This refreshing watermelon martini uses fresh watermelon juice, elderflower liqueur, and Tito’s (or your favorite vodka!) to make it the tastiest cocktail of the summer. It’s an award-winning cocktail that everyone always loves and is the best watermelon martini out there!
Another day. Another watermelon. Another stolen cocktail recipe.
Back in 2009, we somehow scored tickets to a cocktail contest featuring a half dozen original cocktails made with Tito’s Vodka. They were trying to identify the Official Drink of Austin of 2009. For the sponsors of this event, this was a contest to find the best cocktail. For us it was just a simple drinking contest that we both won. The winner of the event was also our favorite. I wish I could remember the other drinks that were in the running, but as I said, we were in the middle of a drinking contest.
This watermelon elderflower martini cocktail is adapted from La Condesa’s recipe which calls for citrus and originally used gelatin to create a fragrant foam. We’ve tried our best to keep the flavor of the original while simplifying the recipe a bit.
One ingredient that you can’t skip out on is the elderflower liqueur. We used St. Germain which is one of the more expensive bottles of alcohol out there, but it goes a long way. If cost is an issue, you can do what we did and split a bottle with your friends. Going in with friends to buy a specialty bottle of liquor may sound odd at first, but it’s a great, inexpensive way to build a bar.
This watermelon martini recipe uses fresh watermelon juice (I’m pretty sure canned watermelon juice isn’t a thing) but if you have some watermelon fresca, you can use that in place of the watermelon and lime juices.
To Enlightenment!
Watermelon martini ingredients:
- Watermelon – You will use fresh watermelon to create a watermelon juice for the cocktail. Hint — get a seedless watermelon! It makes it so much easier.
- Vodka – Choose your favorite vodka! (Unflavored, of course). Tito’s works great in this, as do many other brands!
- Elderflower liqueur – Pick up a fancy bottle of St. Germain for this. Trust us. Elderflower liqueur is made from the elderflower (shocking!), and it has floral notes to it.
- Fresh lime juice – Grab a couple of limes to make some fresh lime juice.
- Ice – You’ll shake all the ingredients with some ice to cool off the cocktail before you pour it.
Instructions:
This is one of those easy cocktails! Once you have the watermelon juice, of course. You just take all the ingredients, add them to a cocktail shaker and shake! Then strain into a martini glass and garnish with some watermelon balls (can be easily made by scooping out watermelon with a melon baller) or a lime slice. Once you’re done, you have the tastiest and best watermelon martini.
How to make the watermelon juice:
Take the watermelon chunks and puree in a blender. Then strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher. You may need to force the watermelon through the blade using a wooden spoon, or add ¼ cup of water to get it started.
Watermelon Martini
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 oz watermelon juice (see notes)
- 1 1/2 oz vodka
- 1 oz elderflower liqueur (St. Germain)
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- ice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.
- Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds.
- Strain into a martini glass.
- Garnish with a lime slice or watermelon balls.
Notes