Learn how I make my favorite ginger shot recipe, plus two more delicious variations. They are so much better than store-bought!
I tried my first ginger shot while traveling. I was jet lagged, drained, and had a pounding headache. I ordered a fresh lemon ginger shot at a juice bar, and I was hooked! I immediately felt a bit better afterward. It’s hard to say if it was the nutrients or the refreshing taste, but either way, I knew I had to try making some at home!
Homemade ginger shots taste so much better than store-bought since the ingredients are fresh and you can personalize your shots!
Key Ingredients
You have a few options for this recipe. You’ll need fresh ginger and lemon for a basic ginger shot, or add more flavor with salt, cayenne, and honey. You’ll need additional ingredients for the carrot and spinach ginger shot variations (shown in our photos).
- Ginger: I use fresh ginger to make these shots. Look for ginger that is firm with smooth skin (not wrinkled or dried out). If you have ginger leftover, use it in one of our other ginger recipes.
- Lemon: I use fresh lemons for juices and shots, but remove the peel and seeds before juicing them.
- Salt, cayenne, and honey: You can stick with ginger and lemon juice or add a pinch of salt, cayenne, and honey to make them taste even better. Ginger shots are potent, so the honey does a great job of balancing the flavor. Maple syrup is also an excellent substitute for honey.
- Carrot: To make carrot version, include a medium carrot scrubbed clean (no need to peel it). The carrot balances the spicy ginger and adds a bit of extra vitamin C.
- Spinach and green apple: To make a spinach version, I use a cup of spinach leaves and half a green apple with the seeds removed.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Ginger Shots
Tip 1: Use a cold press juicer if possible. We recommend using a cold press juicer if you have one (we love our Omega). A masticating juicer works well but the heat generated can start to breakdown nutrients in the fresh juice. We also tend to prefer the taste of cold pressed juice, especially for fibrous ingredients like ginger.
Tip 2: Use a blender if you don’t have a juicer. You can still make these shots if you don’t have a juicer! Blend the ginger with a few tablespoons of water in a high-powered blender for 60 to 90 seconds. Then, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer before adding the lemon juice, salt, cayenne, and honey.
Tip 3: Try a few of our favorite variations. We really love the basic ginger and lemon shots, but when we have other ingredient in the fridge, it’s fun to make a different variation.
- We love adding carrots for a little extra sweetness and Vitamin C.
- Adding spinach and apple adds sweetness and extra nutrients. To juice greens like spinach we recommend using a juicer.
More Juice and Smoothie Recipes
Ginger Shots (with Variations!)
- PREP
- TOTAL
In general, aim for about 1 teaspoon of ginger juice per shot. More than that can make it too spicy. I don’t peel the ginger before juicing. I scrub and rinse the ginger root to remove dirt, then pass it through my juicer.
Since we’re making shot-sized juices, getting the juicer out every morning doesn’t make much sense. Instead, I’ve gotten into the habit of juicing a large piece of ginger at once and storing it in the refrigerator for a few days. Then, when you want a shot, add your lemon juice and any other optional ingredients, and enjoy!
You Will Need
Lemon Ginger Shots1-inch length piece fresh ginger, scrubbed clean
1 large lemon
Pinch fine sea salt, optional
Tiny pinch cayenne pepper, optional
1 teaspoon honey, optional
Variations1 medium carrot, scrubbed clean
½ small green apple, seeds removed
1 cup packed spinach leaves
Directions
- Basic Lemon Ginger Shots
1Chop the ginger into thin pieces small enough to fit in your juicer.
2Cut away the yellow peel from the lemon, leaving most white pith and lemon flesh. Cut into slices and remove any seeds.
3Turn the juicer on and push everything through, alternating ginger and lemon.
4Stir in a pinch of salt, a tiny pinch of cayenne (optional), and honey (optional). Divide the juice between small glasses and enjoy.
- Variations
1For carrot ginger shots, turn the juicer on and push everything through, alternating ginger, lemon, and carrot. Stir in a pinch of salt, a tiny pinch of cayenne (optional), and honey (optional).
2For spinach ginger shots, turn the juicer on and push everything through, alternating ginger, spinach, carrot, and lemon. Stir in a pinch of salt, a tiny pinch of cayenne (optional), and honey (optional).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Ginger shots are best enjoyed fresh, but they can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Before you drink one, give it a good shake, as the ingredients may separate.
- Freezing: If you want to store your ginger shots longer, you can freeze them in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the ginger shot cubes to a freezer-safe bag and store them for up to 3 months. Thaw the cubes in the refrigerator overnight. They won’t taste as fresh, but still do the trick.
- How to make ginger shots in a blender: Add chopped ginger to a high-powered blender with a few tablespoons of water and blend until smooth. Press the pulp through a fine mesh strainer to separate the juice from the pulp. A juicer will make much better juice and will have less waste, but this gets you close. Greens don’t do well in the blender, so use a juicer for the spinach variation.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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Ginger shot was delicious
I made the ginger and lemon shot use my smoothie maker and it came out just fine didn’t have lemons so i used a lime hope that was ok to use.
Tried your beetroot juice this morning, amazing!!!! Tomorrow morning we will try the lemon ginger shot….Had to use the blender, but seriously thinking about the juicer after it was so awesome.
Just made your ginger, lemon, spinach shot. We don’t have a juicer but a Ninja. I added water. No apple as we do Keto..Was delicious..Will share a picture next time. Thanks for this recipe.
Omega juicer arrives tomorrow will be making these shots! Yay, thanks for sharing
Will do soon
Spicy nice flavor