This bright and summery lemon basil vodka martini is a mouthwatering blast of fresh lemon, vodka and basil! Inspired by the plentiful bright green herbs in our garden, this refreshing martini is bright, balanced, and delicious.
Make a lemon martini with Fresh Garden Basil
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Fresh basil has a wonderful fragrance that is sweet, almost licorice like yet it gives off spice notes so it comes off as both fresh and green but also warm and welcoming. I thought this would make a beautiful cocktail with fresh ingredients that I could pair with lemon and…well… why not? Vodka.
Ingredients To Make a Super Fresh Lemon Basil Vodka Martini
Ingredients
• VODKA – plain, your favorite brand of good quality vodka for cocktails
• FRESH LEMON JUICE
• SIMPLE SYRUP
• FRESH BASIL LEAVES
• LIMONCELLO LEMON LIQUEUR
• WHITE SUGAR
• LEMON ZEST
Here’s how to put together this zesty fresh basil martini.
1. Make A Lemon Sugar martini cocktail Rim
Zest a lemon with a citrus zester (to collect about a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest) and add it to a small bowl with about a teaspoon of white sugar.
Combine with a fork until a sandy mixture is formed and then spread onto a wide plate.
Rub the rim of your martini glass with a lemon wedge and dip into the lemon zest sugar to create a rim.
Set it in the freezer to chill in freezer while we make the cocktail…
If you’re in need of martini glasses that never fail, be sure to grab a set of these stemless martini glasses! They make an easy and elegant vessel for this delicious fresh basil cocktail!
2. Muddle Fresh Basil for your Lemon Basil Martini
In a cocktail shaker, muddle about 2 to three very fresh basil leaves until bruised and fragrant.
3. Add Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, and Vodka
Add lemon juice, simple syrup, and vodka to the cocktail shaker with the muddled basil.
4. Add lemon Liqueur for an elegant cocktail touch
I used Fabrizia limoncello liqueur, but any authentic Italian limoncello liqueur will work nicely.
Go ahead and add a splash of the Lemon Liqueur to the shaker and fill it up halfway with ice. Put on the lid and shake vigorously for 35 to 40 seconds until everything is ice cold and combined.
5. Strain And Serve your lemon basil martini
Strain the mixture into your chilled martini glass and serve ice cold. Garnish with a lemon twist or float a basil leaf on top.
Related: Liquid Sunshine Prosecco Lemon Cocktail
enjoy the easiest Fresh Lemon Basil Martini
It just doesn’t get more refreshing than this simple yet vibrant lemon basil cocktail. It’s like a bright, herbaceous glass of sunshine.
Who could miss out on a cocktail like that? It just screams summer.
I hope you enjoy all the vibrant lemony notes and herbal qualities of this tasty lemon basil martini. If you love lemon drop martinis, trust me when I say this will be right up your alley!
Consider it more of a basil lemon drop martini type drink. It’s one of my favorite cocktails here on the blog and when I make it, I enjoy it to the last drop!
If you love zippy lemon cocktails like this one, then try a super vibrant and refreshing lemon and rum cocktail or a refreshing pink silk lemon martini…
Lemon Basil Martini Vodka Cocktail
Ingredients
- 3/4 oz Simple Syrup - equal parts water/sugar heated to combine
- 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed
- 2 to 3 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 1/2 oz Lemon Liqueur or Limoncello
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1 tsp White Sugar - for sugared rim on glass
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest - for sugared rim on glass
Instructions
- Zest lemon and collect on a small flat plate. Add sugar to the same plate and stir with a fork until just combined.
- Rub with rim of a martini glass with a lemon wedge and dip it into the lemon zest sugar to rim it. Set in the freezer to chill.
- In a cocktail shaker, add basil leaves and muddle until fragrant.
- Add simple syrup, lemon juice, limoncello liqueur and vodka.
- Top off with ice and shake vigorously in a cocktail shaker until chilled through and combined. about 35 to 40 seconds.
- When ready to serve, grab chilled martini glass. Strain cocktail mixture into your prepared martini glass (leaving ice behind) and garnish with lemon twist and basil leaf.Serve very cold.
looks yummy!!