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The Lemon Drop Martini is an extremely well-established classic. It’s sweet enough to disguise the alcohol flavor, so it’s popular with occasional and social drinkers. It actually tastes very much like the candy for which it was named.

You might look at this drink and think it’s too hard to make at home. It’s served with a sugar rim and a lemon twist, making it look glamorous. But it’s really quite an easy cocktail recipe to make at home.

What’s great about the Lemon Drop Martini cocktail is how well it balances sweet and sour notes. Fresh lemon juice and citron vodka bring the tartness while superfine sugar – or simple syrup – and Cointreau add sweetness.

And the sugar rim and a lemon twist makes it beautiful. It’s easier than you think to coat the rim of a glass with sugar. (More on that in a minute.)

Some recipes call for sour mix, but not this one. In this version, the lemon juice and sugar or simple syrup provide the flavor of the sweet and sour mix. Unlike the light and refreshing Limoncello Collins, which is mellowed by chilled club soda, this drink is intensely citrus.

Superfine sugar or simple syrup?

Because this is a classic version of the recipe, it calls for superfine sugar. You’re supposed to shake it with your liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice until it dissolves.

It’s obviously easier to use simple syrup, and we recommend it. The taste will be at least as good and it’s a lot less work.

For the rim, you’ll need a coarser sugar. Plain table sugar is perfect. But you can also buy rim sugars designed for lemon drop martinis. They can actually add some lemon flavor of their own.

It’s easy to do, and we have a whole page about how to rim a glass, and also a video you can watch.

Fresh lemon juice – and zest?

You don’t have to use fresh lemon juice, but it really does make a difference in this drink. Bottled lemon juice has a slightly different flavor.

For an extra fresh lemon flavor, you can also add some lemon zest into your shaker and then strain it out when you pour. This brings out some of the lemon juice from the peel and really adds to the citrus taste.

Lemon Drop Martinis are great for drinking on a night out dancing. They’re sophisticated, but you don’t need to acquire a taste for them because they’re just delicious.

They make a great change from the Cosmopolitan, which has overtaken the Lemon Drop in popularity in recent years.

This is an easy enough drink to pair with foods. Try this 20 Minute Lemon, Garlic, and Herb Baked Cod from Baker by Nature. The lemon flavors compliment one another, while garlic and herbs like parsley and basil mellow the sweetness of the cocktail.

You can also enjoy this one as a dessert drink. It satisfies the sweet tooth with nowhere near as much sugar as the average restaurant dessert.

Lemon Drop Martini Recipe

Yield: 1 drink

This easy Lemon Drop Martini is a classic cocktail recipe that tastes like lemon candy. It features vodka, lemon juice and sugar, along with a touch of orange liqueur. This is an easy drink to love.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces citron vodka (like Absolut Citron)
1/2 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1 teaspoon superfine sugar or simple syrup
Optional: lemon zest

Instructions

Rim a martini glass with sugar.
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes.
Pour in all the ingredients, including the lemon zest if you're using it
Shake only until the sugar is dissolved (so as to avoid bruising the alcohol). Or if you're using simple syrup, just shake it for about 10 seconds.
Strain into martini glass.
Garnish with a lemon slice or twist.