The Most Refreshing Lemon Drop Martini

The perfect lemon drop martini should be refreshingly tart, not cloyingly sweet. Lucky for you, this is The Most Refreshing Lemon Drop Martini! Give it a try soon.

Lemon Drop Martini

I’ll admit it, I’m a lemon drop martini snob. If I’m served a lemon drop martini that is not icy cold or is too sweet, I probably won’t come back to your bar or at least not order another mixed drink. I know, sounds harsh, but I would prefer to just make my own cocktails at home and stick to wine and beer when I’m out if the cocktails are not made with attention to detail.

I know I’ve mentioned in other cocktail posts about how little things matter, when it comes to mixing the perfect drink at home. That’s especially true for The Best Mojito and this amazing cosmo recipe. These are the kinds of things a busy bartender might not have time to do or does not have access to at his bar.

However, last year I did have a lemon drop martini at a restaurant that I absolutely loved. It was cocktail perfection.

When it comes to a good cocktail, top of the line ingredients are key, but so is a bartender who pays attention, which is why the same drink is so different depending on the skill of the maker. When making cocktails, always sweat the small stuff. Always!

One of the ingredients I use in my lemon drop martinis is this ultrafine pure cane sugar.

You can find this sugar in the baking aisle of the market in what looks like a milk carton. It’s not the same as the pourable superfine sugar, it has to be ultra. The ultrafine sugar, sugars the rim of the glass perfectly, with a nice thin layer of sweetness. You don’t want this sugared edge to be thick and gritty.

Also a thinly, rimmed martini glass is also a must.

Lemon Drop Ingredients

• fresh lemon juice
• top shelf vodka
• ultrafine sugar

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I use a small sieve to sprinkle the ultrafine sugar onto my glass rims that have been dipped in lemon juice.

Ultrafine fine sugar is key in this recipe! Do not use regular sugar on the rim or in the drink.

Fresh lemons are a key ingredient in this drink (obviously) and one thing I cannot live without in my kitchen is my citrus press.

This lemon press squeezes your lemons and limes to almost dry. It’s not even possible to get as much juice out when you squeeze lemons or limes with your hands. Even the driest lemon or lime will yield lots of juice with this press. And it lasts for years and years. You have to have one. I always make sure I have one on backup too.

A lemon drop martini needs to be icy cold. And while this drink is shaken vigorously in ice, it benefits from an icy finish in the glass, but you don’t want to add ice cubes.

This is where a high performance blender comes in and the reason they are pricey. You can crush ice to snow cone consistency in 10 seconds. I then add it to a freezer bag and keep it in my freezer to scoop out when making cocktails. It will stick together but it breaks up easily. So worth it and it undoubtedly makes a difference in this drink.

A chilled glass doesn’t hurt either.

Lemon Drop Martini Recipe

1. Dip the edges of a martini glass in fresh lemon juice and then dip those edges in ultrafine sugar
2. Using a citrus press, squeeze the juice out of a 5-6 oz lemon into a cocktail shaker. The lemon should be pretty dry once you’ve done this.
3.  Add vodka and 1 tablespoon of ultrafine sugar into cocktail shaker and fill halfway with large ice cubes.
4. Vigorously shake for at least 40 shakes to dissolve sugar all of the sugar.
5. Strain into a martini glass and scoop in finely crushed ice to float on the top.
6. Add a thinly sliced lemon round to float on the top.

GET THE FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE FOR THIS LEMON DROP MARTINI BELOW. ENJOY!

You are going to love this drink.

Recipe Tips

Thinly sliced lemons will float on the top of your cocktail and give it an elegant look.

Remember, the little things count when it comes to cocktail making, especially when it comes to how the drink looks when it’s served.

A floating slice of lemon and a cold glass with a sugared rim are absolute eye candy.

A lemon wedge could also be placed on the glass rim instead of floating on the drink itself.

Serve this martini for any occasion that requires a good cocktail. And don’t forget to use top shelf vodka. Lower quality vodka gives your cocktails a sharp, dull, taste.

More Cocktail Recipes

• Blue Hawaiian Cocktail
• Spicy Watermelon Margarita
• Wine Slushies
• Dirty Shirley
• Agave Margarita
• Cherry Sangria

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Print Recipe 5 from 34 votes The Most Refreshing Lemon Drop Martini The perfect lemon drop martini should be refreshingly tart, not cloyingly sweet. Lucky for you this is The Most Refreshing Lemon Drop Martini! Give it a try soon. Prep Time5 mins Total Time5 mins Course: Drinks Cuisine: American Keyword: Lemon Drop Martini Servings: 1 cocktail Calories: 240kcal Author: Cathy Ingredients juice of one 5-6 oz lemon, plus more for glass rim* 2.5 oz top shelf vodka such as Tito's 1 tbsp ultrafine baker's sugar, more for rim finely crushed ice sliced lemon round for garnish Instructions To sugar the rim of the martini glass, squeeze your extra lemon into a flat bottomed bowl and dip the rim of the glass into the bowl to coat the outside edges of the glass. Holding the glass upside down, sprinkle ultrafine sugar onto the outside edge of the glass rim. Using a citrus press, squeeze the juice out of a 5-6 oz lemon into a cocktail shaker. Add vodka and 1 tablespoon of ultrafine sugar into cocktail shaker and fill halfway with large ice cubes. Close and shake vigorously for at least 40 shakes to dissolve sugar (wrap a towel around the shaker as it will get very cold to hold on to). Strain into a martini glass and scoop in finely crushed ice to float on the top. Add a thinly sliced lemon round to float on the top. Notes *I never measure my lemon juice exactly. With a juice press I know I will get enough juice out of the whole lemon. If you are hand squeezing you might have to use more than one lemon as your yield of juice will be low. A chilled glass is awesome with this drink.   Nutrition Nutrition Facts The Most Refreshing Lemon Drop Martini Amount Per Serving (1 cocktail) Calories 240 Calories from Fat 2 % Daily Value* Fat 0.2g0% Sodium 0.8mg0% Potassium 94.1mg3% Carbohydrates 18.3g6% Fiber 0.3g1% Sugar 14.3g16% Protein 0.3g1% Vitamin A 5IU0% Vitamin C 48.7mg59% Calcium 6mg1% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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