Lemon Drop Shot
The Lemon Drop Shot was the first shot recipe I ever learned to make. This recipe is a close cousin to the classic Lemon Drop Martini. It’s a lot of fun and great to serve at a party. There’s something undeniably perfect about the combination of sweet and sour. This recipe is so fresh and delicious. It tastes just like lemon drop candies.
Ingredients in a Lemon Drop Shot
- Vodka – The base spirit for this shot is vodka. We recommend a quality, mid-priced vodka like Tito’s, Grey Goose or Smirnoff.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh squeezed!
- Simple Syrup – For sweetness. You can easily make your own bath using our Simple Syrup recipe.
- Sugar – You will also need granulated sugar for rimming your glass and sugaring your lemons.
- Lemons – Cut into wedges to use as a garnish.
How to Make a Lemon Drop Shot
- Chill Your Ingredients: Begin by chilling your vodka, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup. Chilling these ingredients in advance ensures your shot will be refreshingly cold.
- Prepare the Glass: Take a chilled shot glass and rim it with sugar. To do this, dip the rim of the glass in water or lemon juice and then into a small plate of sugar. Gently twist the glass to ensure an even sugar coating.
- Mix the Cocktail: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup.
- Shake Vigorously: Seal the shaker and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. This chilling process also helps to dilute the mixture slightly, balancing the flavors.
- Strain and Serve: Carefully strain the mixture from the shaker into your prepared sugar-rimmed shot glass.
- Serve with a sugared lemon wedge. Part of the experience of this shot is chasing the shot with a bite into the sugared lemon wedge. It’s delicious and the best part of the experience, so don’t skip it!
Tips for Making
- Try flavored vodkas (such as raspberry vodka) if you want to change up your flavor profile a bit. Try swapping in various flavored vodkas or even try a citrus vodka (such as Absolut Citron) for a more intense experience.
- Infuse your sugar with grated lemon zest for a greater sensory experience (our sense of smell is very connected to our sense of taste). You can prep the shot glass with a sugared rim or dip your lemon slice in sugar to use as a chaser.
- We recommend sticking with fresh lemon juice and skipping bottled lemon juice for the best flavor. The lemony goodness from fresh lemon juice really comes through with such a short ingredient list.
- Try half lemon, half lime juice for a fun variation.
History of the Lemon Drop Shot
The Lemon Drop Shot’s history is closely tied to the Lemon Drop Martini, a classic cocktail that emerged during the 1970s. The Lemon Drop Martini, known for its vibrant blend of vodka, lemon juice, and sugar, served as the inspiration for the shot recipe.
