6 Amuse Bouche Cocktails to Wake Up Your Palate

While it's not typically a cocktail, an amuse-bouche is a tasty little one or two-bite treat before a meal or between courses. Think of the amuse-bouche as a palate cleanser between rounds. With that idea, these little bite-size cocktails are the perfect way to rinse, prep, and prime your 'buds.

The cucumber and elderflower match isn't new to the cocktail scene, but here everything is dialed down to be the perfect refreshing sip.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce gin
• ½ ounce elderflower liqueur
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 dash simple syrup
• 2-3 cucumber wheels
• Ice
• Splash club soda
• Small cucumber ribbon for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle simple syrup with cucumber.
2. Add ice, gin, elderflower liqueur, and lime juice.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into a small glass.
5. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon.

Think of this amuse-bouche cocktail as gazpacho with a bite. Oh, and no spoon needed.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces watermelon juice
• ¾ ounce silver tequila
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¼ ounce honey syrup
• Ice

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, watermelon juice, tequila, lime juice, and honey syrup.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into small rocks glass.

Sweet honey and biting whiskey create a sweet and stinging balance like a honeybee. Only this sting is a good thing.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce honey whiskey
• ½ freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 dash orange bitters
• Ice

Instructions

1. Chill a small Nick and Nora glass or snifter.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, honey whiskey, lemon juice, and bitters.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.

Flavorful and refreshing, allow these juicy and herbaceous flavors to wash right over you.

Ingredients

• 2 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 ounce vodka
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ ounce grenadine
• 1 basil leaf
• Ice
• Splash of prosecco

Instructions

1. Chill a small Nick and Nora glass.
2. In a cocktail shaker, muddle strawberries with grenadine.
3. Add ice, vodka, lemon juice, and basil leaf.
4. Shake to chill.
5. Strain into the chilled glass.

Bubbles? Always. And with the crisp, slightly tart flavors of pomegranate juice swimming between, this is the lightest amuse-bouche cocktail around.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce pomegranate juice
• ¼ ounce lemon vodka
• Ice
• 1 ounce prosecco

Instructions

1. Chill a Nick and Nora glass or other small cocktail glass.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, pomegranate juice, and lemon vodka.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.
5. Top off with prosecco.

A refreshing kick-off for the meals to come or a subtle yet crisp flavor to wipe the tastebuds clean between courses. Lemon and basil are the amuse-bouche pair.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce vodka
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ ounce orange liqueur
• 1-2 basil leaves
• Ice

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, lemon juice, orange liqueur, and basil.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Double strain into a small rocks glass.

The kitchen isn't just for experimenting with food - it's for exploring cocktails and pushing the envelope of what cocktail ingredients can do. These miniature drinks might be small in size, but their importance and flavor cannot be underestimated. Before you set sail on your next culinary journey, take one (who are we kidding, you'll want them all) with you.