Cocktails with Coriander seeds
Coriander seeds are the dried fruit of the coriander plant — a warm, citrus-scented spice.
How it's used
Crack them lightly before use, whether they are muddled, shaken or infused into a syrup. Whole seeds release little; ground ones release everything at once and cloud the drink. After juniper, coriander is the most common gin botanical, so in a gin drink it reinforces the gin rather than adding something new.
Substitutes for Coriander seeds
Ground coriander
A small pinch replaces a few whole seeds. Fine-strain the drink, or the powder will cloud it.
Orange bitters with coriander
Two dashes of an orange bitters that lists it, such as Regans’, give a related citrus-spice note.
Cilantro (the fresh leaf)
Will not work. The aroma is sharp and soapy. It is no substitute for the warm, citrusy seed.
Cumin seed
Earthy rather than citrusy. In a cocktail it reads as a savory spice.
Storage
Sealed, whole seeds keep their aroma for three or four years; ground coriander goes flat in months. Buy whole and crack only what you need.
