Artificial Food Coloring Free Paleo Whiskey Sour
A classic whiskey sour is one of those cocktails that feels both timeless and a little fancy, and this version delivers every bit of that experience without any synthetic dyes or artificial additives sneaking into your glass. Many store-bought sour mixes and cocktail syrups are loaded with artificial colors and flavoring agents, so making this from scratch is genuinely the smarter move. The sweetener here is a simple homemade honey syrup — just honey and water stirred together — which gives the drink a rounded, floral sweetness that processed sugar syrups honestly can't match. Fresh lemon juice brings the bright, tart backbone, and together they balance the warmth of the bourbon or rye beautifully. The optional pasteurized egg white is the secret to that silky, frothy top layer you see at good cocktail bars — a dry shake first, then a hard shake over ice, and you get that gorgeous foam without any artificial stabilizers. Strain it into a rocks glass or a chilled coupe, add a lemon twist, and you have a bar-quality drink made entirely from real, recognizable ingredients. It's the kind of cocktail you'll want to make again the moment the glass is empty.
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Learn more →Ingredients
1 serving
For the honey syrup
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup water
For the cocktail
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- ½ oz honey syrup (from above)
- 1 pasteurized egg white (optional)
- 1 cup ice cubes
For serving
- 1 lemon wheel or twist, for garnish (optional)
- 1 maraschino cherry, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the honey and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the honey is fully dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before using. The syrup can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
- 2
If using the pasteurized egg white, add it to a cocktail shaker without ice. Shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds until the white is foamy — this dry shake builds the foam before dilution.
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