How to Make a Pimm's Cup, the Classic Cocktail That's Perfect for Summer
A Pimm's Cup is a classic British cocktail that's filled with fresh fruit, cucumber, ginger ale, and Pimm's liqueur. It's all finished with a sprig of mint. The refreshing drink is perfect for the hot summer months, and it's easy to make this cocktail recipe at home. Here's our best Pimm's Cup recipe, including variations for a Pimm's cup mocktail and a big-batch pitcher cocktail.
What Is a Pimm's Cup?
Slightly sweet and fruity with complex spice notes, Pimm’s is a gin-based liqueur introduced in the mid-1800s by London oyster bar owner James Pimm. He poured the concoction into a pewter tankard and topped it off with fresh fruit and a splash of lemonade to serve as a digestif. It became known as the No. 1 Cup. Pimm’s Cup is such a British icon, it’s an official partner of Wimbledon, where you can find dedicated bars across the grounds during the Championships.
Since its commercial introduction in the 1860s, Pimm’s has been produced in an array of variations and base spirits (each with its own number). Only the gin-based No. 1 is widely available now, but in some markets you might be able to find the vodka-based Pimm’s No. 6 and brandy-based Pimm’s No. 3 Winter Cup.
What's In a Pimm's Cup Cocktail?
Now that you know Pimm's Cup origin, here's how to make a Pimm's Cup. The classic combines Pimm’s No. 1, sliced cucumber, strawberry, and orange, plus ginger ale and mint. But you can spin the basic components in almost endless ways.
Ingredients
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Ice
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4 slices english cucumber
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1/2 slice orange
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1 or 2 strawberries, sliced
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1 sprig fresh mint
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4 oz ginger ale
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2 fl oz Pimm's No. 1
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1 tsp lemon juice
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Additional cucumber,orange, mint, and strawberries for garnish
Directions
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Fill a collins glass with ice. Add slices of cucumber, orange, and strawberries and sprigs of mint to the glass.
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Top with ginger ale, Pimm’s No. 1, and lemon juice; stir.
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Garnish with additional slices of cucumber, orange and strawberries and sprigs of mint.
Pimm's Cup Recipe Variations
Here are a few ways to make our Test Kitchen's favorite twists on a classic Pimm's Cup cocktail.
- Pimm's Cup Mocktail: Go zero proof if you’re in the mocktail zone. Fill a collins glass with ice. Add slices of cucumber, orange, and strawberries and sprigs of mint to the glass. Top with 1/2 cup ginger ale, 2 1/2 ounces tonic water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar; stir. Garnish with additional slices of cucumber, orange and strawberries and sprigs of mint.
- Pimm's Cup Pitcher Cocktail: Make a pitcher to serve 8. In a pitcher stir together 4 cups ginger ale, 2 cups Pimm’s No. 1, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Add 1/2 of an English cucumber, sliced; 4 orange slices, halved; 8 strawberries, sliced; and 8 sprigs fresh mint. Serve in ice-filled glasses garnished with additional cucumber, orange, mint, and strawberries.
- DIY Pimm's Cup Recipe: Can’t find Pimm’s? DIY it. Add slices of cucumber, orange, and strawberries and sprigs of mint to the glass. Top with 1/2 cup ginger ale, 1 ounce each gin (such as Hendrick’s) and sweet vermouth, and 1 teaspoon each orange curaçao (or triple sec) and lemon juice; stir. Garnish with additional slices of cucumber, orange and strawberries and sprigs of mint.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 327 | Calories |
| 1g | Fat |
| 56g | Carbs |
| 2g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 1 | |
| Calories 326.8 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 0.6g | 1% |
| Saturated Fat 0.2g | 1% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 22.4mg | 1% |
| Total Carbohydrate 55.7g | 20% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.3g | 8% |
| Total Sugars 43.8g | |
| Protein 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin C 33.6mg | 37% |
| Calcium 57.8mg | 4% |
| Iron 1.5mg | 8% |
| Potassium 439.6mg | 9% |
| Fatty acids, total trans 0g | |
| Vitamin D 0IU | |
| Alanine 0.1g | |
| Arginine 0.1g | |
| Ash 1.2g | |
| Aspartic acid 0.2g | |
| Caffeine 18.1mg | |
| Carotene, alpha 25mcg | |
| Choline, total 16.9mg | |
| Copper, Cu 0.2mg | |
| Cystine 0g | |
| Energy 1372.9kJ | |
| Fluoride, F 24.7mcg | |
| Folate, total 31.3mcg | |
| Glutamic acid 0.5g | |
| Glycine 0.1g | |
| Histidine 0g | |
| Isoleucine 0.1g | |
| Leucine 0.1g | |
| Lysine 0.1g | |
| Methionine 0g | |
| Magnesium, Mg 40.7mg | |
| Manganese, Mn 0.4mg | |
| Niacin 0.5mg | |
| Phosphorus, P 70.7mg | |
| Pantothenic acid 0.7mg | |
| Phenylalanine 0.1g | |
| Phytosterols 37.8mg | |
| Proline 0.1g | |
| Retinol 0mcg | |
| Selenium, Se 1.2mcg | |
| Serine 0.1g | |
| Starch 1.9g | |
| Theobromine 0mg | |
| Threonine 0.1g | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 0.2mg | |
| Tryptophan 0g | |
| Tyrosine 0g | |
| Valine 0.1g | |
| Vitamin A, IU 406IU | |
| Vitamin A, RAE 19.9mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 0mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0.1mg | |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 37.2mcg | |
| Water 420.4g | |
| Zinc, Zn 0.6mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.