Lychee Martini Recipe (2024)

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Are you looking for a fun and exotic co*cktail that you can serve at your next party? If that is you then this lychee martini recipe is going to be right up your alley.

Lychee Martini Recipe (1)

Martinis are such fun drinks to serve. Whether you prefer the classic martini shaken or stirred this lychee martini is going to be one of your new favorites. It is difficult for me to decide if this spin on a martini is my new favorite or if my favorite is still the Mexican Martini. I just can’t decide!Now I am a fan of chilling the heck out of a martini glass before serving the martini. Not everyone likes this because the glass will be so cold. This is purely up to you. I like to rinse the glasses under the sink and then shake the excess water off. Then I place it in the freezer for one hour. They come out with ice crystals and it helps keeps the drink chilled.

Lychee Martini Recipe (2)

Table of Contents

Are you curious about what the heck lychee is?

It is a tropical fruit from South Asia. It is rather odd-looking and gets even odder when you open it up.

To eat the fruit you break it up to expose the white flesh. You can eat the white fruit inside but do be careful to watch for the pit inside.

The taste of lychee is often described as a floral mix of strawberries and watermelon. You truly have to taste it to understand.

How to prepare lychee?

Lychee looks leathery and intimidating but they are surprisingly simple to peel. Remove the outer layer of the fruit, often called the husk.

Then you can slice the inner white fruit to reveal the seed. Remove the seed and then eat the fruit or cut it up however you would prefer.

Homemade lychee martini ingredients

Lychee – We prefer to make this recipe with fresh lychees and create our lychee juice from them but if you can’t find any at your local supermarket there are canned versions of the fruit.

Ice cubes – When it comes to the ice for a co*cktail you have a lot of options these days. You can use the ice from your refrigerator. You can also do what we did an buy some ice cube molds for the freezer. I love using these for co*cktails. They are pretty AND they melt slower.

Vodka – Go with your favorite non-flavored vodka. I would recommend the highest quality that you can get your hands on. It is a crucial ingredient to this recipe and the quality will come through.

Simple syrup – This is an optional item but it really brings out the flavor of the lychee and enhances the drink so much that we always use it. I keep a jar of simple syrup in the bar area at all times but you can also make your own.

Orange liquor – We traditionally use Cointreau as our orange liquor but you can use any type that you prefer.

Lemon juice – If you have fresh lemons and have the time, freshly squeezed lemon juice will always be the best. If you are like us and always looking to save time then lemon juice from a jar will suit.

Lychee Martini Recipe (3)

Homemade lychee martini recipe

A lychee martini is actually quite simple to create. It sounds exotic and it is because it includes an exotic fruit. It is delicious and easy.Before you start mixing your martini chill the martini glasses in the freezer. I also recommend that you put 2 lychees that are peeled and the seed has been removed from in the freezer. You can use these as a garnish and they will also act like an ice cube in the drink.

Step 1: Decide if you are using fresh lychee or canned lychee. Both options are perfect for this recipe but fresh fruit always tastes best.

If using fresh lychee start by peeling it and removing the outer husk. It is quite easy to remove with just your fingers. Next, cut the white fruit inside so that you can remove the brown seed.

Step 2: Muddle the lychee in your co*cktail shaker until you have created a juice from the fruit. If you would like to do so you can put the lychee in a small food processor and create a juice using that.

Step 3: Fill the co*cktail shaker with ice. Then add in the vodka, lemon juice, and orange liquor of your choice. Shake vigorously until it is fully mixed and very cold.

Step 4: Strain the contents into a martini glass and garnish with fresh lychee.

Supplies to gather

Making a martini doesn’t require many supplies but there are a couple of pieces that you will want to have on hand for sure.

  • co*cktail shaker– co*cktail shakers are something that I have strong feelings about. Those beautiful metal ones are so fun to look at but just terrible to use. I much prefer an insulated plastic one that doesn’t freeze my hands off as I use them.
  • Martini glasses
  • Ice
  • Ingredients
Lychee Martini Recipe (4)

Lychee Martini Recipe

Yield: 2 drinks

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes

This lychee martini recipe can be made with fresh lychee or canned lychee. It only requires a few ingredients and is easy to make a co*cktail.

