Lemon Drop Martini
A deliciously sweet lemon martini made with limoncello, vodka, sweet and sour mix, and a dash of lemon. Dress it up with lemon-flavored sugar along the rim!
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Table of Contents
About Lemon Drop Martini
We may be a few inches away from the start of a new school year (and the beginning of Fall and Halloween and pumpkin spice and OMG a whole new year) but the heat is still blazing here in Phoenix. And for better or for worse, these 100+ temperatures will be lingering around for us well into September.
I’m not even joking here. It’ll be months before I’ll be able to experience the joy of a crisp fall breeze.
So, what does all this weather chit-chat mean for you?
Well, it means that I’ll still need plenty of chilled beverages to cool down my evenings with, and this lemon drop martini is my latest obsession.
I’ve been a big fan of limoncello ever since a good friend of ours introduced me to it years ago – but then, who isn’t a fan of limoncello?
How can you not love it once you’ve tried it?
It’s like a drinkable lemon drop candy, and made all the better by it being a liqueur.
I might be alone here on this one, but there’s something special about having a “grown up” version of your favorite childhood treats.
I mean, there’s gotta be some perks all these adult responsibilities, right? For me, that’s aging up all of my favorite tastes from yesteryears.
This isn’t the first time I’ve made a recipe with limoncello – just check out these limoncello cupcakes or the limoncello dressing on this fruit salad – and I guarantee it won’t be the last time. Limoncello is just too good not to enjoy it in all possible forms.
And as for how this Lemon Drop Martini turned out?
It was an absolutely perfect addition to my evening chill-out routine after a long, especially warm day. It’s sweet just limoncello but with an extra twist of lemon. It’s like lemonade, but somehow still manages to be even better.
Next up on my cooking to-do list is to make limoncello from scratch.
It takes a few months to do it properly, but when it’s done?
Totally win on all fronts.
Plus, I need an endless limoncello resource for all these martinis I’ll be making!
How to measure this limoncello martini
This martini is written like a standard drink recipe, meaning that instead of an exact measurement (ex: 1 cup) the recipe will be stated as “1 part.”
I know this can be a little confusing at first, but I’ve found the best way to explain it is this: Recipes that measure in parts usually mean it’s written so that you can adjust the size of the martini to whatever size you need but still keep the ratio of the ingredients correct.
For example, let’s say you wanted to make one drink – this typically means you’re using 1 standard shot glass for measuring. So then when the recipe says “1 part” you would interpret that amount as “1 standard shot glass” full. If the recipe says “1/2 part” you’d fill the shot glass halfway so that it’s “1/2 standard shot glass.” OR, let’s say you wanted to make enough drinks for a few friends. When making the drink you could interpret “1 part” as “1 cup” (or “1/2 part” to “1/2 cup.”)
Using this method, the drink will taste the same no matter what size you make it.
What are the exact measurements for one drink?
In a hurry and want simple measurements for just one drink? No problem! Just use this as a guide:
- 1/2 oz vodka
- 1/2 oz limoncello
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz sweet and sour mix
- 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
You can also select “Metric” measurements in the recipe card below to see these numbers.
Notes & tips for this lemon martini
- Like the mason jar cocktail shaker used in the recipe video? You can get a near identical one here: Mason Jar and Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker Set. And if you already have a ton of mason jars and just need a cocktail shaker lid, you can pick one up here: Mason Jar Cocktail Shaker Lid.
- Or maybe you like the glasses it’s served in? You can get a similar set here: Classic Martini Glass.
More colorful drinks
Lemon Drop Martini
Ingredients
- 1 part limoncello
- 1 lemon, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- On a small plate, add yellow sugar. Wet the rim of a glass with simple syrup (or lemon juice) and gently dab the top the glass in the yellow sugar, coating the rim. See above video for example. Set glass aside.
- Combine vodka, limoncello, sweet and sour mix, lemon juice, and sugar in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until sugar is dissolved.
- Pour into prepared martini glass. Garnish with a floating slice of lemon.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
