Sugar Rim For Cocktails

It's time to take your at-home cocktails to the next level! Liven things up with an irresistibly sparkly, oh-so-insta-worthy, simple, and sweet Sugar Rim. Plus, we are going to show you several fun ways to put a spin on the classic Sugar Rim by adding different flavors and even colors!

Whether you're making festive Cranberry Mimosas or cool and refreshing Strawberry Margaritas, a simple sugar rim on the glass gives your drinks an extra special feel.

HOW TO RIM A GLASS WITH SUGAR

To add a sugar rim to a cocktail glass, the first thing you'll need to do is wet the ledge of the glass. This is easily done with a wedge of citrus, like a lemon or lime wedge.

To cut a lemon or lime into wedges, cut the fruit lengthwise from end to end, then lay it flat side down and cut each half into three wedges. Turn each wedge over and make a small slit in the center of the wedge.

You'll then position the slit on the rim of the glass, hold the lime or lemon wedge firmly, and wet the rim, running the wedge along the circumference of the glass.

Next, you'll need to have a small plate ready with about ½ of a cup of granulated sugar. Shimmy the sugar around a bit, then hold the glass upside down and dip the rim of the glass in the sugar. Gently swirl it around, using your fingers to gently press the sugar onto the sides of the glass for extra coverage.

You can also hold the glass at a 45-degree angle and gently dab it in the sugar for extra coverage on the sides.

Gently shake off any excess sugar and turn your glass right-side up. At this point, you can add ice and fill your glass with your cocktail mix of choice!

Bonus alert: This method for adding flavor to the rim of your glass works great whether you're adding a salt rim or sugar rim. Just make sure you use Kosher salt if you decide to go in that direction.

MORE WAYS TO GET SUGAR RIMS TO STAY PUT

No limes or lemons on hand? You can also use the citrus juice of fresh orange, simple syrup, honey, or even agave nectar to moisten the lip of your glass before it goes into the sugar. Note, that simple syrup will be the wateriest of the three and you'll need to shake away the excess before adding it to the sugar.

WHAT TYPE OF SUGAR SHOULD I USE?

The sugar you use for your cocktail is really entirely up to you and should complement the cocktail itself.

Granulated sugar is by far the most common sugar used for adding a sugar rim to margaritas and other summery cocktails, but brown sugar (or even turbinado sugar) would be great for complementing fall cocktails like apple pie martinis and such.

Note, because of it's coarse size, turbinado sugar may not adhere to the glass as easily as granulated sugar. A sticky substance like honey may be best for getting those big grains of sugar to stay put!

Pst! Italian Margaritas are the perfect cocktail candidate for a Sugar Rim. Add it to your must-make list!

HOW TO SPRUCE UP A SUGAR RIM

If you're looking to go above and beyond this happy hour, you can start by adding a little extra pizazz to that sugar rim. Below are a few of our favorite ways to spruce up a sugar rim for your cocktails!

Zesty Sugar Rim | A zesty sugar rim works especially well for citrusy, light cocktails you would serve in the summertime.

You can create a zested sugar rim by simply adding the zest of either a quarter of an orange, the zest of a half a lemon, or the zest of half a lime to about a ½ cup of sugar.

Once you've got your zest and sugar on the plate together, simply use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until the zest appears evenly dispersed throughout.

Cinnamon Sugar Rim | A cinnamon sugar rim would be ideal for an Apple Pie Martini, our Fall Pear Cocktail, or anything boozy already containing notes of cinnamon or even ginger.

To make it, add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to a ½ cup of granulated sugar and mix. To keep your flavors in check, we recommend using either lemon, orange, or honey to wet the edge of your glass in preparation for a cinnamon sugar rim.

Colored Sugar Rim | This one is especially fun for the holidays. Have ready a combination of red and green sugar rimmed glasses for your Christmas party or add a black sugar rim to your Halloween cocktails!

To color your granulated sugar, add a half cup of granulated sugar along with a ½ teaspoon of food coloring to your choice to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until the sugar takes on the color of the food dye.