Cucumber Vodka Martini with Elderflower
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This cucumber martini recipe creates a light and refreshing cocktail that’s ideal for sipping on a warm summer evening. Using your favorite plain vodka, this martini gets its flavor from fresh, muddled cucumber, bright lemon, and sweet elderflower liqueur.
Rather than get out big tools for creating pureed cucumber, we’re using a muddler to crush a few cucumber slices to get that crisp cucumber flavor. Pairing it with the floral of elderflower keeps it from being too vegetal.
Serve this refreshing cucumber elderflower martini at your next party or backyard barbecue! It’s a unique and delicious way to use the cucumber in your garden and the only way I enjoy a cucumber cocktail.
I love serving this perfect summer cocktail with a light appetizer like my whipped ricotta dip with honey, savory sweet potato chips and roasted red pepper dip, or caprese crostini.
Ingredients
- Vodka – Choose your favorite plain vodka for this recipe, or you can up the cucumber flavor and choose a cucumber-infused vodka.
- Elderflower Liqueur – I use St Germain Elderflower Liqueur for my elderflower cocktail recipes. If you’re new to elderflower liqueur, choose a small bottle as this is an expensive alcohol. You can also use elderflower syrup or elderflower cordial in place of the St Germain if you’re looking for a less expensive option.
- Simple Syrup – Easily made at home with white sugar and water, simple syrup adds a clean sweetness to the drink.
- Fresh Lemon – Fresh lemon juice is a must so skip the bottled juice and squeeze about half of a lemon for this cocktail.
- Fresh Cucumber – Choose English cucumbers or hothouse cucumbers for this cocktail as they have less seeds in them versus a traditional cucumber.
How to Make a Cucumber Martini
Place the slices of cucumber and the lemon juice in a cocktail shaker.
Muddle to break up and crush the cucumber.
Tip: Room temperature cucumbers are easier to muddle than cold cucumbers, so leave your cucumber out of the refrigerator prior to making your cocktails.
Add vodka, simple syrup, and elderflower liqueur.
Fill the shaker halfway with ice cubes.
Cucumber Vodka Martini with Elderflower
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- 0.75 oz simple syrup
- 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 oz elderflower liqueur
- 1 inch piece of fresh cucumber
Instructions
- Place the cucumber and the lemon juice in a cocktail shaker.
- Muddle to break up and crush the cucumber.
- Add vodka, simple syrup, and elderflower liqueur.
- Fill the shaker halfway with ice cubes.
- Cover and shake well.
- Double strain into a coupe or martini glass.
- Garnish with a peel of cucumber.
Make Your Own Simple Syrup
Simple syrup is super easy to make at home. Just be sure to make it a few hours (or more) before you’re planning to make your cocktails so it has time to chill. Get the recipe and all my syrup-making tips over on my simple syrup recipe page.
How to Garnish a Cucumber Martini
Garnish your cucumber martini with a thin slice of cucumber – either small, cucumber slices or use a vegetable peeler to peel the length of the cucumber to create a cucumber ribbon garnish. Take the long peel and fold it back and forth to create a ribbon-like pattern. Secure it with a cocktail pick and place it in your drink. (Watch this Instagram Reel to see me make a quick and easy cucumber ribbon garnish.)
More Refreshing Vodka Cocktails
Looking for more delicious vodka cocktail recipes? Try my citrusy Pineapple Martini, a tart-but-sweet Blueberry Lemon Drop, or embrace summer’s favorite fruit and make a Peach Raspberry Martini or Ginger Peach Moscow Mule.
