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Lemon Drop Martini

4.86 from 14 votes
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posted: 04/09/18

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

This Lemon Drop Martini will make you feel like you are at a high end bar right in your own home. Made with just a few simple ingredients and served in a perfect sugar rimmed martini glass, this lemon drop martini recipe is going to become your new favorite!

martini glass on a black background rimmed with sugar, full of a lemon drop martini and garnished with a lemon curl

One of my favorite things to order when I go out for a fancy dinner is a martini. I love a good Dirty Martini, but if it is towards the end of dinner and I am in the mood for something sweeter, a Lemon Drop Martini is the thing that totally hits the spot. A lemon drop tastes lemony sweet, with the perfect balance of sweet and sour.

Reader Review

Thank you for this very simple and delicious recipe. I’ve been on a lemon drop kick lately when I go out. Paying $15 – $20 for a martini is crazy when I’ve got the ingredients at home. Love that it’s simple and oh so good. Cheers!!

EASY ENOUGH TO MAKE AT HOME

Would you believe that you don’t have to wait to go out for a fancy dinner to to have a lemon drop martini? This lemon drop martini recipe is so simple, it is easy enough to make at home. It combines just three ingredients to make a decadent cocktail that will feel like dessert.

a land scape photo of the top half of a martini glass rimmed with sugar, full of a lemon drop martini recipe, and garnished with a lemon curl on a black background

LEMON DROP MARTINI INGREDIENTS

This lemon drop martini recipe comes together perfectly with just a few ingredients.

Start with quality vodka. I love using Titos in this recipe, but you find something you love. If you don’t love the vodka, you won’t like this recipe. Make sure it is something smooth.

Next, you need simple syrup. I love making my own simple syrup and keeping a jar of it on hand in the refrigerator, but you can also buy it in the liquor section of your grocery store. The sweetness of the simple syrup is the perfect balance against the sour of our next ingredient.

Finally, you need fresh lemon juice. It is really important, since there are only three ingridients in this recipe that one of them is fresh lemon juice and not bottled. Buy lemons that are firm but with a slight give to them. Microwave them for 10 seconds to help them release their juice. You can also try rolling your lemons between your hand and the counter. Strain the lemon juice to remove any pulp and seeds.

THE LIMONCELLO QUESTION

Some have asked me if you can make a lemon drop martini with limoncello. Don’t get me wrong, I love limoncello with all my heart, but I would stick to lemon juice for this recipe. It brings a freshness to this recipe that perfectly balances the simple syrup and vodka.

martini glass filled with a lemon drop martini, rimmed with sugar, garnished with a lemon curl infront of a bottle of titos and a martini shaker

HOW TO MAKE A LEMON DROP MARTINI

Let’s start by prepping our glass!

Grab a stemmed martini glass. Rim the glass with with a lemon juice. This will help the sugar stick. Now dip the rim of the glass in granulated sugar. If you want to get fancy you could add a little lemon zest to the sugar before rimming.

Now grab your metal martini shaker. I love using metal because it makes your drink ice cold. Fill the shaker with ice.

Add the remaining ingredients to the martini shaker. Don’t forget to strain the lemon juice!

You can finish by adding a lemon curl! A simple way to make a lemon curl is by cutting a slice of lemon, cutting a small slice in it, removing the inside of the lemon and then curling the peel around a chopstick until it makes a nice curl.

OTHER GREAT MARTINI RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE

Let’s not stop with the lemon drop! Here are some other great martinis I know you will love:

If you make this Lemon Drop Martini recipe or any of my other martini recipes, please leave me a comment so I know what you think!

overhead view of a martini glass, rimmed with sugar, full of a lemon drop martini, garnished with a lemon curl with lemons in the background on a black background
a land scape photo of the top half of a martini glass rimmed with sugar, full of a lemon drop martini recipe, and garnished with a lemon curl on a black background
4.86 from 14 votes

Lemon Drop Martini

Serves: 1 martini
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
This Lemon Drop Martini is a classic! So simple and easy to make, yet completely delicious and perfect!

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce simple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about half a lemon. strained to remove seeds and pulp
  • sugar for garnishing the glass

Instructions

  • Fill a martini shaker with ice.
  • Rub a lemon wedge around the edge of a martini glass. Dip the glass in sugar.
  • Add the vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup to the martini shaker. Shake to combine.
  • Pour into the prepared glass.
Calories: 220kcal (11%) Carbohydrates: 22g (7%) Sodium: 1mg Potassium: 24mg (1%) Sugar: 21g (23%) Vitamin C: 12.4mg (15%)
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: cocktails
Cuisine: American
a land scape photo of the top half of a martini glass rimmed with sugar, full of a lemon drop martini recipe, and garnished with a lemon curl on a black background

did you make this

Lemon Drop Martini

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

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  1. MR says

    4 stars
    I like to make mine with citrus vodka and Cointreau

  2. Juliet says

    Skip the sugar rim…

    • Lisa Longley says

      We’ll have to agree to disagree 😉

      • Lisa says

        The sugar rim doesn’t have that many calories and it makes the drink look beautiful. You don’t have to lick the whole glass. Sugar rim is a must.

  3. Tammy says

    5 stars
    This is a good recipe. I muddled a few blue berries in bottom of shaker before adding other ingredients. Save a few calories and leave off the sugar rim. Great without it.

  4. Lisa Stark says

    5 stars
    I made this and used a ginger simple syrup and it was DELICIOUS!

    • Lisa Longley says

      What an awesome idea! Thanks Lisa!

  5. Mariel says

    5 stars
    Yummo made this and it was delicious! Need the sugar on the rim!

    • Lisa Longley says

      So glad to hear that you liked it, Mariel!

  6. Christian says

    That’s a really nice post, well explicated! I like very much enjoying any kind of martinis! This lemon drop sounds tasteful!
    Cheers!

  7. Mary says

    5 stars
    Small pitcher size:
    2 C Tito’s Vodka
    1 C simple syrup
    3/4 C fresh lemon juice

    (Recipe x 8)

  8. Karen says

    5 stars
    Lisa!! You’ve done it again!! Oh my goodness! This is delicious. Followed directions exactly as written. I feared it would taste too alcohol-ish. ‘Unfortunately’, it was sooooo good, went down too easily. 😋😋I’ll consider this my New Year celebration and have another, even though it’s midday.
    I love your recipes. As always, thanks for sharing!!

  9. Isabella Risen says

    Joker?

  10. Qiana says

    I love Lemon drop…but also make what I call Lime drops…it’s the as recipe as a lemon drop but I love adding agave to my Lime Drop!

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