This is the only lemon drop recipe you’ll ever need (and want) from how it capitalizes on a simple lineup of ingredients. Since before I can remember, my parents have been working to perfect two recipes: chocolate chip cookies and lemon drops, an amazing combination if I do say so myself. The lemon drop you’ll yield using the recipe below has the ideal balance of sweet and sour, making it easy to sip on and savor, and takes little to no effort to achieve results you’ll be proud of.

Ingredients (yields 5 lemon drops)

-4-6 lemons (depending on how tart you want it to taste)

-(Optional) 1/2 a lemon to be cut for garnishes

-750ml bottle of premium vodka (Costco, Tito’s, Ketel One, Grey Goose, etc.)

Simple Syrup

-1/2 cup of sugar

-1 cup of boiling water

Preparation (yields 5 lemon drops)

1. Start by boiling the water.

2. Cut the lemons however you plan on juicing them. If you plan on using a lemon squeezer, cut the butts off and cut the rest of the lemon in half. If you plan on squeezing by hand, just cut them in half. Regardless, make sure that you use a strainer to catch any seeds and allow the consistency to be as smooth as possible.

3. Add the sugar to a heat-friendly pitcher, and top off with the allotted amount of water after it’s finished boiling. Stir until all of the crystals have dissolved. Add in the lemon juice, cover, and store in the fridge until serving.

4. (Optional) Thinly slice the 1/2 of the lemon reserved for garnish into at least five pieces. Then, cut the slices into quarter wedges, cover, and store in the fridge until serving.

5. Get out as many martini glasses as you plan on having people drinking, and sugar the rims. This can be done by using one of the lemon butts or wedges cut for garnish to trace around the rim until coated with a little bit of juice. Then, sprinkle a layer of sugar onto a plate, place the rimmed glass atop, and twist in a circular motion until the entire rim is coated with sugar. Place two lemon wedges inside the glass.

6. Grab a cocktail shaker and place upwards of 10 ice cubes inside it. Wrap the bottom with a tea towel as well, as it will get very cold once shaken.

7. Add the vodka and lemon mixture to the shaker with a 1:2 ratio. However, we always double this part when preparing lemon drops so we will add 2 shots of vodka with 4 shots of the lemon mixture.

8. Once the booze and mixer are added, shake vigorously until the towel begins to stick to the cocktail shaker (around 30 times).

9. Pour and enjoy!

Notable Mentions

-If you choose to juice the lemons via a lemon squeezer, save at least two lemon butts to rim the glasses before putting sugar on so you don’t have to mess up any of the garnishes.

-Put the vodka in the freezer and the mixture in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving for maximum chill.

-If you want your lemon drop to be extra lemony, use Absolut Citron as the vodka.

-You don’t necessarily have to use regular white sugar for the simple syrup. Keep in mind that the coloring and flavor may turn out differently, and if you plan on doing this, follow another recipe to make the simple syrup, as you may have to change the proportions.

-If you are making these drinks for a larger crowd, double or triple the ingredients; less, cut in half.

💘 Hanna