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Pomegranate Martini

This pomegranate martini recipe is tart, tangy and perfect for any occasion! The jewel-toned drink blends pomegranate juice with vodka,…

This pomegranate martini recipe is tart, tangy and perfect for any occasion! The jewel-toned drink blends pomegranate juice with vodka, lemon and orange liqueur.

Why we love this recipe

Looking for a fun cocktail as a signature drink for your next gathering? Try a Pomegranate Martini! Crisp, sweet tart, fruity, and light: it’s much closer to a Cosmo than the classic martini. But instead of cranberry juice like the Cosmopolitan, it’s made with pomegranate juice instead.

Serve it up in a martini glass and you’ve got a sophisticated cocktail that’s refreshing and easy to drink. Here’s how to make it!

What’s in a pomegranate martini?

This pomegranate martini can be considered a spin on the classic martini: except that it’s closer to a Cosmopolitan! Both the Cosmo and the martini have official definitions on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails. But this pomegranate martini spin is off-script! It’s got vodka like a vodka martini, but it’s really more of a sour cocktail than anything. Here are the ingredients in a pomegranate martini:

Vodka
Pomegranate juice (purchased or fresh squeezed)
Cointreau
Lemon juice
Simple syrup

How to make a pomegranate martini (basic steps)

It’s very simple to make a pomegranate martini! All you’ll need is a cocktail shaker and a martini glass. Here are the basic steps (or jump to the recipe):

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake for 15 seconds until cold.
Strain into a glass.
Garnish with a lemon peel: see below for what to do with it!

How to express citrus into a cocktail

For this pomegranate martini, you’ll do something that’s common in cocktails: expressing a citrus peel onto the drink. Why? This gives you a strong citrus perfume when you go to take a sip of the drink. Here’s what you’ll do:

Use a knife to remove a 1″ wide strip of the lemon peel.
Squeeze it over the drink first, which releases the oils and gives it a strong lemon perfume.
To amp it up a notch, run the lemon peel around the rim of the glass. This gives an even more citrus-y first sip.

You’ll notice this technique is used in lots of classic cocktails to add an extra sensory element, like the Classic Old Fashioned and Boulevardier Cocktail.

About Cointreau

Cointreau is an orange liqueur with a beautiful orange perfume flavor. Cointreau is a type of triple sec, which means “triple distilled.” But it’s technically a higher quality than a Triple Sec, with a more robust and balanced flavor. It’s most well known for being used in cocktails like the Classic Margarita. If you buy a bottle, you’ll have lots to make with it: all our Best Margarita Recipes and these Best Cointreau Drinks.

If you don’t have a bottle of Cointreau for this pomegranate martini, you can substitute any orange liqueur. You could try Triple Sec, or a higher end liqueur like Grand Marnier.

There are several drinks that are similar to the pomegranate martini, like other pink cocktails, vodka martinis, and sour cocktails! Here are it’s closest relatives:

The Cosmopolitan Cocktail is like a pomegranate martini but uses cranberry juice. It’s also often garnished with lime.
The Lemon Drop Martini is another type of martini made with vodka and lemon! It’s also technically a sour cocktail instead of a martini.
The French Martini is perfectly balanced with vodka, pineapple juice, and raspberry liqueur.
A Watermelon Martini is a fruity vodka cocktail starring watermelon and lime.

Cosmopolitan Cocktail

Lemon Drop Martini

French Martini

20 Best Types of Martinis

Pomegranate Martini

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.4 from 8 reviews

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 drink

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Description

This pomegranate martini recipe is tart, tangy and perfect for any occasion! The jewel-toned drink blends pomegranate juice with vodka, lemon and orange liqueur.

Ingredients

1 ounce vodka
1 ounce 100% pomegranate juice (purchased or fresh squeezed)
½ ounce Cointreau
½ ounce lemon juice
½ ounce simple syrup or maple syrup

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Instructions

Place the vodka, pomegranate juice, Cointreau, lemon juice, and syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 15 seconds until cold. Strain the drink into a cocktail or martini glass.
Use a knife to remove a 1″ wide strip of the lemon peel. Squeeze the lemon peel into the drink to release the oils. Gently run the peel around the edge of the glass, then place it in the glass and serve.

