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Homemade Sour Mix

Fresh lemon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup create a silky, balanced mixer that makes margaritas, whiskey sours, and daiquiris sing. This recipe takes five minutes to prepare and costs a fraction of what you'd spend on bottled versions.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 24 cocktails
Course: Drinks and Beverages
Cuisine: American
Calories: 25
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Basic Version
  • 8 ounces fresh lemon juice about 4 large lemons
  • 4 ounces fresh lime juice about 2 limes
  • 6 ounces simple syrup
Silky Egg White Version
  • 8 ounces fresh lemon juice about 4 large lemons
  • 4 ounces fresh lime juice about 2 limes
  • 6 ounces simple syrup
  • 1 large egg white room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum optional but recommended for stability
For the Simple Syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar

Equipment

  • Citrus juicer or reamer
  • Measuring spoons and cups
  • Glass bottle or jar with tight-fitting lid
  • Small saucepan
  • Whisk or fork
  • Strainer or fine-mesh sieve
  • Cocktail shaker

Method
 

  1. Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely, about 3 minutes. Pour the syrup into a heat-safe container and let it cool to room temperature.
  2. Roll your lemons and limes on the counter under firm pressure to break down the cell walls before juicing.
  3. Cut the lemons in half and juice them using a citrus reamer or juicer until you have at least 8 ounces of fresh lemon juice.
  4. Juice your limes the same way you did the lemons, pressing firmly to extract all the liquid. You should have about 4 ounces of lime juice.
  5. Pour both the lemon juice and lime juice into your glass bottle or jar.
  6. Once your simple syrup has cooled completely, pour the 6 ounces into your bottle with the citrus juices. Stir or shake the bottle vigorously for about 20 seconds to combine all the ingredients thoroughly.
  7. If making the egg white version: Crack one large egg and separate the white from the yolk completely. Pour the egg white into your bottle with the other ingredients.
  8. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the top of the mixture if using. Cap the bottle and shake extremely hard for about 30 seconds until the egg white becomes fully incorporated and foamy.
  9. Pour the sour mix through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bottle to catch any shell fragments or unincorporated egg white bits.
  10. Cap your sour mix tightly and refrigerate immediately. The mix is now ready to use in cocktails and will keep for up to two weeks.

Notes

Store in an airtight glass bottle in the refrigerator for up to two weeks with egg white and three weeks without. Shake before each use if egg white is included. For longer storage, freeze in ice cube trays for up to three months.