Lavender Lemon Drop Martini Recipe
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This 5 ingredient Lavender Lemon Drop Martini is a refreshing cocktail that’s perfect for sipping in the spring and summer. Made with vodka, fresh lemon, orange liqueur, and lavender syrup, this cocktail is a grown up version of lavender lemonade.
Like the Cosmopolitan, lemon drop martinis arrived on the bar scene in the 1970s, making them a modern classic cocktail. And yet unlike the Cosmo, you rarely see lemon drops on a bar menu. Let’s make a lavender version of this classic cocktail using lavender simple syrup to upgrade it and change that!
Lavender and lemon are a perfect pairing, so we’re adding lavender bitters to the classic lemon drop recipe and trading out the traditional simple syrup for lavender syrup in this delicious cocktail. This elevates a simple lemon cocktail to one worthy of a special occasion like Mother’s Day brunch, bridal showers, or summer brunches.
Ingredients
- Vodka – Choose your favorite, quality plain vodka for this recipe. My choice is Titos vodka. You can also use a citrus vodka or lavender vodka in this recipe.
- Lavender syrup – You can buy lavender simple syrup, or your can make yourself it in minutes! Get all of the instructions on my lavender syrup recipe page.
- Orange liqueur – Cointreau is my orange liqueur of choice for this cocktail, but triple sec will work if that’s what you have on hand. Skip the Grand Marnier for this recipe. It’ll change the color and the orange flavor is stronger than with other orange liqueurs.
- Fresh lemon – Fresh citrus is the difference between an OK drink and a great drink. Skip the bottled lemon juice and squeeze fresh lemons for this martini. (I mean, lemon is in the name!) You’ll need about half of a lemon per cocktail for this recipe.
- Sugar – A sugared rim is a must on any lemon drop martini, and this lavender variation is no exception. You can use either granulated white sugar or white decorating sugar for garnishing the rim of your glass.
- Lavender bitters (optional) – Bitters add depth of flavor to cocktails, especially simple ones like this lavender lemon drop. You can skip them if you don’t have any, but I do recommend picking some up if you think you’ll be making this drink more than once. (Or want to try my Lavender Bee’s Knees or Lavender Blueberry Gin Cocktail.)
How to Make a Lavender Lemon Drop Martini
Combine vodka, lavender syrup, lemon juice, orange liqueur, and lavender bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes.
Shake well and strain into a coupe glass rimmed with sugar. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.
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Lavender Lemon Drop Martini Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz lavender syrup
- 1 oz lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 0.25 oz orange liqueur
- 2 dashes lavender bitters, optional
- Sugar for rim
Instructions
- Pour sugar into a shallow dish.Sugar for rim
- Run a slice of lemon around the top of a martini glass and dip the rim of the glass into the sugar. Set aside.
- Combine vodka, lavender syrup, lemon juice, orange liqueur, and lavender bitters (if using) in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.2 oz vodka, 1 oz lavender syrup, 1 oz lemon juice, 0.25 oz orange liqueur, 2 dashes lavender bitters
- Shake well and strain into your prepared glass.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Tips
Make your lavender syrup ahead of time so it has time to chill in the refrigerator before you make your cocktails. Use any kind of martini glass or coupe glass for serving this cocktail.
Besides the classic sugar rim, add garnish with lemon slices, fresh lavender sprigs, or a little bit of dried culinary lavender buds.
Make Homemade Lavender Syrup
It only takes 3 ingredients, a few steps, and a little time to make your own Lavender Simple Syrup. It’s so much better than what you buy in stores!
Don’t want to make lavender syrup? Look for pre-made lavender syrup – sometimes called lavender cordial – at your favorite specialty food and/or beverage store.
How to Make Your Lavender Lemon Drop Purple
As you can see in the picture above, dried lavender doesn’t turn the lavender syrup purple when you make it. It’s naturally a pale yellow color.
In order to have a purple cocktail like the one in the other photos on this page, you have to use butterfly pea flowers to turn the lavender syrup blue. Then use the blue syrup in this drink, which when combined with the lemon juice, will turn violet.
Find the full instructions for how to make and color your syrup over on my lavender syrup recipe page.
What to Serve with a Lavender Lemon Drop Cocktail
This sweet-but-tart cocktail needs a salty happy hour snack to go with it. I love my Bacon Wrapped Dates and/or BBQ Oyster Crackers with this Lavender Lemon Drop. These Charcuterie Cups are a super fun idea to serve with these when entertaining.
Looking for More Lemon Cocktails?
If you love that sweet-but-tart combination of a lavender lemon drop martini, shake up a Lavender Bee’s Knees with honey, Classic Lemon Drop Martini, a Strawberry Lemon Drop with fresh strawberry syrup, or a Blueberry Lemon Drop cocktail with homemade blueberry syrup.
Hey Katy, can you make this in a large batch for events?
Hi Laura! To make a pitcher (about 6 drinks), combine 1 1/2 cups vodka, 3/4 cup lavender simple syrup, 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1.75 oz orange liqueur, 12 dashes of lavender bitters, and 1/3 cup cold water. The water will compensate for shaking the cocktail with ice. Feel free to double or triple these amounts if you need more. 🙂
Is all lavender edible? I have a nice lavender plant (found near other herb plants at garden center). Can I use any fresh lavender to make lavender syrup?
Only certain varieties of lavender are edible. Pesticides are a concern (which obviously you’ll know about from your own garden), but also not all varieties taste the same. Here’s a good article for helping you figure out if what you’re growing will work: https://www.bbfamilyfarm.com/what-kind-of-lavender-can-you-eat/
You can make the syrup from fresh lavender, you just may need to increase the infusion time, so taste as you go.
Delish!! That first sip has you in a beautiful garden of lavender. Heavenly… easy to make & So refreshing! It was the signature drink for “Our Ladies Night Gathering”.💃🏻
So glad you love it! It’s the perfect ladies night drink. 🙂
Super delicious and refreshing!
So good! The best lavender martini I have tried. Not over the top.
can you please tell me where you found the glass that is holding your lavender lemon drop martini? I have been looking everywhere for that shape of a glass…..
I inherited those glasses from a friend after her parents passed away and left behind more glassware than the family was able to use.
If you search “vintage etched champagne glasses” on Ebay, you’ll find others with similar designs and shapes. Hope that helps!