Notes

To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons

Category: Drink
Method: Shaken
Cuisine: Cocktails
Diet: Vegan

More classic cocktails

Here are a few more of our best classic cocktails you might also enjoy:

Tom Collins This popular gin cocktail that’s light, sweet tart, and bubbly!
Southside Cocktail An easy and refreshing gin drink made with mint, lemon and lime: think of it like a gin mojito. Or try the Southside Fizz, the bubbly version.
Classic Mojito Perfectly balanced with lime, rum and fresh mint! This iconic Cuban cocktail is refreshing and just sweet enough.
Paloma Cousin of the classic margarita, this easy Mexican cocktail recipe features tequila with grapefruit instead of lime!

Peach Lemonade

This easy peach lemonade is a fun, unique drink that everyone will love! The simple recipe combines the sweetness of…

This easy peach lemonade is a fun, unique drink that everyone will love! The simple recipe combines the sweetness of fresh peaches with zingy lemons for a delicious and refreshing drink. Our friends and family adore it (and it goes over great at lemonade stands!).

Why we love this recipe

Here’s a fun way to turn those sweet, juicy peaches ripening on your counter into something special: peach lemonade! We love making all the classic peach recipes like peach crisp, peach cobbler, and fresh peach pie. But this spin on homemade lemonade is way easier and just as satisfying!

The sweet, juicy flavor of peaches melds perfectly into zingy lemons, making a fun spin on the classic drink! Even better, it’s so simple to whip up in just a few minutes (no cooking the peaches into a syrup). Our friends and family loved it, and it’s a great brunch drink or summer drink for the patio. It’s also great for lemonade stands—our son Larson sold lots of it the other day and everyone loved the unique flavor!

Ingredients in peach lemonade

The great thing about peach lemonade is that it takes only a few quality ingredients—nothing fancy! You also can simply whip it up in a blender: no need to cook down the peaches before making it. Here’s what you’ll need:

Lemons: When making homemade lemonade, fresh lemons are key! Do not substitute bottled juice.
Peaches: Use fresh ripe, in-season peaches here (you can leave the skins on).
Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar makes the sweet flavor! You can substitute natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, but it will have a slightly different flavor and color (also omit ½ cup water if you do).

Best way to juice lemons

Our recommendation for quickly juicing lemons? A press juicer! It gets out the most juice and saves your fingers from getting tired of squeezing.

Tips for peach lemonade

This peach lemonade so simple to put together! Here are a few notes on the process:

Strain it with a fine mesh strainer. This step is key: it removes the peach peels, making for a smooth lemonade (otherwise sediment will float to the top).
Add ice and garnishes when serving. This makes it so the lemonade doesn’t become watered down in the pitcher. Place the ice and garnishes in the glass: we like to garnish with a few peach slices, basil or mint, and some colorful straws.

Variations on this recipe

We like this peach lemonade best as written in the recipe below, but once you make it once you might want to try these variations:

Sparkling lemonade: Replace 4 cups cold water with soda water for a sparkling variation.
Spiked lemonade: Spike it by the glass: add ¼ cup vodka or 3 tablespoons bourbon to 1 cup peach lemonade.
Arnold Palmer: Make a Peach Arnold Palmer by mixing 6 tablespoons lemonade with 1 cup iced tea.

More lemonade recipes

As two drink experts, we’ve perfected homemade lemonade and then made almost every variation. Some of our favorites are Cucumber Lemonade, Blueberry Lemonade, Mint Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade or Watermelon Lemonade.

Dietary notes

This peach lemonade recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen peaches instead of fresh?

Yes, you can use frozen or canned peaches. Make sure to thaw frozen peaches completely before blending: you may need to use some extra sugar to bring out the sweetness. For canned peaches, you may need to reduce the sugar if they have sugar added.

Can I adjust the sweetness?

Absolutely! Taste the lemonade as you go and add more sugar if you prefer it sweeter. You can also use a sugar substitute if desired (see the notes above).

Can I make this recipe without a blender?

If you don’t have a blender, it also works with a food processor. Or, you can finely chop the peaches and then muddle them with a muddler or the back of a spoon to release their juices. Strain the mixture before combining with the lemon juice and sweetener.