The Ultimate Lemon Drop Martini - Easy!

Recipe: Lemon Drop Martini Recipe »

Love lemon cocktails? This lemony Lemon Drop Martini is made with lemon vodka, limoncello or triple sec and fresh lemon juice for the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Ready in just 5 minutes, it's the perfect cocktail and a total crowd pleaser!

About Lemon Drop Martinis

Heads up lemon lovers! A Lemon Drop Martini is the cocktail of your dreams. It is the perfect balance of sweet and sour. Lemon Drop Martinis are traditionally made with vodka, triple sec and fresh lemon juice but today I'm sharing a twist on the classic Lemon Drop for lemon lovers like me to make it even more lemony!

The Lemon Drop Martini was first invented in the 1970s by Norman Jay Hobday, the founder and owner of Henry Africa's bar in San Francisco, California. Since then they have made variations with other fruit like strawberry or mandarin but to me, the classic lemon drop martini has a firm place in my heart.

How We Make This Even More Lemony (and why you'll love it!)

⭐ We use lemon vodka, not regular vodka.

⭐ We use Meyer lemons that are more complex and sweet.

⭐ Instead of triple sec, which is orange flavoured, we use limoncello! Seriously, it makes it much more true to flavour (I've made both and much, much prefer the limoncello version).

⭐It's such an easy cocktail to make - just shake and pour!

⭐ It's a total crowd pleaser!

Video How To Make Lemon Drop Martini

Video: Lemon Drop Martini Recipe

Ingredients For Lemon Drop Martini

Vodka - We use lemon vodka but regular, unflavoured also works.

Limoncello - Use your favourite limoncello (or try a homemade one). Buddha's Hand limoncello is also delicious in this.

Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice, Meyer lemons if you have them.

Simple syrup - Simple syrup or sugar syrup can be bought at bottle shops or you can make it yourself. Bring 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar to the boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 3 minutes and then cool and store in the fridge. It should last for 1 month. I always keep simple syrup in the fridge for cocktails, tea or coffee (or to moisten sponge cakes). Alternatively you can make a rich syrup with 2 parts of sugar to 1 part of water and this will last for 3-6 months. It will be much sweeter than simple syrup though (obviously!).

Tips For Making Lemon Drop Martini

1 - Lemon Drops are delicious even if you use regular vodka and triple sec. The only one non negotiable is that you need to use fresh lemon juice.

2 - Decorate it with a lemon wheel, wedge or twist! I recommend a twist as it adds straight lemon aroma whereas a wheel or wedge adds sourness.

What Food to Serve with Lemon Drop Martinis?

Seafood is a natural match for a lemon cocktail. Think grilled seafood or a seafood platter. Prawn pastas also work well. A cheese plate with a double cream brie also works. Lemon drop martinis also work well as a dessert cocktail.

Lemon Drop Martini Recipe

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Recipe Overview

Preparation time: 4 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Serves: 1

Ingredients Needed

For sugar rim (enough for 4-6 martinis)

• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

For cocktail

• 50ml/1.7 floz lemon vodka
• 25ml/0.8floz limoncello or triple sec
• 25ml/0.8floz lemon juice
• 25ml/0.8floz simple syrup

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 RIM - Mix the sugar and lemon zest in a small rimmed plate. Rub some of the cut lemon on the edge of the glass and then press rim into the sugar. Set aside.

Step 2 COCKTAIL - Add the lemon vodka, limoncello, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker along with a handful of ice. Shake for 15 seconds and then pour in the prepared glass.

Step 3 GARNISH - Garnish with a lemon wheel or a lemon twist. To make a lemon twist, peel a small length of zest (around 10cm/4inches) and twist around a chopstick. Hold for 10 seconds and then add to the cocktail.

Personal Note

I think this Lemon Drop is now Mr NQN's favourite cocktail. A part of it is the taste but another part is the fact that we made the limoncello together. I love making this cocktail because it's the easiest cocktail to make and just requires some fresh lemons.

We were given some beautiful lemons from our neighbour Nicky. Her father lives across the back fence from her and his tree has the very best Meyer lemons ever. They're nothing like the versions that we are used to getting at the supermarket. The skin is supple with a thin pith and they are incredibly juicy. They look so perfect that they almost look like fake lemons.

I've been saving these lemons to use for a special recipe (I wanted to make a lemon tart but that's a long story and it didn't happen) and they were such a hit with Mr NQN that I ended up using most of them on this!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you have a source for good homegrown lemons? Have you ever tried a lemon drop cocktail?