Made with gin or vodka and grapefruit juice, this classic cocktail is so easy and always a crowd-pleaser! Served in a highball glass with a salted rim, this drink is perfect for brunch or Summer parties! Just be sure to use fresh grapefruit juice, it really makes all the difference!

Salty Dog Cocktail

Last week I shared with you my 5-Minute Margaritas! And now, we’re making salty dogs!

Clearly, I’m in a cocktail state of mind! But with Spring in the air, and festive brunch holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day right around the corner… can you blame me?!

And this pretty and pink cocktail is absolutely perfect for either of those occasions mentioned above! It’s truly stunning! But the best part? It comes together in less than 5 minutes!

What the Heck is a Salty Dog?

Essentially, it’s a greyhound cocktail, but with a salted rim! Both of these old-school cocktails are believed to have originated in the 1920’s. And although there are numerous varieties of this drink around the world, almost all of them include grapefruit juice, gin or vodka, and a salty rim!!!

Let’s Make Salty Dogs!

1. Fill a shallow bowl or rimmed glass with salt. Coarse salt is going to work best as it doesn’t dissolve too quickly when wet.
2. Run a grapefruit wedge (or lime wedge if you don’t have extra grapefruit around) around the rim of your glass. Dip the rim of the glass into the salt. Then fill the glasses with ice and set aside.
3. In a cocktail shaker, add grapefruit juice, vodka or gin, and optional simple syrup. Then shake shake shake!
4. Pour into glasses, garnish wit a spring of rosemary and a wedge of grapefruit, and serve!
5. I like to sprinkle the top of each cocktail with a little salt, but only do this is you like it really salty.

Rosemary Simple Syrup

This step is 100% optional and definitely not for the salty dog purists lol! But, grapefruit and rosemary are actually a flavor match made in heaven. And if you like a slightly sweeter cocktail with more depth and flavor, you may enjoy this twist! Even my husband, who is a salty dog aficionado, enjoys this version more than the classic.

And bonus: the syrup can be made and stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. So you can have it on hand when the craving strikes!

Grapefruit Salt Rim

For an extra pretty presentation, finely grate the peel of a grapefruit. Combine the grapefruit zest with with salt, then dip the rim of each glass in this salty mixture.

Make is Sparkling

This is another fun but optional variation I wanted to offer you! Top each salty dog off with a splash of sparkling grapefruit water! We use grapefruit spindrift and it’s delicious and so refreshing! Again, this is totally optional. But it’s a really nice addition and will make your drink go further! I also like to add a dash of grapefruit bitters, which just bumps up the flavor a bit and makes the whole drink feel more sophisticated.

More Cocktail Recipes:

• The Aperol Spritz
• Easy Pomegranate Margaritas
• Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour
• The Tequila Healer
• Easy Cranberry Apple Moscow Mule

How to Make a Salty Dog

Ashley Manila

Made with gin or vodka and grapefruit juice, this classic salty dog cocktail is so easy and always a crowd-pleaser! Served in a highball glass with a salted rim, this drink is perfect for brunch or Summer parties! Just be sure to use fresh grapefruit juice, it really makes all the difference!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Cocktail

Cuisine American

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

 

For a Classic Salty Dog:

• 1/4 cup coarse salt
• 2 ounces gin or vodka
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) fresh grapefruit juice
• 2 wedges of fresh grapefruit
• Sprig of rosemary, for garnish, optional

For a Sparkling Rosemary Grapefruit Salty Dog:

• 1/4 cup coarse salt
• 2 ounces gin or vodka
• Dash or two of grapefruit bitters
• 2 or 3 teaspoons rosemary simple syrup (start with a small amount and add more if desired)
• 1/4 cup grapefruit club soda

For the Rosemary Grapefruit Simple Syrup:

• 1/2 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (74 grams) fresh grapefruit juice
• (2) 3"-long strips of grapefruit peel
• 1/3 cup (74 grams) water
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Instructions

 

How to Make a Salty Dog:

• Fill a rimmed plate or shallow bowl with salt. Using 1 wedge of grapefruit, moisten the rim of the glass by running the flesh of the grapefruit around the rim. 
• Dip the rim of the glass into the salt until it is covered with salt. Fill glasses with ice cubes and set aside while you make your drink.
• In a cocktail shaker, add gin or vodka, and grapefruit juice, and shake vigorously to combine. Alternatively, you may simply pour the gin or vodka over the ice, then top with grapefruit juice. 
• Pour the salty dog over the ice, garnish with a wedge of grapefruit, and a sprig of rosemary, if using. Serve at once! 

How to Make a Sparkling Rosemary Grapefruit Salty Dog:

• Fill a rimmed plate or shallow bowl with salt. Using 1 wedge of grapefruit, moisten the rim of the glass by running the flesh of the grapefruit around the rim. 
• Dip the rim of the glass into the salt until it is covered with salt. Fill glasses with ice cubes and set aside while you make your drink.
• In a cocktail shaker, add gin or vodka, grapefruit bitters, rosemary simple syrup, and grapefruit juice, and shake vigorously to combine. Alternatively, you may simply pour the gin or vodka over the ice, then top with bitters, simple syrup, grapefruit juice, and stir. 
• Pour the salty dog over the ice, top with club soda, and garnish with a wedge of grapefruit and a sprig of rosemary, if using. Serve at once! 

For the Rosemary Grapefruit Simple Syrup:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, grapefruit juice, grapefruit peel, and water. Bring to a rolling simmer over medium-high heat. Then reduce to medium-low and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. 
• Remove from heat, add in the sprig of rosemary, and set aside to cool for at least 1 hour. 
• Once cool, discard rosemary and grapefruit peel, and pour into an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks! 

Notes

This recipe may be doubled as needed. 

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