Drinks Cocktails Gin Cocktails Frozen Gin and Tonic 4.0 (1) 1 Review It turns out a simple classic cocktail can get better with a blender and a few cups of ice. By Leon's, Charleston, SC Updated on August 3, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate Print Share Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Cook Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 1 Yield: 4 While the gin and tonic is one of the simplest cocktails to make, it also happens to be one of the most satisfying. It’s a classic for a reason: bittersweet tonic water brings out the floral and herbaceous botanicals in gin, and the combination is truly stellar. Still, there's always room to get extra, even with a tried-and-true recipe: Enter the Frozen Gin & Tonic. This recipe from Leon’s, a beloved restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina leans on tonic syrup from Jack Rudy (if you haven't yet tried their vermouth brined olives to upgrade your martini, now's the time) instead of tonic water to add the necessary bittersweet notes. Tonic syrup is a concentrated blend of sugar, quinine, and botanicals, the base ingredients in tonic water before it is diluted and carbonated. Since tonic syrup packs all the flavor of tonic water into just a spoonful, a little goes a long way in this drink. To recreate Leon’s Frozen Gin and Tonic at home add your favorite gin (we've got a few ideas on the best gins for every kind of drink), tonic syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice, and Lillet blanc in a blender with two cups of ice. While Lillet blanc is not a traditional ingredient in a gin and tonic, the floral and lightly sweet aperitif adds depth and dimension to this summertime cocktail, and helps balance out the more bitter notes that you might not want this time of year. This frothy and flavorful drink comes together in a blender in well under a minute and serves four — store any extra in the freezer and recombine in the blender for an easy cocktail out of leftovers. — Lucy Simon GET THE GLASS: The Material Glass Set Ingredients 4 ounces London Dry gin 4 ounces Lillet Blanc 2 ounces Jack Rudy tonic syrup 1 ounce lime juice 3 cups ice 1 lime (for garnish) Directions Add dry gin, Lillet blanc, tonic syrup, lime juice, and ice to a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth, about 15 seconds Pour into glasses and garnish with lime twist. Rate It Print