Bright, zesty and refreshingly tart, Lemon Drop Shot is a citrusy crowd-pleaser that’s always a hit at parties. With just a few simple ingredients, this sweet-and-sour shooter goes down smooth and packs a punch.
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About this Lemon Drop Shot recipe
Food has a special way of bringing back memories: A single bite or sip can transport you to childhood birthdays, summer fairs or family vacations. Candy cocktails tap into that same nostalgic magic, blending familiar flavors with a grown-up twist. They’re a fun, flavorful way to relive sweet moments from the past while creating new ones with every glass.
Lemon Drop Shots do that for me (as does their cocktail cousin, the Lemon Drop Martini). They remind me of the lip-puckering lemon drop candies I used to grab during visits to the old-timey general store near the mountain cabins my family rented in the summer. Years later, these bright, citrusy shots still bring the fun.
While you might know them from a few wild college parties or hotel bar hangouts, this no-fuss recipe — just vodka, triple sec, lemon juice and simple syrup (or sour mix if you like shortcuts) — is easy to shake up at home, whether you want just a couple or a big batch. They’re perfect for parties and get-togethers, no matter what kind of memories you’re making.
More candy-flavored shot recipes: Mexican Candy Shot • Tootsie Roll Shot • Gummy Bear Shot
Why you’ll love this recipe
Whether it’s your first time trying a Lemon Drop Shot or it’s already one of your favorite bar orders, this recipe is sure to hit the spot. Here’s what makes it so good:
- Its refreshing citrus flavor, balanced sweetness and tangy lemon kick make it so satisfying and refreshing.
- This recipe is super simple and easy to batch. Just four ingredients (or three, if you take a quick shortcut) are all you need to serve these up for a party.
- Lemon lovers will adore this citrusy recipe with a vibrant burst for flavor. It’s like grown-up lemonade!
Tools & glassware
To make some lemon drop shots at home, you will need a basic bar tool set that includes these items:
- jigger * for measuring ingredients
- cocktail shaker * for combining ingredients
- hawthorne strainer * for pouring
Lemon drop shots are usually served in shot glasses *. This recipe is designed for 2-ounce shot glasses *, but if you use smaller ones, it can stretch the recipe a little bit.
favorite shot glasses
decorative shot glasses (1.75 ounces)
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Ingredients
👇 For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card. It’s all there waiting for you!
Gather these simple ingredients to make lemon drop shots — you can find them easily!
- fresh lemon juice: Freshly-squeezed juice is less sour than the store-bought concentrate, so use it if you can or be prepared to adjust the sweetness slightly. Make sure you grab some extra lemons for the garnish.
- simple syrup: A regular sugar syrup will work best for the lemon drop martini, but you can also experiment with flavored syrups.
- vodka: Vodka provides a nice blank slate in this cocktail that lets the citrus and sweetness shine. You can also substitute a flavored vodka or use gin if you prefer.
- orange liqueur: This clear orange liqueur adds a hint of extra citrus flavor and a little more sweetness. You can use triple sec or a top-shelf brand like Cointreau — just make sure it’s clear or it will affect the color of the cocktail.
Take a shortcut: You can simplify this recipe by using sour mix instead of lemon juice and simple syrup. It’s a sweet-and-sour cocktail mixer that makes this recipe much easier to batch.
Best vodka for shots
As with any cocktail that has a short ingredient list, quality always matters. Use the best alcohol you can afford! My go-to vodka brands right now are Tito’s and Absolut.
A bottom-shelf vodka can taste cheap and stand out in your drink — and not in a great way — so stick to the $15-20 range if you can! Smirnoff is a great budget buy.
You can also try a lemon-flavored vodka or even limoncello instead of plain vodka, to punch up the lemon flavor.
Vodka is naturally gluten-free, but always check the label, do some research and consult a medical professional.
Don’t miss Vodka 101 where you can learn more about which bottles to buy.
Substitutions & variations
It’s easy to change out an ingredient or two and make this recipe your own. Mix things up with one of these variations:
No triple sec? It’s okay to use more vodka in its place. It will lack a little bit of sweetness and that pop of orange flavor, but it’s no biggie.
Lemon Drop Martini: Instead of pouring this into shot glasses, strain it into a martini glass *. Add a lemon sugar rim and a lemon twist for a garnish.
Strawberry Lemon Drop Shots: Homemade strawberry simple syrup will give this cocktail more of a strawberry lemonade flavor, à la this strawberry lemon drop cocktail.
Lemon Drop Mocktail: Instead of vodka and triple sec, use a zero-proof spirit like Seedlip Grove 42 *, or skip the booze entirely.
Instructions
There’s nothing fancy about making these Lemon Drop Shots! To take things up a notch, place your shot glasses and bottle of vodka in the freezer an hour or two before you start mixing up drinks.
If you’re using sour mix: Add up the amounts for simple syrup and lemon juice and use that much sour mix instead.
- Simply add the vodka, triple sec, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker * filled with ice.
- Give it a really good shake, until the shaker feels cold in your hands, about 15-20 seconds or so! This combines the ingredients, chills them and adds a touch of dilution from the ice to balance things out.
- Then strain into shot glasses and serve.
make a big batch
This drink is a great one to serve a crowd for a party. Mix it ahead of time without the ice and stash it in the fridge. Stir individual servings with ice when ready to serve.
Use the +/- buttons in the recipe below to multiply the ingredients.
Tips & tricks
Keep these simple tricks in mind for flawless Lemon Drop Shots:
- Chill the shot glasses and all your ingredients of time for ice cold shots. The chill enhances the flavor and makes them taste more refreshing, like a glass of lemonade.
- Use fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, not sour mix. They will have a fresher, elevated feeling that’s a step up from the Lemon Drop Shots of your college days.
- Don’t skip the triple sec. This orange liqueur adds sweetness and a pop of citrus flavor that balances the tart lemon.
Food pairings
Lemon Drop Shots are a classic dive bar order. Recreate that experience at home with dive bar foods like cheesy mozzarella sticks, loaded tater tot nachos or some simple party Chex mix.
Lemon lovers, you could also pair these with lemon bars or lemon drop cookies (with a super fun vodka glaze!).
FAQ
Absolutely! This is an easy recipe to multiply. Combine all the ingredients in a big vessel like a large mason jar or pitcher, and stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. Sour mix can also make things a little easier — it’s a fine shortcut if you need to use it to replace the fresh lemon juice and simple syrup sweetener.
A smooth, mid-range plain vodka works great, but you can also use lemon-flavored vodka to amp up the citrus flavor.
Fresh lemon juice makes a big difference in flavor and balances the sweetness from the syrup and triple sec, but bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch. You can also use sour mix — it replaces both the lemon juice and the simple syrup.
More shot recipes
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Lemon Drop Shot
ingredients
- 1½ ounce vodka chilled
- ½ ounce triple sec
- ½ ounce lemon juice freshly-squeezed (see note)
- 1 ounce simple syrup see note
instructions
- Place 2 (2-ounce) shot glasses in the freezer at least 15 minutes before you begin.
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add vodka, triple sec, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake well, 15-20 seconds.
- Strain into chilled shot glasses. Serve immediately.
notes
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