Ingredients

  • Ice cubes
  • 8 lychees
  • 6 oz vodka
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1 ½ oz Orange liquor

Instructions

  1. Muddle 6 of the lychee in the co*cktail shaker. Heavily muddle the lychee until it is broken down and juice is created. (If you prefer you could blend the lychee in a small food processor to create the juice.)
  2. Fill the shaker with ice. Then add in the vodka, lemon juice, and orange liquor.
  3. Put the lid on the shaker and shake vigorously.
  4. Strain the contents from the shaker into a martini glass.
  5. Garnish each glass with the remaining lychee.

Notes

We recommend chilling the martini glasses in the freezer for one hour before serving but this is purely optional.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

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Lychee Martini Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of vermouth in a lychee martini? ›

Vermouth has been a classic additive to martinis. Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Triple Sec and Midori are alternative liqueurs that can be successfully blended into a lychee martini with varying affects.

What is a substitute for lychee liqueur? ›

Lychee syrup is very easy to make and is a great substitute for the lychee liqueur. It is no different than any other flavored syrup. You'll simply use lychee fruits for the flavor. It takes less than an hour from start to finish, and the finished syrup can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.

How is lychee liqueur made? ›

The basic method is similar to other liqueurs: The fruit flavor is extracted and blended into a base liquor and a sweetener. The liquor is often something neutral, like vodka or brandy. Producers may make juice from the lychee fruits, infuse it directly into the spirit, or extract the flavor into a syrup.

How to prepare lychee? ›

Lychee needs to be peeled and the husk and stone discarded. The seed is slightly poisonous, and only the white flesh is edible. Be gentle because it is a delicate fruit, and work over a bowl to capture any juice. There's no need to wash lychee before or after peeling.

What are the 3 main ingredients in vermouth? ›

According to Italian law, vermouth is a product made up of at least 75% wine, fortified and flavored with an alcoholic infusion of herbs and spices which must include artemisia (mugwort), in the Pontica and Absinthium varieties. It is this herb and its dried buds that mainly characterizes the recipe of vermouth.

What alcohol can replace vermouth? ›

For a direct sweet vermouth substitute in a Negroni, Lillet or Sherry can be excellent options. If you want something heavier and more similar to sweet vermouth, choose a PX Sherry or Lillet Rouge. If you happen to have dry vermouth on hand, you can swap that in to make the brighter and lighter Contessa co*cktail.

What juice is similar to lychee? ›

Rambutan: Rambutan is closely related to lychee and has a similar sweet and juicy flavour.

What fruit is most similar to lychee? ›

Lychees, rambutan and longan are all similar in nutritional content. Like many tropical fruits, they are high in Vitamin C. Lychees are especially rich in Vitamin C, providing more than the daily recommended value in a single 100 gram serving.

What flavor is lychee? ›

The fruit is white and glossy in appearance with a texture similar to that of a firm grape and the pleasant floral aroma. The flavor of a lychee is sweet, with notes of citrus and watermelon, but most notably tastes of a cross between strawberry and pear with rose water mixed in.

What is the origin of lychee martini? ›

It was reportedly invented at a Korean restaurant in midtown, New York. Add a touch of vermouth to a martini glass (although you can omit this completely if you like, and indeed in most cases I do). Add around 15ml lychee liqueur.

What does vermouth do to a martini? ›

Sweet Vermouth was initially used as a co*cktail ingredient to lower the overall alcohol content of a co*cktail with a strong spirit as their base, but Vermouth also adds a mellow herbal flavour and aroma to your drink. Vermouth is actually a type of fortified wine flavoured with various botanicals.

What ethnicity is lychee? ›

It is a native of southern China and has been introduced to other regions of the world including Southeast Asia, Australia, South Africa, and the United States. Cultivar names have caused confusion; the same cultivar may have different names in different producing regions. There are over 100 lychee cultivars in China.

What is lychee drink made of? ›

Tropical Lychee Martini

Plus, it's a breeze to make: Shake vodka, vermouth, lychee syrup or juice and, if you like it chilled, ice. Garnish with lychee and enjoy!

What does lychee taste like? ›

The most important question: What does lychee taste like? The aromatic lychee is sweet, with slightly floral and acidic notes. Upon biting, you'll get a juicy flavor burst with a taste similar to a strawberry or pear with a hint of citrus.

Does lychee have alcohol? ›

Lychee wine is a low- alcohol and high-flavored Chinese beverage made of fresh lychee fruits using partial osmotic dehydration techniques. It usually contains 10–18% alcohol, 1–4% sugar and 0.3–1%% acid.

What does lychee liquor taste like? ›

Flavor Profile: Lychee liqueur offers a sweet, subtly tart taste, with a complexity that includes notes of rose and other floral nuances.

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