Ingredients
- 2 ounces watermelon vodka
- ¾ ounce watermelon juice
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Watermelon wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, watermelon vodka, watermelon juice, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with watermelon wedge.
Variations and Substitutions
There's no standard recipe for a watermelon martini, which means there are plenty of options when building one.
- Skip the watermelon juice in favor of watermelon sour schnapps for a bigger pucker.
- Opt for homemade infused watermelon vodka.
- Add a splash of simple syrup for a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Instead of lime juice, use lemon juice for brighter citrus notes.
- Use plain vodka for a more subtle watermelon flavor.
Garnishes
If you don't have watermelon on hand, or you'd rather not risk a watermelon garnish, relax- you have plenty of other options.
- Use balled or cubed watermelon pierced on a cocktail skewer.
- Skip the watermelon and use a lime wheel, wedge, or slice.
- A lime ribbon, peel, or twist adds a pop of color.
- Opt for a dehydrated citrus wheel for a modern garnish.
- Garnish with a vodka-infused watermelon slice.
About the Watermelon Martini
The watermelon martini is certainly only a martini in name only, as it skips over the dry vermouth and has many additional ingredients. However, the cocktail still packs a hefty punch with booze-forward ingredients, much like a traditional martini.
While watermelon vodka and schnapps are readily available on the market, the watermelon martini can easily be made lighter by making homemade infused watermelon vodka. To make the infused watermelon vodka, you need just two ingredients: vodka and watermelon. Place six cups of cubed watermelon in a resealable jar or another glass container, then add three cups of vodka to the cubed watermelon. Simply seal tight and let them become well acquainted in a refrigerator for approximately three days to a week.
Watermelon in a Glass
A watermelon martini is a whole watermelon crammed into a glass. Bursting with flavor and minimal work that easily beats the afternoon it takes to slice up a watermelon, this martini scratches the itch for any watermelon craving.
