This Christmas martini is the perfect sip to welcome the chilly weather. Combining cranberry juice, vodka, sweetened liquor, and citrusy bitters gives this simple holiday cocktail its winter flare.
Enjoy a sip while snacking my bacon jam croccantini or this crunchy coconut shrimp.
This martini cocktail takes a nice spin on the classic. Smooth vodka gives it a modern twist. Stir instead of shaking to enjoy the flavors of the vodka and the rest of the ingredients.
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Reasons To Love This Christmas Martini Recipe
- Crowd: It can be made in a pitcher for a larger crowd, especially during the holidays.
- Quick and Easy: It is easy to whip up, especially on evenings when you have an unexpected guest and need to entertain.
- Versatile: Do you fancy a different flavor of juice like pomegranate? Use pomegranate juice instead and omit the bitters for a lovely sip.
📃Ingredient Description
Here are the few ingredients you'll need to make this easy vodka cocktail:
- Vodka: A good-quality vodka is always a great idea. I enjoy using Grey Goose and Svedka in my cocktails, but other varieties, like Smirnoff and Absolut, work fine.
- Vermouth: I used dry vermouth for its crisp and herbal notes. Sweet vermouth is a good substitute. It is rich, slightly spiced, and sweeter.
- Cointreau: This liqueur is used as part sweetener and partly added alcohol, but it is better because of its rich citrus flavor. If you don’t like the extra boose, use regular triple sec for similar taste notes.
- Cranberry Juice: You can use either sweetened or unsweetened cranberry juice. Using unsweetened allows you to control the sweetness in your drink and appreciate the vodka’s flavor, which isn’t cheap. I used regular cocktail cranberry juice because that’s all I could find.
- Bitters: Bitters improve the flavor profile of martinis. I love adding a few dashes of Fee Brothers or Angostura orange bitters for their ability to round out the drink without overwhelming it. Lemon bitter is a suitable substitution.
⚠ Please drink responsibly ⚠
💭Variations and Substitutions
📝Step-by-Step Instructions
Detailed instructions are outlined in the recipe card below, but here are a few steps with visuals to guide you:
Step 1: Pour the vodka, Cointreau, vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass.
Step 2: Add the cranberry juice and then top it with ice.
Step 3: Use a cocktail spoon to stir for a few seconds to chill the drink.
Step 4: Strain into a rimmed cocktail glass and garnish with a twist of lemon rind or olives.
👩🏽🍳Maur's Tips
- If you’d like to enhance this cocktail with presentation and an added layer of flavor, rim the glass before pouring in the cocktail. I’ve provided the steps in the recipe card.
- Since this isn’t a classic martini, you can use whatever garnish you prefer. I enjoy adding pimento olives, which add a complex and umami flavor to the drink. If using a lemon twist, slightly squeeze it towards the drink to release some of its oils.
- If you don’t like your martini chilled, leave the serving glass in the freezer or fill it with ice for a few minutes, then discard it before pouring in the drink.
- Use high-quality vodka and experiment with ratios, such as 5:1 or 4:1, to find the balance that suits your taste when combining it with vermouth.
- Adding a dash of bitters elevates the flavor; consider orange, lemon, or aromatic bitters.
- For the best flavor, store your vermouth in the fridge and use it within 2-3 months. Alternatively, enjoy vermouth over ice with some simple syrup or add to my apple cider martini or this smoked cinnamon gin and tonic.
✅Recipe FAQS
Traditional martinis use dry vermouth to balance the boldness of gin or vodka with its crisp, herbal notes. The spirit-to-vermouth ratio typically ranges from 2:1 to 6:1, allowing for personal preference. Vermouth adds a delicate flavor without overwhelming the drink.
A dry martini is distinguished by its minimal amount of vermouth, which allows the bold taste of gin or vodka to shine. This results in a crisp, clean drink that highlights its qualities. In contrast, a wet martini has a higher ratio of vermouth, which adds depth to the cocktail. The increased vermouth contributes a rounded, slightly herbaceous flavor, creating a more subtle balance.
Martinis are traditionally stirred to maintain clarity and a smooth texture, while shaking famous from James Bond's "shaken, not stirred" results in a colder, cloudier drink with more foam. Ultimately, the choice between stirring and shaking comes down to personal taste!
Love Cocktails? Here are Some Crowd Pleasing Cocktail Recipes To Try:
Have you given this recipe or any other from my website a try? Please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and sharing your experience in the 📝 comments section. Your feedback means the world to me, and I'm excited to hear from you!
PEACE & LOVE
Maureen
📖 Recipe
Christmas Martini
Equipment
- cocktail mixing cup
- cocktail spoon
- cocktail strainer
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. Vodka good quality
- 0.5 oz. dry vermouth (Dolin or Martini & Rossi brands)
- 1 oz. Cointreau
- 2 oz. Cranberry juice
- 3-4 dashes orange bitters or lemon bitters, about ½ tsp
Instructions
- Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass, then add the ice. Be sure to add enough ice to chill the drink.1.5 oz. Vodka, 0.5 oz. dry vermouth, 1 oz. Cointreau, 2 oz. Cranberry juice, 3-4 dashes orange bitters
- Use a cocktail spoon to stir it in a circular motion for about 25 seconds (or shake, if you prefer) until chilled ( Don’t over-stir; otherwise, you’ll dilute the drink.)
- Strain into a rimmed stemmed cocktail glass or martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or an olive.*Please sip responsibly *
Notes
- To elevate the taste further, add about ½ teaspoons of olive brine. I have come to embrace this acquired taste.
- If you don’t like your martini chilled, fill the serving glass with ice for a few minutes, then discard it before pouring the drink into it.
- For the best flavor, store your opened vermouth bottle in the fridge and use it within 2-3 months.
- Serving a large crowd? Adjust the servings to your preference. Only add ice when ready to serve.
- Either with a wedge of citrus or dipping it in a small bowl with a liquid like agave, honey, or simple syrup.
- If using citrus, cut it into a wedge and gently run it around the rim of your cocktail glass. Flip it over and gently dip it into a small plate with salt or sugar (depending on preference). Lift it, and you’ve got a perfectly rimmed glass.
Desi says
I liked it with the olive brine, it tasted so good and salty. I will make more for my guest for NY eve.
Maureen Celestine says
So happy to hear, Desi! The sour taste of the olive brine is so remarkable. I am glad you liked it.