The Lemon Drop Martini recipe
for your table
Rub the outside rim of the glass with a lemon wedge and dip it in the sugar. Place the glass in the freezer.
Add the vodka, triple sec, lemon juice and sugar syrup to the shaker with plenty of ice.
Shake vigorously for 15 seconds until the shaker is frosted.
Double strain into the chilled glass and garnish with a lemon zest.
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The story
The Lemon Drop originated in San Francisco in the 1970s, at a time when vodka was rapidly gaining ground in America and bartenders were looking for ways to do something with it beyond mixing it with juice. The cocktail is built like a classic sour with spirits, liqueur, citrus and sugar, but the sugared rim is the idea that sets it apart: it makes the first sip a very different experience from the last. In the 1990s, it became one of the country's most popular 'martinis', alongside the Cosmopolitan and the Appletini, none of the three a real martini, all three served in the same glass.
The right glass
A martini glass of 20 to 26 cl is standard here, and the wide rim is functional: it is where the sugar rim goes. The wider the rim, the more sugar sticks to it and the more pronounced the sweet-and-sour effect. The cocktail is served without ice, so always chill the glass beforehand and hold it by the stem. Choose clear glass. The pale, cloudy lemon yellow is exactly the color you want to see, and tinted glass makes it look dull.
Arcoroc Brio Cocktail Glass 20 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco Novecento Cocktail Glass 15.5 cl Nick & Nora (4 pieces)
Together € 53,90.
The right tools
For a Lemon Drop Martini, in addition to the glass, you need a shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double straining, a citrus juicer, and a glass rimmer. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find them all in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 102,70.
What do you make a Lemon Drop Martini with?
For a Lemon Drop Martini, you need the right base. Well-known bottles include Absolut Vodka and Pallini. On each drink page, you can read the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Replace the vodka with limoncello for an Italian version, or use gin for a more herbal result. A basil or thyme leaf in the shaker gives the cocktail depth without requiring you to adjust the balance. Add a splash of prosecco on top for a light, festive version. In the mood for the same structure with cranberry? See the Cosmopolitan. Find more inspiration in all cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Sugar only the outer rim. If you turn the glass flat through the sugar, half of it will fall into your cocktail and make it too sweet within two sips. Use fine granulated sugar. Coarse sugar doesn't stick well and powdered sugar clumps. Fresh lemon juice is non-negotiable; bottled juice makes this cocktail flat and bitter at the same time.
Frequently asked questions
Which glass do you use for a Lemon Drop Martini?
A 20 to 26 cl martini glass with a wide rim for the sugar. View our martini glasses.
How do you make the sugared rim?
Rub the outer rim with a lemon wedge, then roll the glass on its side through fine granulated sugar. Only the outside, otherwise the sugar will fall into your drink.
Is this a real martini?
No. It contains no gin or vermouth; it's a sour served in a martini glass. That applies to almost all cocktails with '-tini' in the name.
Can you make it alcohol-free?
Yes: use 0.0 vodka and orange syrup instead of triple sec. Keep the fresh lemon juice and sugared rim. That's where this cocktail gets its character.
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