Think of the pomegranate martini as the sassy cousin of a cosmo. This pomegranate martini is kissed with the sweet-tart juice of pomegranate, and citrusy notes from orange liqueur and lime. Vodka is my liquor of choice here for providing a neutral background that won’t interfere with the bold flavors of the fruits. It’s delicious, pretty to look at, and festive. What’s not to love?
I wrote this martini recipe for one so you can easily scale it up or down to meet your needs. Double it for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner or quadruple it for friends at a weekend brunch or a holiday cocktail party. And, like our Holiday Sangria, it’s the perfect festive winter cocktail for all the season’s parties.
A pomegranate martini is great for a date night-in, served alongside Date Me Creamy Tomato Pasta or keep it simple and snackable with Chocolate Covered Dates.
What is in a Pomegranate Martini?
A pomegranate martini is a close relative to the Cosmo, which is made with cranberry juice. Like the Cosmo, a pomegranate martini only requires a handful of ingredients. When mixed together, they make a beautifully elegant cocktail, and all the ingredients are readily available at your local grocery and liquor store, making this easy to whip up on a whim.
Pomegranate juice: This sweet-tart, punchy cocktail is built upon ruby red, tangy pomegranate juice, either store-bought or freshly juiced.
Vodka: I went with Tito’s, which has a smooth, clean taste that is perfect for mixing cocktails.
Orange liqueur: which adds sweetness to contrast with the tangy juice. Triple sec, Grand Marnier, or orange curaçao all work, but I chose Cointreau for its bright citrus flavor.
Lime juice: Lastly, freshly squeezed lime juice balances out the drink with floral acidity.
How to make a Pomegranate Martini:
No fancy techniques here! Just pour the pomegranate juice, vodka, orange liqueur, and lime juice into an ice filled shaker and strain into a Martini glass (a coupe works equally well). I forgo the garnishes here, as the color is striking enough. Avoid the temptation to add pomegranate seeds to your glass, you’ll just be fishing them out later, or discreetly spitting them into your napkin.
What does a Pomegranate Martini taste like?
When all the ingredients are combined, the pomegranate juice softens up, and the sour edge is lessened. Sweet and floral notes—with a hit of lip-smacking tang—are served up in this fruity cocktail.
Variations:
As mentioned before, the Pomegranate Martini relies on the juice for its characteristic fruity, sweet-tart taste and ruby red color, while the other liquors tend to stand toward the back, highlighting and balancing the drink. However, you could definitely get a little creative and tweak the drink ever so slightly with these variations:
Citrus vodka: pomegranates and citrus are both winter fruits and both work harmoniously together. A citrus vodka takes that note up quite a bit, while still keeping the pomegranate front and center. Swap the orange liqueur with simple syrup here to keep it from getting too orange-y. Pomegranate molasses: While this cocktail is light and fruity, if you’re looking for a more intense version, try adding in pomegranate molasses. The potent, mouth-puckering syrup, adds a stronger sour note to the drink, and a richer sweetness. Reduce the pomegranate juice to 3/4 ounce and the lime juice to 1/2 an ounce while adding in 1/2 and ounce of the pomegranate molasses. Pomegranate seed ice spheres: Another lovely variation of this drink is to serve it on the rocks with an ice cube studded with pomegranate seeds. I enjoy seeing the seeds in the drink, without having to fish them out while I’m drinking this, so this is a nice way to “garnish” the drink in a no-fuss way.
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