Sweet, tart, and completely refreshing, this Strawberry Lemon Drop Martini is the perfect cocktail for spring and summer entertaining! It’s made with real strawberries, fresh lemon juice and vodka for a fruity twist on the classic. It comes together with just a bit of prep and it’s so easy to make!

Fresh strawberry lemon drop martini in coupe glass.

If there’s a cocktail that embodies spring and summer perfectly, it’s this Strawberry Lemon Drop Martini. It’s tart and sweet like the classic lemon drop, with juicy fresh strawberries to add even more sweetness and flavor.

And you just can’t beat the beautiful color. 🙂

The strawberries are muddled and then strained so that the juices are perfectly smooth, then it’s combined with fresh lemon juice, vodka and cointreau in a cocktail shaker.

From there, it’s poured in a cocktail glass with a festive sugar rim for the perfect balance of tart and sweet.

This is a wonderful way to use super sweet, juicy strawberries from the farmer’s market!

Strawberry lemon drop martini in a glass with sugar rim.
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Why you’ll love this recipe

  • This homemade lemon drop martini with fresh strawberries is bursting with fresh flavor, and it’s the perfect balance of tart, sweet and refreshing.
  • It’s a show stopping cocktail for spring and summer with a shiny sugar rim and gorgeous red hue.
  • It’s easy to make with just a few ingredients, and the strawberry and lemon juice may be prepped ahead.
  • The recipe can be easily scaled for any number of guests.

Recipe ingredients

Strawberry lemon drop martini recipe ingredients.
  • Strawberries. The fresher and juicier your strawberries are, the more sweetness and flavor your cocktails will have. Taste your strawberries before muddling — if they’re nice and sweet, you can reduce or even eliminate the need for simple syrup. Instead of muddling, process your strawberries in a food processor and strain well.
  • Lemon juice. Use fresh lemon juice for maximum flavor. Bottled lemon juice just won’t provide that fresh flavor.
  • Vodka. This vodka lemon strawberry cocktail includes 1.5 ounces of vodka per drink. Use more or less depending how strong you want your cocktail to be. Use good quality vodka such as Kettle One, Grey Goose or Hangar 1.
  • Triple sec or Cointreau. Lemon drop martinis typically include triple sec, which is an affordable orange liqueur. I normally have Cointreau on hand, which is a premium orange liqueur that has a smoother, cleaner flavor and less sweetness. Either works great for this cocktail.
  • Sugar/simple syrup. The sugar rim and simple syrup are optional for this cocktail depending on how sweet you like your drinks. I typically don’t use either, especially if my strawberries are very sweet, but it’s totally personal preference. Use your favorite store bought simple syrup or use honey as desired.
  • Optional garnishes. Garnish your cocktails with lemon and strawberry for a festive touch!

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to make this lemon drop martini with strawberries

This strawberry lemon drop couldn’t be easier to make. Simply muddle some strawberries, juice some lemons, and shake all of the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker!

Pro tip:  Taste the strawberries before muddling. The fresher and juicier your strawberries are, the more sweet and flavorful your cocktail will be, which may eliminate or reduce the amount of simple syrup. 

See the recipe card below for full recipe instructions.

Prep the lemons and strawberries

Juiced lemons for lemon drop martini with strawberries.
Juice the lemons and strain well.
Muddled strawberries in a jar.
Place strawberries in a jar or bowl and muddle well.
Muddled strawberries in mesh sieve over a bowl.
Place the muddled strawberries in a strainer set over a bowl.
Strained strawberry juice for strawberry cocktail.
Press down on the strawberries until the juice has been strained into the bowl. Discard the solids.

Assemble the cocktail

Martini glass rim dipped in bowl of sugar.
Wet the rim of a martini glass and dip in sugar.
Strawberry lemon drop martini with cocktail shaker.
Place the strawberry juice, lemon juice, vodka, Cointreau, simple syrup (if using) and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into the prepared glasses.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen strawberries?

For the freshest, sweetest flavor, you should use fresh strawberries for this strawberry cocktail recipe. That said, frozen strawberries will work in a pinch.

Simply thaw the strawberries, muddle and strain them as directed, then taste the juice and see how sweet it is. You may definitely need to add extra simple syrup to make up for lack of sweetness.

