This sweet and sour Lime Martini is so easy to make! With just a few drops of food coloring, it’s the perfect vibrant libation for St. Patrick’s Day. You can always omit the food coloring and enjoy it all year round – there’s never a bad time for a martini this good.
If you like simple citrus cocktail recipes try my Lemon Drop Martini and Classic Daiquiri.
Table of Contents
This lime martini actually comes out pale green color. However, it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day so I wanted to make this martini pop with vibrant color! I added a couple of drops of green food coloring to it for fun. Just two drops at the most, no need for more. This is totally optional and you don’t have to add it if you don’t want to.
Another option you can try is a green sugar rim. Just add some lime juice to one dish and green sugar to another dish. Dip an empty martini glass rim into some lime juice and then into the sugar, creating a pretty sugar rim. It would actually work nicely if you want your martini to taste a little sweeter.
The flavors of this martini beautifully balance between sweet and sour. You can also decide how sweet you want it to be by using simple syrup or choosing to omit it for a much more sour cocktail. The lime juice is the real star of the show here, after all!
Ingredient Notes
Vodka – Always choose good quality vodka for a martini. Vodka is flavorless, so if you can taste your vodka and it’s not a good quality it will negatively alter the flavor of the martini.
Triple Sec – You can use triple sec or another orange liqueur like Cointreau or Grand Marnier. To keep things on the less sweet side, consider using Cointreau over Grand Marnier. Grand Marnier tends to be overly sweet.
Lime Juice – For the very best flavor, you always want to use fresh lime juice.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make a Lime Martini
Add the vodka and liqueur to your shaker. Measure the vodka (1) and orange liqueur (2) and pour them into a cocktail shaker.
Add lime juice and simple syrup. To the same shaker, pour in the lime juice (3) and simple syrup (4).
Make it green! Skip this step if you don’t want the vibrant green color. If you would like that extra color, drop in just one or two drops of food coloring (5).
Shake. Vigorously shake your lime martini with ice until everything is thoroughly combined and chilled (6). Pour into a martini glass and serve immediately. Cheers!
Recipe FAQs
You can easily double, triple, or make as many of these martinis as you’d like. This recipe is made for 1 cocktail, so you can increase the amount as needed.
Sure it may be easy to buy a bottle of simple syrup, but it’ll cost you a lot more than to make it at home and you can make your own in under 5 minutes!
Simple syrup is a mix of equal parts of sugar and hot water. Heat up water either on your stove top or in a microwave just until it starts to boil and stir in white granulated sugar. Keep stirring until sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear. Let it cool!
Keep simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator to use when needed. When stored properly, it should last up to a month in the refrigerator.
Absolutely! Before pouring the cocktail into the glass, rub a slice of lime along the rim of a martini glass to wet it and to give the rim a touch of lime flavor. Then, dip the rim into some fine sugar all around its perimeter. You can also use colored sugar sprinkles if you want to make it festive.
First of all, you’ll want to make sure to use a ripe lime. When the lime feels hard to the touch, it’s not ripe enough and will not give you much juice. A ripe lime is soft but it does have resistance. If the lime is too soft and the skin starts to wrinkle, the lime is over-ripe.
Make sure to either let the lime warm up on the counter to room temperature or pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to warm up. Then, gently roll it on the counter with your hand on top. Warming the lime and rolling it will yield the most juice.
More of the Best Martini Recipes
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Lime Martini – Green Cocktail
Ingredients
- 3 oz vodka
- 1 oz triple sec
- 1 oz fresh lime juice one medium ripe lime
- 1 oz simple syrup optional
- 2 drops green food coloring** optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a shaker with a few ice cubes.
- Shake well and pour into a martini glass.
- Garnish with lime slices.
- Repeat a few more times if you’re having a party or kick back and relax with your martini glass!
Notes
- Adding sugar rim: Before pouring the cocktail into the glass, rub a slice of lime along the rim of a martini glass to wet it and to give the rim a touch of lime flavor. Then, dip the rim into some fine sugar all around its perimeter. You can also use colored sugar sprinkles if you want to make it festive
- How to get the most juice out of lime: First of all, you’ll want to make sure to use a ripe lime. When the lime feels hard to the touch, it’s not ripe enough and will not give you much juice. A ripe lime is soft but it does have resistance. If the lime is too soft and the skin starts to wrinkle, the lime is over-ripe.
Make sure to either let the lime warm up on the counter to room temperature or pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to warm up. Then, gently roll it on the counter with your hand on top. Warming the lime and rolling it will yield the most juice.
Sonali- The Foodie Physician says
So pretty and festive- absolutely perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! That green sugar has such a cool look!
lyuba says
Thank you so much, Sonali!!
Rae Zager says
That picture grabbed my attention right away! I have been using your ” Will Cook
for Smiles” when ever I need something new and GOOD, thank you Lyuba!
lyuba says
Awe, thank you so much, Rae! Such a nice compliment 🙂