Classic Million Dollar Cocktail Recipe

Name: Million Dollar Cocktail
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Ingredients: 2 ounces gin; 1 ounce sweet vermouth; 1/2 ounce pineapple juice; 1 egg white; 1 teaspoon grenadine

Prep: 3 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Total: 3 mins

Serving: 1 serving

Yield: 1 cocktail

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The million dollar cocktail is a fantastic drink in a true classic style. It adds a bit of pineapple to a combination of gin, sweet vermouth, and egg white—and it's a fabulous blast from the past.

This recipe appeared in Harry Craddock's famous "Savoy Cocktail Book," which was printed in 1930 and specified Plymouth Gin. The drink seems to date to the 1920s, though, and there are two opposing stories about its creation.

One credits Ngiam Tong Boon, a Singapore bartender of the early 20th century who created the famous Singapore sling. The other says it was the brainchild of Louis Eppinger who created the bamboo cocktail and made his mark on the bartending scene while working at the Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan. Most cocktail historians lean toward the Eppinger story today.

No matter who created it, the million dollar cocktail is a great drink. It doesn't cost much to make it, but you will enjoy a very luxurious experience.

2 ounces gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1/2 ounce pineapple juice
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon grenadine

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
In a cocktail shaker, pour the gin, sweet vermouth, pineapple juice, egg white, and grenadine. Fill with ice cubes.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Shake vigorously, for at least 30 seconds, to froth up the egg white.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk for foodborne illness.

Tips

Though Plymouth Gin may have been used originally, dry gin is most often poured in this recipe today. Try it with both styles, just make sure that the gin is top-shelf in order to create the best drink.
Before mixing any cocktail with an egg, test it for freshness. All you need to do is place an egg in a glass of water; it's fresh if it sinks and should be discarded if it floats to the top.
Quite often, egg cocktails receive a dry shake before adding ice. This is a good option, and it's easy: Combine the ingredients in the shaker but hold the ice, shake well, then add ice and shake again for 30 seconds.

Recipe Variations

In many of the million dollar cocktail recipes, the ratio of the ingredients is slightly different. For instance, one uses 1/2 ounce each of sweet vermouth and pineapple juice. Try this and make more adjustments to suit your personal taste if needed.
Inspired by the original recipe, Dallas bartender George Kaiho created his own version. Featured in Imbibe, the recipe switches to Bols Genever and pours Cherry Heering rather than sweet vermouth. It also skips the grenadine.
Another version that has circulated for years give the pineapple-egg white spin to the perfect martini. To make it, shake 1 ounce gin, 1/4 ounce each of dry and sweet vermouths, 1/2 ounce pineapple juice, and a dash each of egg white and Angostura Bitters. Strain into a chilled glass.

How Strong Is a Million Dollar Cocktail?

Adding an egg white not only gives a cocktail a frothy top, but it also helps knock down the alcohol content. With it, the million dollar cocktail should shake up to 19 percent ABV (38 proof) or so. That makes it one of the lighter options in the classic martini family, which can easily reach 60 proof.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
273	Calories
5g	Fat
11g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories	273
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g	6%
Saturated Fat 2g	8%
Cholesterol 186mg	62%
Sodium 76mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 11g	4%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 7mg	34%
Calcium 33mg	3%
Iron 1mg	6%
Potassium 119mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.