Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini
- Total Time35 minutes
- Yield4 servings 1x
This Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini uses homemade cranberry simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and vodka for a light, fruity holiday cocktail.
Ingredients
- Cranberry Simple Syrup:
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
- 1 and 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Cranberry Lemon Drop Martinis:
- 1 cup cranberry simple syrup, cooled
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup vodka
- Ice, for shaking
- Granulated sugar, for rimming glasses, optional
- Lemon slices and fresh cranberries, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Coarsely chop the cranberries and place them in a medium saucepan. Add the water and set the pan over medium heat.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the cranberries are soft and have released their juice.
- Use a spoon or potato masher to gently mash the cooked cranberries against the side of the pan. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl or measuring cup, pressing lightly on the solids to extract as much juice as possible.
- Measure the cranberry juice. You should have about 1 cup. If you have less, add a little water to reach 1 cup, then pour the juice back into the clean saucepan.
- Add the sugar to the cranberry juice and place the pan over medium heat. Stir as it comes to a boil, then remove from the heat as soon as it reaches a full boil. Let the cranberry simple syrup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a jar and refrigerate until chilled.
- To make one martini, fill a cocktail shaker halfway with large ice cubes. Add 2 ounces (1/4 cup) cranberry simple syrup, 2 ounces fresh lemon juice, and 2 ounces vodka.
- Secure the lid on the shaker and shake firmly for 15 to 20 seconds, until the shaker feels very cold.
- If you like a sugar rim, rub a lemon wedge around the rim of a martini glass and dip it into a shallow plate of sugar to coat.
- Strain the shaken drink into the prepared martini glass. Garnish with a lemon slice and a few cranberries if desired, and serve immediately.
- Repeat shaking and straining for the remaining servings, or batch the syrup, lemon juice, and vodka in a pitcher and shake smaller portions with ice as needed.
Notes
Storage: Store cooled cranberry simple syrup in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake or stir before using. Mixed martinis are best served right away and do not store well once shaken with ice.
Substitutions: Use cranberry juice cocktail in place of fresh cranberries and water for a faster syrup, simmering equal parts juice and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Swap in citrus flavored vodka for more lemon flavor, or use sparkling water instead of vodka for a non alcoholic cranberry lemon drink.
Make Ahead: Make the cranberry simple syrup up to a week ahead and keep it chilled. You can also combine equal parts syrup, lemon juice, and vodka in a pitcher and refrigerate for several hours, then shake individual portions with ice right before serving.
Tips: Always chill the syrup before shaking cocktails so the drinks do not get too diluted. Adjust sweetness by adding more or less syrup to taste. Rim the glasses with sugar and garnish with lemon slices and cranberries for a festive presentation.
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated and will vary based on the exact amounts of syrup, juice, and vodka used. Drink responsibly and only if you are of legal drinking age in your area.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 martini
- Calories: 369
- Sugar: 53g
- Sodium: 7mg
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Find it online: https://www.alldietmeals.com/cranberry-lemon-drop-martini/
