Raspberry Martini

Here's a stunning cocktail with a sweet, fruity taste and vibrant red hue; the raspberry martini! It's a smooth, well-balanced drink with sweet raspberry flavor and a citrus zing.

We don't use any fancy liqueurs, so the raspberry flavor is all thanks to our easy-to-make raspberry simple syrup. With just a few ingredients, you can make this drink at home, too!

The raspberry simple syrup can easily be prepared ahead of time. It's just raspberries (fresh or frozen) simmered with sugar and water. Strain it, cool it, then use it right away or store it in the fridge until you're ready.

When it's time to mix your martini, fill a shaker with ice and pour in the vodka, raspberry syrup, and lemon juice. Shake, shake, shake until it's chilled, and then strain it into martini glasses. Garnish with a skewer of fresh raspberries, and that's it!

One sip of this stunning drink and you'll be sold! It's easy to make a big batch, and it's perfect for patio sipping, celebrations, as a dessert drink, or for treating your special someone on Valentine's Day.

What is a raspberry martini?

Although they share a name and a glass, the raspberry martini interestingly has very little in common with the classic gin martini. The raspberry martini is one of a variety of flavored vodka martinis that uses vodka in place of gin and became popular in the 1990s.

Other popular flavored martinis include the chocolate martini, espresso martini, watermelon, and cucumber martini.

Raspberry martini ingredients

We only use simple ingredients in this raspberry martini recipe, so you don't need to run out and find any fancy liqueurs. Here's what you need to make it:

• Vodka – martinis are traditionally made with gin, but we like the smooth clean taste of vodka for this cocktail. Opt for a decent sipping-quality vodka for this spirit-forward martini.
• Raspberry simple syrup – our raspberry simple syrup is made with real fruit, and is bursting with fresh raspberry flavor.
• Lemon juice – only fresh lemon juice will do for that bright citrus pop.
• Raspberries – fresh raspberries, for garnish.

For sweetness, we use a homemade raspberry-infused simple syrup. This is what you need for the raspberry simple syrup:

• Raspberries – either fresh or frozen raspberries work great for the fruity simple syrup.
• Sugar – granulated sugar dissolves well and keeps the syrup clear and light in color.
• Water – to thin out the syrup.

How to make a raspberry martini

This raspberry martini is fresh, fruity, and perfectly pink. It's also easy to make in a few simple steps. Let's make one!

1. Start by making the raspberry syrup. Simmer the raspberries, sugar, and water for 10 minutes in a small saucepan. Then, strain the raspberries using a fine mesh strainer (without pressing on them), and allow the syrup to cool.
2. Shake the vodka, raspberry simple syrup, and lemon juice with ice in a cocktail shaker.
3. Strain it into martini glasses and garnish with a skewer of fresh raspberries. Cheers!

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

FAQS

When to serve a raspberry martini

We can't think of anything more refreshing than sipping on a raspberry martini on a warm day. If you're hosting, it's easy to make a big batch for wedding showers, dinner parties, girls' night, or any occasion that calls for a red drink.

But fruity cocktails aren't just for summertime! A raspberry martini is the perfect drink for Valentine's Day or romantic dinners, and it's sure to brighten up even the darkest of mid-winter days.