Classic Aviation Cocktail Recipe (The BEST!)

This Aviation cocktail recipe combines gin, crème de violette, maraschino cherry liqueur and a bit of lemon juice for a perfectly sweet and tart cocktail that’s as pretty as it is delicious.

There’s one solid thing that can get me into any bar. No, it’s not Real Housewives trivia night… It’s the Aviation Cocktail!

It’s by far and away my absolute favorite cocktail on this planet. But unfortunately, this drink can be a bit difficult to order in many bars because the ingredients are somewhat obscure. That’s why I set out to perfecting the recipe at home.

After a few attempts, I found my perfect ratio of ingredients and discovered that it’s actually perfectly easy to make an Aviation Cocktail at home with just four ingredients.

• Gin – You can use your favorite gin here. Bombay, Aviation gin, Hendricks, etc.
• Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice is the best here!
• Maraschino Cherry Liqueur – Find this at your local liquor store.
• Creme de Violette – Aka liqueur de violette.

A core ingredient to the Aviation Cocktail is Crème de Violette.

Crème de violette, also known as liqueur de violette, is a generic term for a liqueur with natural and/or artificial violet flower flavoring and coloring. The taste profile and aroma are distinctly floral and sweet, and is said to be reminiscent of the violet candies popular in the early to mid 20th century.

I can’t tell you whether that is true or not because I’ve never tried the candies… But I can tell you that this drink is delish! It’s also that crème de violette that gives this cocktail its gorgeous pale & delicate periwinkle/violet color.

Tip: If you’ve got leftover crème de violette (and you will) try adding some to your champagne glass next time you pop a bottle open. It adds just a little bit of the violette flavoring and provides a pretty color to your glass. Or, try one of these 17+ delicious Creme de Violette Cocktails!

The base of this cocktail is gin and, although the crème de violette is sweet, this is generally a dry cocktail.

Also featured in this cocktail are maraschino cherry liqueur and lemon juice. And, while your local bar may not carry all the ingredients, you should be able to easily find them at your local liquor store.

How to make it

• Add gin, lemon juice, maraschino cherry liqueur and creme de violette to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
• Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with maraschino cherries and enjoy.

What’s your favorite cocktail to order at a bar? Do you always order the same thing, or do you like to switch it up a bit? I’d love to hear in the comments below! Cheers!

• More → 25+ Gin Cocktails
• Plus → 17+ Creme de Violette Cocktails

If you loved this aviation cocktail I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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Try this cocktail in fizz-form with my Aviation Gin Fizz recipe!

This violet gin cocktail post was originally published in 2017. It was updated in 2019 to add new photographs and again in 2023 to update the content. The original aviation drink recipe remains the same. Enjoy!