Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini

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This Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini is a sweet-tart; bright, delicious and festive holiday cocktail! With easy make-ahead cranberry simple syrup.

Easy step-by-step instructions, with make-ahead ingredients so you can focus on spending time with your guests.

Cranberry Simple Syrup

Let’s start with the crown jewel of this cocktail, Cranberry Simple Syrup! Gang, the colors are for real in this simple syrup and it is really…well…simple! I go into greater detail on the simple syrup post, but suffice it to say you need this in your fridge this season.

Ingredients for a Lemon Drop Martini

• 2 oz cranberry simple syrup (recipe included)
• 1-2 oz fresh lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1-2 oz vodka
• Ice
• All natural cane sugar for rimming glass (optional)
• Sugared Cranberries for garnish (optional)

Making a Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini

If desired, rub a wedge of lemon around the rim of glass, dip glass in all natural cane sugar, set aside until ready to pour.

Fill a cocktail shaker or mason jar fitted with a lid ½ – ⅔ full with ice. Pour cranberry simple syrup, lemon juice and vodka over ice.

Shaken, not Stirred

• Very Important * Give it at least 40-60 vigorous shakes.
• Why so important? Because vigorous shaking causes the flavors to mix, the ice to break apart and slightly dilute the drink.
• Plus it makes it nice and frothy!

Serve in a Martini glass with or without ice (I prefer with ice personally, as it’s a bit strong and I am a professed lightweight).

Garnish with a skewer of sugared cranberries and twist of lemon.

GORGEOUS! Sip slowly! Enjoy responsibly.

Make a pitcher for a crowd and let them shake their own!

Looking for more cranberry drinks! Oh please try this easy and tasty Cranberry Spritzer, keep it plain for kids and non-imbibers or add a splash of vodka for adults!

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Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini

Author: Kathleen Pope

4.67 from 6 votes

This Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini is a sweet-tart; bright, delicious and festive holiday cocktail! With easy make-ahead cranberry simple syrup.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Cocktails

Cuisine American

Servings 1 martini

Calories 226 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Mason Jar Shaker Lids – 2 Pack – Awesome to Shake Cocktails  
• ▢
  Expert Cocktail Shaker Home Bar Set – 14 Piece Stainless Steel Bar Tools Kit with Shaking Tins

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini

• ▢ 2 oz cranberry simple syrup, recipe included
• ▢ 1-2 oz fresh lemon juice, depending on your taste
• ▢ 1-2 oz vodka
• ▢ Ice
• ▢ All natural cane sugar for rimming glass, optional

Cranberry Simple Syrup (see full recipe here)

• ▢ 2 cups fresh cranberries, chopped
• ▢ 1 ½ cups water
• ▢ 1 cup all natural cane sugar

Instructions

 

• Cranberry Simple Syrup
• Rough chop cranberries and place in saucepan with water. Bring to simmer over medium heat, reduce to simmer and cook 20 minutes.
• Gently mash cranberries, straining through a fine strainer or cheesecloth. It should yield about 1 cup of pulpy juice, add water to make a cup if not.
• In a medium saucepan, add cranberry "juice" and 1 cup sugar. Bring to boil and IMMEDIATELY remove from heat, set aside to cool. Store in fridge. Simple syrup lasts about 3 months refrigerated.
• Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini
• Fill shaker or mason jar with ice about ⅔ full. Pour in 2 oz of cranberry simple syrup, lemon juice and vodka. Adjusting vodka and lemon down if preferred.
• Rub lemon juice on rim of martini glass and dip in all natural sugar.
• Shake, shake, shake the covered jar or shaker, 40-60 vigorous shakes.
• Pour into glass, garnish with lemon twist and sugared cranberries. Serve immediately.

✱ Kathleen’s Tips

Make a pitcher!

Add 1 cup cranberry simple syrup, ½-1 cup lemon juice (start with a little and take a little taste, add more to desired sweet-tart ratio) and 1 cup vodka. Provide guests with sugared rim glasses if desired and a shaker, allowing guests to make their own.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Calories: 226 kcal Carbohydrates: 44 g Protein: 0.3 g Fat: 0.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.01 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03 g Sodium: 34 mg Potassium: 75 mg Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 42 g Vitamin A: 6 IU Vitamin C: 15 mg Calcium: 15 mg Iron: 2 mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Fresh Cooky is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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About Kathleen Pope

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.