Perfect Lemon Drop Martini
How to make the best lemon drop martini cocktail with a homemade lemon sugar rim. This is easily one of our favorite cocktails to make at home! We’ve been making these lemon drop martinis for years. Our friends know them well, and if you read through the comments, our readers do, too. This is my favorite cocktail if I am in the mood for citrus. The key to the best lemon drop is balancing sour and sweet. Our recipe calls for fresh lemon juice and we use the zest to make a delicious lemon sugar rim. If you love this recipe you will love our cosmopolitan cocktail! Or, if your in the mood for bubbles and bitter, we highly recommend trying our Aperol spritz! Key Ingredients Vodka: The base of a lemon drop is vodka, so use one you enjoy. A few of our favorite mid-priced vodka brands are Kettle One, Stolichnaya (Stoli), and Tito’s. Cointreau or Triple Sec: Both are orange-flavored liqueurs. I especially love Cointreau, but it is more expensive than Triple Sec, so use whichever you prefer. Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is best. I use the juice from half a large lemon to make one cocktail. I also love using lemon zest for the sugar rim! Simple syrup: Use store-bought or make your own. Here’s how I make simple syrup. Vodka: The base of a lemon drop is vodka, so use one you enjoy. A few of our favorite mid-priced vodka brands are Kettle One, Stolichnaya (Stoli), and Tito’s. Cointreau or Triple Sec: Both are orange-flavored liqueurs. I especially love Cointreau, but it is more expensive than Triple Sec, so use whichever you prefer. Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is best. I use the juice from half a large lemon to make one cocktail. I also love using lemon zest for the sugar rim! Simple syrup: Use store-bought or make your own. Here’s how I make simple syrup. Find the full recipe with measurements below. Tips for Making the Best Lemon Drop Martini Tip 1: Lemon sugar rim. I highly recommend adding lemon sugar to the rim of your martini glass. It takes this cocktail up a notch. Use a microplane to zest a lemon into sugar. Using your finger, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it smells like lemon and looks pale yellow. Then, spread the lemon sugar out on a plate. Chill your martini glass, rub a lemon wedge around the rim, and dunk the glass into the lemon sugar. Tip 2: Use a cocktail shaker. I use a cocktail shaker filled with ice when making lemon drop martinis. Not only does a cocktail shaker quickly chill all of the ingredients but small ice pieces chip off that slightly dilute the drink. This is intentional to help balance all of the flavors. Add vodka, Cointreau (or Triple Sec), fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, close the lid, and shake until very cold. Strain the martini into your prepared glass and enjoy! Tip 3: Make a head to serve a crowd. I love making lemon drop martinis when I have a group of friends coming over! Instead of making each martini individually, you’ll make a large batch in a pitcher and then chill it in the fridge. You can also make the lemon sugar in advance! To make a pitcher that serves 4, you will need 1 cup (8oz) vodka, 6 tablespoons (3oz) Cointreau, 1/2 cup (4oz) lemon juice, and 6 tablespoons (3oz) simple syrup. To serve them, moisten the rim of each glass, dip it in the lemon sugar, and then pour in the premade martini. Perfect Lemon Drop Martini PREP 10 mins TOTAL 10 mins PREP 10 mins TOTAL 10 mins For the best lemon drop martinis, use good-quality vodka and freshly squeezed lemon juice, and keep everything cold. If you plan to make lemon sugar, remove the zest from the lemon before juicing. Makes 1 drink Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need Lemon Drop Martini 2 ounces (1/4 cup) quality vodka, try a citron vodka 3/4 ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) Cointreau or triple sec 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) fresh squeezed lemon juice (juice from 1/2 large lemon) 3/4 ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) simple syrup 1/2 cup granulated sugar Zest from 1 lemon Directions Make Lemon Sugar 1Add sugar to a plate, then rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until it is tinted yellow and fragrant. Make Lemon Sugar 1Add sugar to a plate, then rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until it is tinted yellow and fragrant. Make Martini 1Moisten the rim of a chilled martini glass with the juiced lemon, turn the glass upside down, twist into the lemon sugar, and set aside. 2Add vodka, Cointreau (or triple sec), lemon juice, simple syrup, and a handful of ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake for 30 seconds or until very cold. Strain into the prepared martini glass and serve immediately. Make Martini 1Moisten the rim of a chilled martini glass with the juiced lemon, turn the glass upside down, twist into the lemon sugar, and set aside. 2Add vodka, Cointreau (or triple sec), lemon juice, simple syrup, and a handful of ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake for 30 seconds or until very cold. Strain into the prepared martini glass and serve immediately. Adam and Joanne's Tips Simple syrup: Use store-bought or make homemade simple syrup. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Simple syrup: Use store-bought or make homemade simple syrup. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Calories 256 / Protein 0 g / Carbohydrate 21 g / Dietary Fiber 0 g / Total Sugars 20 g / Total Fat 0 g / Saturated Fat 0 g / Cholesterol 0 mg AUTHOR: Adam Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? 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