Can I prep the strawberry juice in advance?

Absolutely! Simply prepare the juice as instructed and store it in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 1 week. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. The same can be done with the lemon juice, which will make cocktail assembly go even more quickly.

How do I make this lemon drop martini less sweet?

If your strawberries are nice and sweet, you may find that you don’t need to add any simple syrup at all. You can also omit the sugar from the rim of the cocktail to cut down on sugar as well.

Can I make a big batch of this cocktail for a parties?

If you’d like to serve this fresh strawberry cocktail for your spring and summer parties, simply prep a big batch of strawberries either by muddling and straining them as directed, or process them in bulk in a food processor and strain.

From there, juice several lemons and have your ingredients ready to go!

Strawberry lemon drop martini in a glass garnished with strawberry and lemon slice.

Recipe variations

There are a number of delicious ways to change up this summer martini recipe.

  • Swap out the simple syrup (if using) with honey as desired.
  • Try using raspberries in place of strawberries for a delicious twist.
  • Add fresh basil when muddling the strawberries for a bit of herbaceous flavor.
  • Top the cocktail off with prosecco or sparkling water for a bit of bubbly.
  • Make it a mocktail by swapping out the vodka and Cointreau with sparkling water.

Recipe notes

  • Pro tip: Taste the strawberries before muddling. The fresher and juicier your strawberries are, the more sweet and flavorful your cocktail will be, which may eliminate or reduce the amount of simple syrup. 
  • Prep the strawberry juice and lemon juice in advance to make cocktails quickly and easily.
  • If you’re strawberries are very sweet and you use sugar on the rim of your glass, simple syrup may not be necessary. The amount of sweetness is personal preference!
  • This recipe is easily scaled for crowds! Simply make a larger batch of strawberry juice in a food processor and strain as directed, and juice more lemons. Store the juices in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Strawberry martini recipe with lemon in a martini glass.

More cocktail recipes you’ll love:

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

Fresh strawberry lemon drop martini in coupe glass.

Strawberry Lemon Drop Martini

Servings: 2 cocktails
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Strawberry Lemon Drop is tart, sweet and refreshing with fresh strawberries, lemon juice, vodka and Cointreau. It's the perfect spring and summer cocktail!
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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for the rims of the glasses; optional
  • 8 fresh strawberries medium to large in size; use 10-12 strawberries for even more strawberry flavor
  • 3 ounces vodka decrease to 2 ounces for
  • 2 ounces fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ounce Cointreau sub with triple sec
  • 1 ounce simple syrup add more to taste or omit; see note 3
  • garnish with strawberry and lemon slice optional

Instructions 

  • Place the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar on a plate. Wet the rim of (2) martini glasses with water and dip the rims of the glasses in the sugar. Set aside.
    2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Remove the stems from the strawberries, then slice them and place in a small bowl. Muddle them until all the juice has been released, then place in a mesh strainer over a bowl and strain well. Discard the solids. You'll have roughly 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry juice depending on how juicy your strawberries are. Feel free to use more strawberries for extra strawberry flavor!
    8 fresh strawberries
  • Place the strawberry juice, vodka, lemon juice, Cointreau and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Add about 4 ice cubes and secure the lid. Shake for roughly 30 seconds until the cocktail is cold, then strain into the prepared cocktail glasses. Garnish with strawberry and lemon if desired and serve immediately. Enjoy!
    3 ounces vodka, 2 ounces fresh lemon juice, 1 ounce Cointreau, 1 ounce simple syrup, garnish with strawberry and lemon slice

Notes

  1. Pro tip: Taste the strawberries before muddling. The fresher and juicier your strawberries are, the more sweet and flavorful your cocktail will be, which may eliminate or reduce the amount of simple syrup. 
  2. Prep the strawberry juice and lemon juice in advance to make cocktails quickly and easily.
  3. If you’re strawberries are very sweet and you use sugar on the rim of your glass, simple syrup may not be necessary. The amount of sweetness is personal preference!
  4. This recipe is easily scaled for crowds! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktail, Calories: 301kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 14mg, Potassium: 52mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 41g, Vitamin A: 3IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Author: Marcie
All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.
Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

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