Pomegranate Martini

Dive into the Pomegranate Martini, a rutilant and tart sipper. Learn how to make this modern classic vodka cocktail with the perfect blend of sweet and tart flavors.

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Pomegranate Martini recipe

If you’re in the mood for a sweet-tart cocktail with elegance and charm, meet the Pomegranate Martini. Pretty pomegranates make the best cocktails.

Made with vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, pomegranate juice and a splash of maple syrup, this festive fall and winter drink answers the call for a gorgeous cocktail you’ll want to serve to all your friends this season.

This drink is similar to the Cosmopolitan (or Cosmo) which is made with vodka, orange liqueur and cranberry juice. 

Garnish it with a twist of lemon slices and a few gems of pomegranate arils on top for a gorgeous and memorable signature cocktail.

More martini drink recipes: Strawberry Martini • Appletini • Pumpkin Martini • Classic Martini • Espresso Martini 

Why you’ll love this recipe

This is the best pomegranate martini! You are going to adore this recipe for a few reasons:

• Quick and easy, this is one simple drink to shake up for any home bartender. 
• The flavor is fresh and delicious — the perfect fall and winter cocktail.
• They make a statement at dinner parties, happy hour and the holidays.

Make this festive cocktail for romantic dinners, holiday gatherings and any kind of party, especially in the fall and winter.

Tools & glassware

This is the perfect cocktail to make with a basic bar tool set. Grab your cocktail shaker, jigger and Hawthorne strainer.

Then, serve up this drink in cocktail glasses such as martini glasses or coupe glasses. Cocktail picks help to make a stately garnish. A mandoline will help you get uniform lemon slices for the garnish.

favorite martini glasses

gold-rimmed martini glasses

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stemless martini glasses

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crystal martini glasses

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Ingredients

These are the simple ingredients you’ll need to grab at the grocery store to make this recipe:

• Vodka: Use any quality vodka. Right now I am enjoying Reyka, New Amsterdam and Tito’s. I used plain vodka, but if you want to have fun with flavored vodka, you can use a citrus vodka or vanilla vodka.
• Orange liqueur: Use any clear orange liqueur in this cocktail. Triple sec is perfect, but if you want to pick something a little more top-shelf. Grand Marnier works too, but it could muddy the drink’s color. 
• Pomegranate juice: Use 100% pure pomegranate juice to make this drink. But you can have fun with juice blends like pomegranate juice mixed with blueberry, cherry or cranberry juice. 
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is lovely here, but you can use the bottled concentrate if you’re in a rush. However, know that it can make this drink a little more tart. You can also use fresh lime juice too. 
• Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup adds a sweet fall quality to this drink. Feel free to use agave nectar or simple syrup instead.

For the garnish, I used lemon slices and seeds from fresh pomegranates, called pomegranate arils. 

Variations and substitutions

Try one of these delicious variations on this recipe:

Gin Pomegranate Martini: Swap the vodka for gin for some extra herbal flavor. You could also make this drink with rum or tequila in place of vodka.

Non-alcoholic Pomegranate Martini: Use a zero-proof spirit to make this drink without alcohol. Ritual gin alternative would be my top pick!

Sugar-free Pomegranate Martini: Use sugar-free simple syrup instead of maple to make this drink without extra sugar.

How to make a Pomegranate Martini

Making a pomegranate martini is super simple. Here’s what to do:

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes, add the vodka, Cointreau, pomegranate juice, lemon juice and maple syrup.

Shake it up well and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with lemon slices and a spoonful of pomegranate arils.

Need help getting those seeds out? Here’s a great tutorial on how to cut a pomegranate.

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips and tricks for making this recipe:

• Spring for quality ingredients. A great vodka and a top-shelf orange liqueur will make this drink taste the best.
• Fresh juice makes a difference. Using real lemon juice and pure, fresh pomegranate juice will give this drink the freshest flavor.
• Depending on the pomegranate juice you use, the color can wind up more brown than red. You can use plain simple syrup so you don’t add more brown color with the maple syrup. Or you could use grenadine — AKA pomegranate syrup — instead to add more of a reddish hue.
• Use a mandoline to help you cut even slices of lemon. Spear them on a cocktail pick and float pomegranate seeds on top for a gorgeous garnish.
• Stash your glasses in the freezer while you prepare the ingredients in the shaker, then pour it into cold glasses for the optimal temperature.
• Add a sugar rim if you want to give it a sweeter touch. 

What to serve with Pomegranate Martinis

Tart pomegranate martinis go wonderfully with sweet-and-salty appetizers, like baked brie with honey and bacon-wrapped dates.

Anything pomegranate would be delicious too. Try this pomegranate popcorn that is packed with textures or this sweet and tart pomegranate salsa.

They’re also great with holiday foods like white chocolate cranberry cookies or a Christmas charcuterie board.

FAQ

More pomegranate cocktails

• Pomegranate Mimosas
• Bourbon Pomegranate Fizz
• Pomegranate Mule
• Pomegranate Wine Cocktail
• Port Pomegranate Cocktail