A vegan version of a classic cocktail that uses aquafaba instead of egg whites.
Aquafaba is the fancy name for the liquid in a can of chickpeas. In recent years aquafaba has become a popular substitute for eggs in countless baking recipes. Aquafaba is a thick liquid that has a slippery texture very similar to egg whites, and can easily be substituted for eggs or egg whites to veganize recipes.
It is only recently that I heard of using aquafaba instead of egg whites in cocktails to create the signature foamy texture at the top of the drink. This revelation was eye opening for us, because my husband has become obsessed with making fancy cocktails with egg white foam. Now we have converted to aquafaba cocktails.
There are two main reasons why I prefer aquafaba in cocktails.
First of all, aquafaba has a very neutral flavor, whereas egg white creates a subtle eggy flavor in cocktails. I hadn’t thought about the eggy flavor much in the cocktails until it was eliminated and I realized I was so much happier without it. I noticed the new aquafaba version tasted cleaner, lighter.
Secondly, when you throw a party and make numerous whiskey sours or gin fizzes with egg whites, you use a ton of eggs and end up with a Tupperware filled with leftover egg yolks. To deal with the leftovers, I ended up adding them to my scrambled eggs over the next few days. However, they made my eggs so overly rich that I was grateful when they were gone. On the other hand, it is so easy for me to find a good use for chickpeas when I need to open a can for the aquafaba. I usually go through several cans of chickpeas per week for various uses: hummus, stews, soups, or baked in the air fryer until crunchy and added to salads. I would much rather deal with leftover chickpeas than leftover egg yolks.
Let’s talk about syrup options for the cocktail.
Lately we have been using agave, but we often make our own simple syrup, which is simply cooking equal amounts of sugar and water in a small saucepan until dissolved. You can experiment with simple syrups made with white or brown sugar, and depending on the cocktail you can also add herbs or spices to let them infuse. You can also experiment with using maple syrup in cocktails. It adds another layer of subtle flavor.
A note on whiskey.
Use the whiskey that you like. I tend to prefer smoky and peaty Scotch types of whiskey, but feel free to use bourbon or any whiskey you prefer.
A note on garnishes.
A whiskey sour doesn’t need a garnish, but it can be fun for parties. Mint leaves are an easy garnish. Recently we found a bag of dried blood orange slices and that makes a pretty garnish on top of the foam. If you want to use cherries, consider Luxardo cherries. This is the original type of maraschino cherry. They are made without preservatives or thickening agents so the cherries are darker and more delicious. Alternatively, you can choose to shake the bitters on top of the finished cocktail to decorate the foam instead of shaking the bitters directly into the body of the cocktail.
Aquafaba Whiskey Sour
Ingredients
- 2 ounces whiskey or bourbon
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce agave, homemade simple syrup, or maple syrup
- 1/2 ounce aquafaba
- 3 dashes orange bitters or regular bitters
Optional Garnishes
- mint leaves
- dried orange slice
- Luxardo cherry
Instructions
- Combine the whiskey, lemon juice, agave or other syrup, aquafaba, and bitters in a shaker tin.
- Shake well.
- Add ice and shake again.
- Strain into a cocktail glass. I use a martini or coupe glass.
- Add an optional garnish.
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