There’s something about a drink that’s actually purple that stops people mid-conversation.

Not lavender-ish. Not kind of violet in the right light. Genuinely, deeply purple — and this Violet Pear Fizz delivers every time.

I started making this one because I had a bottle of Crème de Violette sitting on my bar cart and kept reaching for it, then putting it back. It felt too floral to just toss into anything. But paired with pear vodka and a hit of lemon juice? It works in a way I didn’t expect.

This is one of those cocktail recipes that looks like you put in a lot more effort than you did.

What Is Crème de Violette?

If you haven’t worked with it before, Crème de Violette is a violet flower liqueur with a deep purple color and a floral, lightly sweet flavor. Think of it as the more dramatic French cousin of elderflower liqueur.

It’s best known as the ingredient that turns an Aviation cocktail that iconic periwinkle color. But it works anywhere you want floral depth without going overboard.

A little goes a long way, so remember, 0.5 oz is more than enough.

Add an Elderflower Liqueur Twist

This is my favorite version of the drink.

Add a 0.25 oz splash of St-Germain (or any elderflower liqueur) to the shaker along with the other ingredients. It adds a bit of extra fragrance without sweetening it too much.

The elderflower softens the lemon’s tartness just enough. If you already make my Lavender Elderflower Spritz or Pear Martini, the elderflower version of this fizz is going to be right up your alley.

Make It a Mocktail

This one translates to a mocktail really naturally:

• Pear juice (about 3 oz)
• A splash of violet simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, steeped with dried violet flowers)
• Fresh lemon juice
• Sparkling water to top

My simple syrups section has a full guide to making floral syrups at home. It takes about 10 minutes, and you’ll use it in multiple drinks throughout the week. Store it in small glass mason jars in the fridge, or freeze it in 4 oz mason jars if you make a big batch.

The mocktail still gets you that pretty color, just from violet syrup instead of the liqueur.

What Glass to Use

A rocks glass, with its wide rim, lets the sparkling water open up at the top of the drink.

I rotate through a few different sets at home. For this style of drink, these lowball glasses are my go-to, as they are thick enough to hold up to ice, but still look like something from an actual bar.

These faceted rocks glasses are another good option if you want something with a little more texture.

Tips for Getting It Right

Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled juice flattens the brightness of this drink. A citrus juicer makes squeezing a lemon super fast; I use mine almost every day. Ok, that’s a lie. I make my kids do most of the juicing if we have more than one piece of fruit to juice. Mama’s arm gets tired!

Don’t over-shake. 10-15 seconds is enough. Over-diluting floral flavors makes them taste flat and a little soapy.

Top with sparkling water last and go gently. You want the bubbles. Pour too hard, and half of them disappear before you are even done pouring.

Taste your Crème de Violette before you use it. Brands vary in sweetness. If yours is on the sweeter side, add a tiny extra splash of lemon to keep things balanced.

More Pear Cocktails Worth Making

If you’re on a pear kick, here’s where to go next:

• Pear Martini: cleaner and more spirit-forward, great for martini people
• Pear Ginger Sour: adds heat that plays well against the sweetness
• Pear Lychee Martini: floral and tropical at the same time
• Pear Moscow Mule: ginger beer, pear, and lime= low-effort cocktail

Cocktails Using Crème de Violette

• Violet Pear Fizz
• The Aviation — the classic gin cocktail that put Crème de Violette on the map

Violet Pear Fizz Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz pear vodka (or plain vodka + a splash of pear nectar)
• 0.5 oz Crème de Violette
• 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
• Sparkling water to top
• A pear slice for garnish

Instructions

• Shake the pear vodka, Crème de Violette, and lemon juice with ice — a good hard shake for about 15 seconds.
• Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, then top gently with sparkling water.
• Garnish with a thin pear slice balanced on the rim. If you want to dress it up a little, check out my cocktail garnishes section. A small edible flower on top looks great against the purple. I keep edible glitter on hand because who doesn’t love sparkles? A tiny pinch in this drink makes it a little more magical.

For shaking, I use a Boston shaker, which is essential in any bar. If you want clear ice that doesn’t cloud up the color of this drink, a clear ice cube maker is worth it, and not too pricey.

The Twist: Add 0.25 oz elderflower liqueur to the shaker for a more fragrant finish.

Mocktail: Pear juice + violet simple syrup + fresh lemon juice + sparkling water.

Browse all the vodka cocktail recipes or find all my favorite bar tools and ingredients in my Amazon shop.