Disney World in May of 2024. The cocktail came from the Garden House bar inside the Japan Pavilion at EPCOT. It’s a mix of Nigori Sake, strawberry rose syrup, Sprite, and Yuzu juice. It was the spring seasonal cocktail for Garden House, so it may not return this year. If it doesn’t, at least we can make it at home! It’s the perfect cocktail for spring. It doesn’t even require a cocktail shaker, just a glass and a straw for stirring!
If you’re a fan of Disney World cocktails, you’ll enjoy these recipes for the famous Violet Sake, Blackberry Moonshine Sour, and Avocado Margarita World Showcase cocktails.
Ingredients
- Yuzu Liqueur – Instead of Yuzu juice, this recipe calls for Yuzu liqueur. I couldn’t find Yuzu juice in my local grocery store, but my spirits store did have Yuzu liqueur. I also have a bottle of Marie Brizard Yuzu liqueur on my bar cart. This spirit adds a zesty citrus flavor and a slight bitterness to the cocktail.
- Lemon Juice – This sweet cocktail needs a little acidity to balance the flavors. A splash of fresh lemon juice adds acidity and a more robust citrus flavor.
- Strawberry Syrup – Add a little sweetness and rich strawberry flavor to the cocktail with strawberry syrup. Purchase strawberry syrup at the store or make homemade syrup.
- Rose Syrup – Rose syrup gives cocktails a subtle floral note. You can purchase this syrup premade or make a homemade syrup with food-grade dry rose petals.
- Sake – The original cocktail recipe calls for creamy Nigori sake, but I used Gekkeikan Sake. Nigori is cloudier, creamier, and a bit sweeter than Gekkeikan due to the leftover rice sediment. However, my local grocery store carries Gekkeikan Sake, so it is a more convenient purchase.
- Lemon Lime Soda – The finishing touch to this strawberry rose spritzer is a splash of lemon lime soda. The soda adds bubbles, sweetness, and more citrus flavor. If you want a less sweet cocktail, use lemon lime sparkling water instead of soda.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Homemade Strawberry Rose Syrup
Simple syrup is one of the best ingredients for adding sweetness or floral notes to a cocktail. This syrup combines strawberry and rose to create a delicious blend of flavors. Use this syrup in cocktails or tea.
- Add 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of food-grade dried rose petals or rose buds, 1/2 cup of diced fresh strawberries, and 1 cup of sugar to a small saucepan.
- Heat the saucepan on medium-low heat. It does not need to boil!
- Continuously stir the water-sugar mixture until all of the sugar dissolves and the strawberries turn mushy. Let the syrup cool for an hour.
- Strain into a glass mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge.
- Strawberry rose syrup lasts for 4 weeks in the refrigerator!
How to Make a Strawberry Rose Spritzer
This strawberry rose cocktail recipe is a refreshing cocktail with a pretty pink hue. It’s the perfect cocktail for patio season!
Step One – In a cocktail glass, combine the Yuzu liqueur, lemon juice, strawberry syrup, rose syrup, and sake over ice.
Step Two – Top the mixute with lemon lime soda. Gently stir the cocktail to combine and evenly distribute the ingredients.
Garnish the drink with a lemon wheel (like they do at Disney) or a fresh strawberry. I froze edible rose buds into my ice cubes as a lovely garnish for spring.
Can I Batch This Cocktail?
This is an excellent batch cocktail for a spring garden party, bridal shower, baby shower, or Easter. Multiply the ingredients by the number of guests you wish to serve. For example, for a party of 10 people, you would need 10 ounces of Yuzu liqueur, 5 ounces of lemon juice, 2.5 ounces of strawberry syrup, 2.5 ounces of rose syrup, and 20 ounces of sake, plus about 20 ounces of lemon-lime soda.
More Delicious Spring Cocktail Ideas
Strawberry Rose Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 oz Yuzu liqueur
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 1/2 oz strawberry syrup
- 1/2 oz rose syrup
- 2 oz sake
- 2-3 oz lemon lime soda
Instructions
- Combine Yuzu liqueur, lemon juice, strawberry syrup, rose syrup, and sake over ice in a cocktail glass.
- Top with lemon lime soda.
- Stir gently to combine ingredients.
Notes
- Add 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of food-grade dried rose petals or rose buds, 1/2 cup of diced fresh strawberries, and 1 cup of sugar to a small saucepan.
- Heat the saucepan on medium-low heat. It does not need to boil!
- Continuously stir the water-sugar mixture until all of the sugar dissolves and the strawberries turn mushy. Let the syrup cool for an hour.
- Strain into a glass mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge.
- Strawberry rose syrup lasts for 4 weeks in the refrigerator!
