Million Dollar Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 01/20/22
Million Dollar Cocktail in stemmed coup glass

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
273 Calories
5g Fat
11g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces gin

  • 1 ounce sweet vermouth

  • 1/2 ounce pineapple juice

  • 1 large egg white

  • 1 teaspoon grenadine

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Million dollar cocktail ingredients gathered in shot glasses

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a cocktail shaker, pour the gin, sweet vermouth, pineapple juice, egg white, and grenadine. Fill with ice cubes.

    glass with ice, shaker, and shot glasses with ingredients for million dollar cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Shake vigorously, for at least 30 seconds, to froth up the egg white.

    cocktail shaker being shaken

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.

    million dollar cocktail in stemmed coup glass with white foam from egg white

    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.