Charlie Chaplin Cocktail
The Charlie Chaplin cocktail is a unique, throwback cocktail made with apricot brandy and sloe gin. If you’re looking for a roaring 20’s cocktail, this light, fruity cocktail is worth a try. Garnish with a dried orange wheel for an elegant look.
Why we love the Charlie Chaplin Cocktail
I originally saw this cocktail in The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book – it’s named after the silent film star himself who was a frequent patron – but I was hesitant to try it because it meant adding two new bottles of liqueur to my cabinet, which it’s already bursting at the seams.
But, since I knew I would be able to make a variety of cocktails with the sloe gin, and even a few with the apricot brandy (like the Hotel Nacional cocktail), I decided to go for it.
And, I’m glad I did.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
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Equipment
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Ingredients & substitutions
- Sloe gin – Did you know this isn’t technically a gin? It’s a liqueur made from sloe berries.
- Apricot brandy – I found this with the brandy in my liquor store, but you might also want to check the liqueur section. You could also substitute apricot liqueur or even crème de noyaux.
- Lime juice – Since the flavors of this cocktail are so pronounced, you can definitely get away with lemon juice here.
- Gin – The original recipe calls for added water “if not using wet ice”, so I added just a touch of straight gin to mellow out the sweetness and strengthen the drink. You can leave it out if you prefer.
How to make a Charlie Chaplin cocktail
Shake the cocktail. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add sloe gin, apricot brandy, lime juice and gin, and shake vigorously until cold.
Strain and serve. This classic cocktail is served straight up, so no need for ice. Strain it into a coupe or martini glass.
Then, garnish with a dried orange wheel before serving. You could also garnish with a lime wheel or apricot slice, if you have it.
Everything you need to know recipe name
The Charlie Chaplin cocktail was created for the cocktail menu at the Waldorf Astoria. This cocktail was named after the legendary silent film star, as are many other cocktails created there.
You can substitute creme de noyaux, this almond flavored liqueur is actually made from apricot kernels and the stones of peaches.
A few substitutes that would work well if you find yourself without any sloe gin would be damson gin, plum brandy, or grappa. If you are feeling ambitious you can attempt making your own sloe gin, although this can take a few months.
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Charlie Chaplin Cocktail
The Charlie Chaplin cocktail is a unique, throwback cocktail made with apricot brandy and sloe gin. If you’re looking for a roaring 20’s cocktail, this light, fruity cocktail is worth a try. Garnish with a dried orange wheel for an elegant look.
- Total Time: 3 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ounce sloe gin
- 1 ounce apricot brandy
- 1 ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce gin
- For garnish: dried orange wheel
Instructions
- Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold.
- Strain and serve straight up in a coupe glass.
- Garnish with dried orange wheel.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Gin
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 216
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 2.5 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.9 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.
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