This Pomegranate Martini will be perfect if you’re a fan of vodka cocktails or fruity cocktails. It’s a gorgeous jeweled red with a crisp, refreshing flavor, making it ideal for any celebration.
When I first arrived in New York City to live out my dreams in the world of fashion the drink Cosmopolitans were all the rage and my friends and I couldn’t get enough of them. Though I eventually did have my fill I’ve recently started to miss it.
I love offering a signature cocktail at parties. On Halloween, I will always serve this delicious and fun Black Widow Cocktail and this Pumpkin Punch. For Thanksgiving, lately, it’s been this Caramel Apple Sangria, and during Easter, this Bunny Mary Easter Cocktail makes for a great brunch.
For Christmas, since there are always festive events and parties I like to have multiple options. Plus I like to change up those options from year to year, which is why I’m loving all things pomegranate right now.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It’s a modern version of an old classic. A pomegranate martini or “pomtini” is a twist on the popular nineties classic, the Cosmopolitan – instead of cranberry juice, you use the more sophisticated pomegranate.
- A light and fruity martini. It has the same tart flavor as a Cosmopolitan, with the sophistication of a vodka martini. It’s light, sweet, and fruity.
- It’s a festive cocktail for many holidays. With its beautiful pinkish-red color, this delightful cocktail is as decorative as it is delicious. It’s perfect for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, a ladies’ night, a bachelorette party, or a romantic evening. It’s also symbolic enough to enjoy at Rosh Hoshanah when Jewish people eat pomegranates as “new fruit,” symbolizing fertility and love.
Ingredients Needed
A pomegranate martini recipe is simple to concoct with only a few ingredients, even if you’re not an experienced mixologist. Let’s look at what goes into this fruity beverage.
Ingredient Notes
- Vodka – Being the main ingredient, your vodka needs to be of excellent quality. You can also use citrus vodka for extra flavor.
- Triple Sec – Use the best triple sec or orange liqueur you can get – Cointreau is a premium brand, while Grand Marnier is top-shelf.
- Pomegranate Juice – Use fresh pomegranate juice when the fruit’s in season, but bottled juice is also great. Pomegranate juice, like cranberry juice, can be lip-puckeringly tart or intensely sweet. Taste it before pouring. Add ¼ to ½ ounce simple syrup or maple syrup to the shaker if the juice is too tart.
- Lemon Juice – Use lemon juice to balance the pomegranate’s flavor if it’s too sweet. Substitute lime juice if you don’t have any lemons.
Garnish your martini with lemon peel. To make this garnish, cut a one-inch strip of lemon peel with a sharp knife. Squeeze the strip of the peel over the martini to release any oils and a strong lemon fragrance. Drape the garnish over the edge of the glass to serve.
How to Make a Vodka Pomegranate Martini
Mixing a pomegranate martini is straightforward, so you can make these for friends and family.
- Chill your martini glasses. Fill your martini glasses with ice and cold water and set them aside to chill.
- Shake the cocktail ingredients. Pour the vodka, triple sec, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker.
- Shake it. Fill the shaker with ice. Shake well.
- Strain and garnish. Discard the ice and water from the martini glasses. Strain the pomegranate mixture into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- For a sweeter pomegranate martini. Add some simple syrup to the cocktail shaker before you shake the ingredients together. To make a simple syrup heat ¼ cup of water and ¼ cup of sugar, stirring it until the sugar dissolves. Chill the mixture and add 1 to 2 tablespoons to the shaker.
- To quickly chill a glass, fill it with ice, add some cold water and set it aside. Once you’re ready to pour your drink into a glass, dump the ice and water.
- Use fresh pomegranate seeds as a garnish, but be aware that they will sink, not float on the top of the cocktail.
- Use flavored vodka to customize your cocktail: citrus vodka is ideal, especially if it is flavored with orange, tangerine, or lime. Try ginger or cinnamon vodka for the holiday season.
- You can use this basic fruit martini formula to make other vodka cocktails: for example, use peach schnapps or liqueur and peach juice, or cherry liqueur and cherry juice.
- To make a mocktail or virgin pomegranate martini, combine two ounces of pomegranate juice, two ounces of orange juice, and a splash of club soda. Add honey if the drink isn’t sweet enough. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
FAQS
Martinis are pretty high in alcohol: their average alcohol content is 20% alcohol by volume (ABV) or 40% proof. Drinking two pomegranate martinis is the equivalent of drinking a shot of vodka.
Because the cocktail contains ice, it’s not a great idea to make it in advance. Leaving the cocktail in the shaker will allow the ice to melt, diluting the beverage. Ideally, shake the cocktail for 30 seconds, then pour and enjoy.
If you want to prepare a pitcher of pomegranate martini, don’t make it more than 2 hours ahead of time, and don’t add too much ice. Keep it chilled on ice or in the refrigerator.
The average pomegranate martini recipe contains between 130 and 150 calories. The number of calories will increase if you use sweetened pomegranate juice and add simple syrup.
Add pomegranate juice to sangria, margaritas, and mimosas. You can also make a pomegranate gin fizz.
Related Recipes
Pomegranate Martini
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Vodka
- ½ ounce Triple Sec
- 1 ounce Pomegranate Juice sweetened or unsweetened
- Orange Peel for garnish
Instructions
- Fill your martini glasses with ice and cold water and set them aside to chill.
- Pour the vodka, triple sec, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice. Shake well.
- Discard the ice and water from the martini glasses. Strain the pomegranate mixture into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel.
Notes
- For a sweeter pomegranate martini. Add some simple syrup to the cocktail shaker before you shake the ingredients together. To make a simple syrup heat ¼ cup of water and ¼ cup of sugar, stirring it until the sugar dissolves. Chill the mixture and add 1 to 2 tablespoons to the shaker.
- To quickly chill a glass, fill it with ice, add some cold water and set it aside. Once you’re ready to pour your drink into a glass, dump the ice and water.
- Use fresh pomegranate seeds as a garnish, but be aware that they will sink, not float on the top of the cocktail.
- Use flavored vodka to customize your cocktail: citrus vodka is ideal, especially if it is flavored with orange, tangerine, or lime. Try ginger or cinnamon vodka for the holiday season.
- You can use this basic fruit martini formula to make other vodka cocktails: for example, use peach schnapps or liqueur and peach juice, or cherry liqueur and cherry juice.
- To make a mocktail or virgin pomegranate martini, combine two ounces of pomegranate juice, two ounces of orange juice, and a splash of club soda. Add honey if the drink isn’t sweet enough. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
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