A classic lemon drop cocktail gets a summery twist (and gorgeous color!) from a few fresh blackberries. Recipe for 21+. Please drink responsibly.
There's nothing quite like a cold martini, and a classic lemon drop is one of our go-to cocktails for a night out!
Like our fan-favorite cranberry lemon cocktails, this recipe is a twist on a simple lemon drop martini. All you need: A few bar cart staples, a cocktail shaker and strainer, and a handful of fresh blackberries!
Cocktail ingredients
Find a full ingredients list with exact quantities in the recipe card below.
- Fresh blackberries are the star of the show! If you can't find fresh blackberries, frozen will work (just let them defrost completely before making the drinks).
- Triple Sec. We recommend Cointreau if you have it, but you can use any brand of triple sec or orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier), or make a quick homemade simple syrup.
- Fresh squeezed lemon juice makes a huge difference here! Skip the bottled stuff.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the vodka for your favorite gin or tequila, or use a fruit-infused vodka (à la our blackberry vodka tonic recipe). Not a hard liquor fan? Skip the vodka and top these drinks with prosecco or sparkling wine.
- Make it a mocktail! Use simple syrup instead of triple sec, and omit the vodka. Add a splash of club soda or tonic water for extra body if you like.
Step by step instructions
Prepare the glassware
Run a spare lemon wedge around the edge of each of your martini glasses, then lightly dip the rim into a plate lined with sugar. Tap off any excess, and you have a perfect sugar rim that's ready to go!
Muddle the blackberries
Add fresh berries to a large cocktail shaker (reserve a few for garnish if you like!) Use a fork or a muddler to lightly squeeze the berries, until they release some of their juices.
Shake the martini
Add the vodka, triple sec, and lemon juice to the cocktail shaker. Top with plenty of ice, then shake well to chill.
Strain the cocktails into your prepared glasses. Add a garnish if you like, then serve immediately.
Pro Tip: Between the fresh lemon juice and the muddled blackberries, this drink can generate quite a bit of pulp. We recommend straining it at least once, but ideally 2-3 times for the smoothest drink!
📖 Recipe
Blackberry Lemon Drop Martini
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 Cocktails 1x
- Category: Cocktails
- Cuisine: American
Description
A classic lemon drop gets an easy, summery twist thanks to some fresh blackberries!
Ingredients
For the cocktails:
- 1 Tablespoon sugar (optional)
- 3 ounces fresh blackberries (¾ cup)
- 2 ounces triple sec (¼ cup)
- 4 ounces vodka (½ cup)
- 2 ounces fresh lemon juice (¼ cup, or the juice of 2-3 lemons)
- Lots of ice
Optional Garnishes:
- Extra fresh blackberries
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Add sugar rims to glasses (optional). Spread sugar in an even layer on a small plate. Run a lemon wedge around the rim of each glass, then lightly dip the moistened edge into your plate of sugar to create a sugar rim.
- Muddle the blackberries. Add fresh berries to a large cocktail shaker and use a fork or a muddler to break them up and begin releasing some juices.
- Make the cocktails. Add triple sec, vodka, and lemon juice to the cocktail shaker. Add plenty of ice, then shake well to chill.
- Strain into prepared glasses. Garnish with extra blackberries and a lemon wedge if you like.
Notes
There is often quite a bit of pulp in cocktail recipes that use muddled berries with fresh lemon juice. For the smoothest cocktail, we recommend straining your shaken martini through both the built-in cocktail strainer and a fine mesh sieve. Straining the mixture a few times will remove most of the pulp for a smoother experience (and you can always strain the drink an additional time if you like!)
Our preferred triple sec is Cointreau. We test all of our cocktail recipes with it!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cocktail
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 18.7 g
- Sodium: 5.3 mg
- Fat: 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.3 g
- Protein: 1.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Rhonda
You had me at Lemon Drop! Add in the blackberry infused vodka and I was hooked. I didn't have triple sec so I used Cointreau and these were awesome. The infused vodka makes this a notch up from a regular lemon drop. It is so easy to infuse the vodka - thanks for the clear instructions. I made a triple batch so I would have infused vodka on hand. Not sure how long it's going to last though. Definitely going on my rotation of cocktails!
Team Life As A Strawberry
WAHOO! We're so glad you loved the infused vodka enough to make a triple batch!
buttermilktx
Thanks, Jessie. I can't wait to try it.