A Lemon Drop Martini is a beautifully balanced, refreshingly tart, easy-to-make cocktail and tastes so much better than any bottled lemon drop or beverage at a bar. This simple recipe requires just a few fresh ingredients that are shaken and strained into a sugar-rimmed glass with a lemon twist; it’s a delicious drink with the perfect pucker and hint of sweetness.
What is a Lemon Drop?
A Lemon Drop Martini is a sweet and sour version of a classic vodka martini but served in a martini glass with a sugar rim. This recipe is so easy to make at home using a few fresh ingredients (no need for a mix or a pour-and-shake package) and tastes like the classic sugar-coated lemon drop candy in cocktail form.
The key to making the best Lemon Drop Martini is having the perfect balance of sour and sweet from fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. It’s a smooth sip with a cool, clean flavor and sophisticated vibe.
This classic cocktail is refreshing and festively classy, served in a martini glass with sugar on the rim and a lemon twist; it’s the best boozy beverage that feels kind of fancy!
Looking for more simple sips for adults only? Try my Dirty Shirley Float, Drunken Dalgona, Boozy Frozen Lemonade–perfect for your next party.
Why we love this Lemon Drop Martini Recipe
- Quick and easy to make in 5 minutes.
- Only uses fresh ingredients–no mix needed.
- Sweet sugar on the rim helps to balance out the tart flavor of the lemon.
- Homemade delicious drink tastes better than going to a bar.
- Perfect boozy beverage for New Year’s Eve, a girls night, a dinner party, or any holiday or celebration.
Lemon Drop Martini Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- ½ ounce triple sec
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Lemon wedge
- Lemons for garnish
LEMON DROP COCKTAIL SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
- Simple Syrup: Instead of buying a bottle of simple syrup, you can easily make your own or use maple syrup instead.
- Flavor Factor: Although I think this martini has the perfect balance of sweet and sour taste, you can add extra flavor by using a citrus or fruit-flavored vodka, fruit syrup, or floral syrup.
- Various Vodkas: For the best tasting cocktail, I like to use a good quality, smooth vodka, like Grey Goose, Kettle One, Stoli, and Tito’s.
Recommended Tools
- Cocktail shaker
- Silicone baking mat
- Non-slip cutting board
- Cookie scoop
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
HOW TO MAKE A LEMON DROP COCKTAIL
This Lemon Drop Martini is so easy to make and looks like the classiest martini cocktail served in a sugar-rimmed martini glass with a lemon twist. With a perfect balance of sweet and tart, the fresh ingredients taste better than any bottled lemon drop martini mix.
- Add ice, vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
- Rub the lemon wedge around the rim of your glass and dip it into a small plate of sugar, circling the glass around until sugar sticks and coats the rim.
- Strain the drink into the glass and garnish with lemon.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Lemon Drop Cocktail Recipe Tips
- I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice–the juice from a bottle just isn’t the same!
- Use a good quality vodka. You don’t need to go straight to the top shelf, but choose a smooth vodka.
- If you find the drink to be a little too tart, add more syrup next time. Likewise, if it’s a bit too sweet for your taste, pour more lemon juice.
- Make a large batch and add to a pitcher–perfect for a party!
- Martinis are best served very cold. You can even chill the martini glasses in advance.
Lemon Drop Cocktail Storage
- To Store: This martini is best served immediately.
How to serve a Lemon Drop Martini
For the perfect lemon drop martini, use any type of martini glass, place some sugar on a small plate, rub the rim of the glass with a lemon and dip the top rim of the glass into the sugar. This will make a delicious sugar-rimmed glass martini.
Lemon Drop Drink Recipe FAQs
On average, a Lemon Drop Martini shakes up to about 20 percent ABV (40 proof), which is half the strength of a straight shot of vodka. Keep this in mind because the cocktail’s sweet taste makes it easy to drink one too many!
It is so easy to make a homemade simple syrup using 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water.
Simply combine sugar and water in a medium sauce pan. Boil for 5 minutes, without stirring. Let it cool to room temperature before using. This syrup mixture will keep for several days in the fridge.
You can use Cointreau in this recipe instead of triple sec. While they’re both orange liqueurs, Cointreau has a higher ABV, meaning it has more alcohol than a traditional triple sec.
Lemon twists are always a fun garnish to serve with cocktails, especially this Lemon Drop martini! They may look fancy, but they are actually really simple to make!
Cut a round of lemon, and slice through one side of the peel. Using your knife or your hands, gently pull the lemon flesh and pith away from the peel. If necessary, trim any additional white pith from the peel. Twist the peel, using a finger or a straw as a guide. It should hold its shape.
Other Easy Cocktail Recipes
- Fireball Jello Shots
- Strawberry Champagne Ice Cream Floats
- White Claw Slushie
- Classic Hot Toddy
- Pineapple Rum Punch
- Baileys Irish Coffee
LEMON DROP COCKTAIL RECIPE
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- ½ ounce triple sec
- 1 ounce lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- Lemon wedge
- Lemons for garnish
Instructions
- Add ice to a cocktail shaker. Add the vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake vigorously.
- Place the sugar on a small plate. Rub the lemon wedge around the rim of the glass. Dip in the sugar along the rim.
- Strain the drink into the glass and add a lemon garnish of your choice.
Jenn’s Notes
- I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice–the juice from a bottle just isn’t the same!
- Use a good quality vodka. You don’t need to go straight to the top shelf, but choose a smooth vodka.
- If you find the drink to be a little too tart, add more syrup next time. Likewise, if it’s a bit too sweet for your taste, pour more lemon juice.
- Make a large batch and add to a pitcher–perfect for a party!
- Martinis are best served very cold. You can even chill the martini glasses in advance.
This recipe is so good. Thanks for the recipe.
While I have tried this drink with Vodka, I much prefer gin. There is something so refreshing with Gin, the way it goes down your throat, It makes me wnt to savor it in my mouth and my mouth feels so good afterward, Gin is much healthier than Vodka, by that I mean think of what it is aged in. My only problem is I like it in most of my drinks.