Refreshing and easy to drink, my lemon drop martini recipe is made using fresh lemon juice and is just sweet enough to perfectly balance the sourness of citrus.
About This Recipe
Some lemon drop martinis are cloudy white and served with a rim coated with sugar. My recipe is simpler, both sour and sweet and with the fruity taste of lemon at the forefront. It’s an easy cocktail to make for vodka lovers looking for something refreshing and clean, and only requires 5 ingredients.
Table of contents
Ingredients Needed
- Vodka: Any type of vodka will do for this drink. Since the vodka isn’t the main flavor of the cocktail, it’s okay to use regular vodka like Smirnoff, instead of something more upscale like Grey Goose or Belvedere.
- Cointreau: Cointreau is an orange-flavored liqueur made with a mixture of bitter and sweet oranges. It has a bright and fruity/orangey taste that is often used to brighten up cocktails. Triple Sec and Grand Marnier are also very similar and therefore can be used as alternatives.
- Sugar: I am using granulated white sugar to tone down the sourness of the lemon juice. But feel free to use light brown sugar or brown sugar for an added caramel taste.
- Lemon juice: There’s nothing like a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice to add an element of brightness to a cocktail. Feel free to adjust the level of acidity by using more or less.
- Water: The water is needed to melt the sugar to make simple syrup.
- Garnishes: Optional but very pretty! Adding a thinly sliced lemon and letting it float on top of the lemon drop is visually stunning.
Using other citrus fruits
If you love the taste of citrus but find lemon to be too puckery sour, try using lime juice or yuzu juice. Both of them are still pretty sour but fruitier and sweeter than lemon. Meyer lemon is another option if you prefer mild acidity and a combination of lemon and orange.
How To Make This Cocktail
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Put a martini glass in the fridge and let it chill for at least 30 minutes. Martinis, or any other cocktail for that matter, taste best when they are icy cold.
- Make the simple syrup by microwaving the sugar and water for a few seconds.
- Grab a cocktail shaker and add plenty of ice cubes. Add the vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice and a little sugar syrup.
- Put the lid on and shake well for a few seconds.
- Take the martini glass out of the fridge and pour the lemon drop into the glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon and serve immediately.
Choosing The Best Lemons
Here’s how to choose the best lemons out of a pile at a supermarket:
- Weigh it in the palm of your hand. A fresh and juicy lemon will feel nice and full compared to their size.
- Look for one that’s bright yellow. The bright yellow color means that the lemon is ripe.
- It should smell like a lemon. Give it the sniff test – a good lemon will have a pleasant and refreshing citrus aroma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can! Just like with all other martini recipes on my blog, this one can be made using gin.
Yes you can make it sugar free by swapping regular sugar for stevia or monk fruit sweetener.
Yes you can and it’s a great idea if you are planning to serve lemon drop martinis to more than just a couple of guests. Skip the use of ice cubes (no shaking in the cocktail shaker is needed) and instead, dilute the cocktail with water. Add a little water at a time until you are satisfied with the taste. Chill it in the fridge until right before serving.
What To Serve With This Lemon Drop Martini
Lemon drop martinis are very tasty and can be enjoyed on their own. However, if you would like to serve them as part of a cocktail party or dinner party, here are some of my favorite food and snack pairings:
- Fish, pepper, and leek stir fry
- Szechuan style nasu dengaku
- Tempeh katsu sandwich
- Shrimp cocktail
- Nicoise salad
- Asparagus, radish, and ricotta toast
Other martini recipes you might like to try: Espresso martini, dirty martini, French martini, apple martini (appletini).
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
Print
Lemon Drop Martini
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Shaking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar or light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Thinly sliced lemons or lemon twists, as garnish
Instructions
- Chill the martini glasses: Start by chilling a martini glass in the fridge for at least half an hour. I recommend leaving it for 1 hour so the glass is perfectly chilled.
- Make the sugar syrup: Add the sugar and water to a microwave safe glass bowl. Microwave on high for 10 seconds. Stir and microwave for an additional 10 seconds, or until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside until the simple syrup has cooled to room temperature.
- Make the martini: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon sugar syrup. Close with the lid, and shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Garnish and serve: Take the martini glass out of the fridge. Strain the lemon drop martini to a martini glass and garnish with lemon slice or a lemon twist. Serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 martini
- Calories: 214
- Sugar: 13.1g
- Sodium: 4mg
- Fat: 0.1g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14.1g
- Fiber: 0.1g
- Protein: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
