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A lavender lemon drop vodka martini is a light, refreshing and totally delicious spring cocktail. Blending the unmistakeable flavour of lavender with a bright splash of lemon and sweet orange, this lavender lemonade vodka cocktail is perfectly balanced. So if you’re looking for spring drink ideas, I definitely recommend making this mixed drink with homemade lavender simple syrup, vodka and triple sec.
Making your own homemade lavender simple syrup is the key to this mouth-watering vodka and triple sec cocktail. A citrusy zip from the triple sec and lemon pair perfectly with the other flavours in this spring vodka cocktail recipe.
Lavender Lemon Drop Vodka Martini Ingredients
You will need sugar, water and lavender for the homemade lavender simple syrup and sugar and lemon for the sugared rim. The lavender lemonade vodka cocktail itself calls for vodka and triple sec, plus lemon juice and some of the lavender syrup. Finally, lavender sprigs and lemon slices make a pretty garnish.
Culinary lavender is what you will need to make the homemade lavender simple syrup. This means it’s food-grade and safe to consume. Non-culinary lavender might have pesticides or other unwanted chemicals and substances on them. This is why you need to ensure yours is the culinary variety. They are available from Whole Foods or, if there isn’t one in your neighbourhood, on Amazon.
The other ingredients in a lavender lemon drop vodka martini are self-explanatory. Use any brand of vodka you prefer and any brand of triple sec. I recommend using fresh lemon juice instead of bottled for a better flavour. You can use honey or sweetener in place of the sugar if you like.
How to Make a Lavender Lemonade Vodka Cocktail
The first step of making this spring cocktail is to prepare the lavender syrup. Put the lavender in a pan with the sugar and water and bring the mixture to a boil. Next, simmer for a few minutes until the sugar has dissolved then take it off the heat.
Let the mixture sit for half an hour so all the aromatic lavender flavour is coaxed out into the syrup. Finally strain the liquid and throw out the lavender buds.
Combine some sugar with lemon zest to make the rim dip. Moisten the rim of each glass with lemon juice then roll the glasses in the sugar-lemon mixture.
Add ice to a cocktail shaker and then add the vodka and triple sec with some lemon juice and lavender syrup. Shake and pour into the rimmed glasses then garnish the spring cocktail with lemon and/or lavender sprigs if liked.
Lavender Lemon Drop Vodka Martini History
The classic lemon drop cocktail dates back to the 1970s. It was first created at Henry Africa’s in San Francisco. The drink became popular all over California and it was served as a shot in the 1990s.
There are lemon drop variations such as this lavender martini recipe. Other variations include raspberries, blueberries or different types of liquors. Raspberry lemon drops use crushed or pureed raspberries while blueberry lemon drops have muddled blueberries.
Lavender Lemon Drop Vodka Martina FAQs
If you mix everything except the ice together ahead of time, you can keep the mixture for up to 2 days. Keep it refrigerated and in an airtight container. Give it a good shake before serving it though.
You will have enough homemade lavender simple syrup to make 6 cocktails. If you’re not making this many or you want to make extra syrup you can double or triple the recipe. It will be fine in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Before using it, let it warm up to room temperature and shake or stir to break up any crystallization. This syrup can be used to make other drinks such as lavender lattes or lavender lemonade. You could even add some to a glass of iced tea or add it to ice cream or mousse to add an elegant touch to dessert.
Although it’s optional, I love to give this lavender cocktail a lavender colour! The simplest way to achieve this is adding a couple of drops of blue food colouring and one of purple food colouring to the syrup after removing the lavender buds. Another way is to add some blueberries to the syrup when it’s boiling so they will burst and colour the liquid.
Lavender Lemon Drop Vodka Martini Recipe
Lavender Lemon Drop Vodka Martini
Ingredients
For the Lavender Simple Syrup (makes enough for about 6 cocktails):
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 Cup water
- 2 Tablespoons dried culinary lavender buds
For the Lemon Sugar Rim:
- 1/4 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 Tablespoon lemon zest, zest from 1 lemon
- lemon wedge, or lemon juice
For the Lavender Lemon Drop:
- ice
- 2 Ounces vodka, such as Western Son Original Vodka
- 1/2 Ounce triple sec , such as DeKuyper Triple Sec
- 1 1/2 Ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 Ounce lavender syrup, recipe above
- Lavender sprigs, optional for garnish
- Fresh or dried lemon slice, optional for garnish
Instructions
For the Lavender Simple Syrup (makes enough for about 6 cocktails):
- To a small saucepan, add sugar, lavender buds, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Allow lavender buds to steep in syrup for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid, removing and discarding the buds.
For the Lemon Sugar Rim:
- On a shallow plate, mix together sugar and lemon zest.
- Dip the rim of your glass into lemon juice or swipe a lemon wedge around the rim of your glass. Holding it at a 45-degree angle, dip the dampened rim of the glass into the prepared lemon-sugar, rotating it until the sugar covers the entire rim.
For the Lavender Lemon Drop:
- Fill a cocktail shaker about halfway with ice. Add vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, and lavender syrup. Shake to combine until the shaker feels ice cold (10-20 seconds). Pour into rimmed glass. Garnish with a lavender sprig and/or a lemon wheel, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Vodka and triple sec pair up with lemon to make this delicious lavender lemon drop martini. This is a light, refreshing lavender vodka cocktail and would be the perfect tipple for a balmy spring evening.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
This is perfection! I will be making this.