Whenever I have friends or family over, I make sure my bar is stocked with all the makings for simple cocktails. I might like to think I have time to separate egg whites for whiskey sours or that I’d remember to prep enough espresso shots for espresso martinis, but it never happens. Guests arrive, and I make the simplest drinks I know off the top of my head. The lemon drop martini is a go-to for me.
The lemon drop martini is served up and chilled. It’s so much fun for girls nights in or outdoor get-togethers in the summertime. It uses four basic ingredients you probably already have stocked: vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and triple sec. You’ll need a few basic bar tools like a shaker, jigger and channel knife. The channel knives are ideal for cutting lemon garnishes, but I use a paring knife and still end up with the prettiest lemon twists (more on that later).
Ingredients for a Lemon Drop Martini
- Vodka: Whatever vodka you have works! I use Tito’s, but here are some other top vodka brands to make your martini shine. The more quality the vodka, the better, as there are few ingredients here.
- Lemon juice: While that lemon-shaped bottle of lemon juice was fine for the vodka lemonades you served in college, lemon drop martinis are a more classy affair and need fresh lemon juice. One large lemon should produce enough juice for two cocktails. Choose bright yellow lemons with no bruising so the peel is pretty enough to slice off for garnishes.
- Simple syrup: Use store-bought or homemade simple syrup here. It’ll cut the tartness of the lemon juice and sweeten the drink overall.
- Triple sec: If you make a lot of margarita recipes, you’ll definitely already have this on your bar cart. Orange liqueur like triple sec amps up the citrus flavor in this cocktail.
- Coarse sugar: Technically, the sugar is optional. Growing up, my mom always had a bag of lemon drop candy in her purse, so I rim my glasses with sugar for the nostalgia. The lemon drop candies were always dusted with a thick coating of sugar, and rimming the martini glass with it gives the same feel. Not to mention it’ll impress your guests.
Directions
Step 1: Make the sugar rim
This step is optional, but it adds a bit of sparkle to the cocktail. Moisten the rim of your martini glass with a lemon wedge, and sprinkle sugar on a plate. Dip the rim in the sugar.
Step 2: Mix and shake
Fill a shaker half full with ice. Add the vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and triple sec. Cover and shake until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker, about 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into the prepared martini glass and garnish with a lemon wedge, peel or twist.
Editor’s Tip: A typical shaker can fit two or three drinks at a time. If you’re shaking up more than one drink, double or triple the recipe so you can make them all at once rather than one at a time.
Lemon Drop Martini Variations
- Use Cointreau instead of triple sec: For a less sweet martini with a higher ABV, opt for Cointreau. It’s more pricey than triple sec, but I find it to be my preferred orange liqueur for a lemon drop martini.
- Give it a floral twist: Instead of using regular simple syrup, use lavender simple and garnish the drink with edible flowers like lavender sprigs or pansies for the cutest spring spin on the drink.
- Turn it into a raspberry lemon drop martini: If you love a big pink glass of raspberry lemonade in the summer, why not try the martini version? Keep things simple and swap the regular vodka for raspberry vodka. For even more of a berry punch, muddle fresh raspberries into the bottom of your shaker before adding the rest of the ingredients. Instead of using a Hawthorne or Julep strainer, use a small fine mesh strainer when pouring the raspberry version, as you won’t want the flesh and seeds to float around your cocktail.
Can you make a lemon drop martini ahead of time?
The lemon drop martini will be freshest when served and enjoyed immediately. But, when you have a bunch of people to serve, prepping a pitcher of this cocktail can save time. Place all the ingredients in a large pitcher, cover and store in the fridge for a few hours. When guests arrive, give the pitcher a really good stir. Letting it sit in the fridge means it’s already chilled, so you can skip the shaking in Step 2. Distribute evenly among prepared glasses, garnish and serve.
If you’re like me and like making martinis just before serving, prep the citrus juice and garnishes ahead. All that slicing, twisting and pressing takes a bit of time after all. I’ll squeeze as many lemons as I need and store all the juice in a measuring cup in the fridge. That way, I can easily measure and dump into the shaker as soon as guests arrive. I also thinly slice lemons, carve out the pith and flesh so I just have a yellow circle of lemon peel, then I cut the circle at one point and curl the strip of peel until it holds its shape. I store all my curled lemon twists in a covered glass in the fridge until ready to garnish.
Lemon Drop Martini Tips
How is a lemon drop martini different from a lemon drop shot?
For starters, martinis are meant for sipping and shots are meant for shooting. Because a shot needs less liquid, the lemon drop shot uses just lemon juice, simple syrup and vodka—no triple sec. You typically take the shot and chase it by biting into a lemon wedge.
What food goes well with lemon drop martinis?
Lemon drop martinis make excellent pre-dinner drinks. I typically serve them with appetizers and small bites like chips and dips, cucumber party sandwiches, pita with feta dip or a veggie tray. If you’re serving the lemon drop martinis with a light lunch or dinner, try pairing them with seafood-based dishes like salmon Caesar salad or herbed scallops.
