lemon drop shot recipe

WRITTEN BY: SCOTT VAN DORT

The Lemon Drop Shot is a cousin of the Lemon Drop Martini. It’s true what they say: good things come in small packages. Lively, sweet and zesty all at once, the Lemon Drop Shot is the ultimate shot to serve on a tray at parties.

Its taste is reminiscent of the classic Lemon-flavored candy, Lemon Drop, hence the name. It combines zesty, Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice with Absolut Citron (Lemon-Flavored Vodka), which is then sweetened and balanced out with the Sugar-coated Shot Glass. Because it’s a shot, all the flavor is concentrated, resulting in a sweet and sour flavor explosion.

How To Make a Lemon Drop Shot

What You’ll Need

• Small Plate (for the Sugar)
• Paring Knife (for the Lemon)
• Citrus Elbow (or Citrus Press)
• Boston Shaker
• Jigger or Measuring Instrument 
• Small Pouring Jug
• Hawthorne Strainer
• Fine Mesh Strainer
• Shot Glass

Got a question about the tools above? Check out this article where we list the 7 essential bartending tools you need for your home bar.

How to Mix

1. Use a Paring Knife to cut one Lemon in half. Set one half aside for Lemon Juice and use the other half to cut Lemon Wedges.
2. Rub a Lemon Wedge around the rim of a Shot Glass to coat it in Lemon Juice.
3. Pour a generous amount of Caster Sugar onto a Small Plate. Gently dip and twist the rim of your Shot Glass into the sugar until it’s fully coated.
4. Pour Simple Syrup into the Boston Shaker.
5. Use a Citrus Elbow to squeeze the Lemon Half into a Small Pouring Jug to produce Fresh Lemon Juice.
6. Measure and pour the Fresh Lemon Juice into the Boston Shaker.
7. Measure and pour Absolut Citron into the Shaker.
8. Fill the Shaker with Ice Cubes.
9. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds, then separate the Boston Shaker.
10. Place a Hawthorne Strainer over the larger tin of the Boston Shaker. Double strain the mixture by pouring it through a Fine Mesh Strainer into the smaller tin.
11. Pour the mixture into a Chilled Sugar-Rimmed Shot Glass.
12. Garnish by placing a Lemon Wedge directly on top of the Shot Glass.

The History of The Lemon Drop Shot

It’s widely believed that the Lemon Drop Martini was invented in the 1970s by a bartender who worked at an upscale bar in San Francisco that opened in 1969. 

Initially served in a Cocktail Glass, it later gained popularity as a shot, with the Lemon Drop Shot becoming a favorite among partygoers and cocktail enthusiasts alike.

Renowned for its vibrant sweet and sour taste, reminiscent of the candy that inspired it, this drink’s popularity peaked in the 1980s, becoming a staple at bars everywhere.

Today, the Lemon Drop Shot remains one of the world’s most beloved shots.

Tips for Making a Perfect Lemon Drop Shot

• Chill your Sugar-rimmed Shot Glass
  After you have rubbed a Lemon Wedge around the rim of your Shot Glass and dipped it in Caster Sugar, we recommend placing your Sugar-rimmed Shot Glass in the freezer. In general, a chilled Glass is pretty much always a good idea as it enhances the overall drinking experience.

• Double Strain the Mixture
  While you could shake the mixture and pour it into a Shot Glass using a Hawthorne Strainer, we highly recommend double straining it. Why?

  “Because we’re making shots, we want the most intense flavor straight away. If we were to just pour it straight in, we would have all these bits of ice shards that would sit in the glass. Even though it’s a shot, you don’t want anything to dilute the drink,”  says Ricardo ‘Rico’ Dynan, Bartender and Absolut Global Brand Ambassador.

  How do you double strain a cocktail? Don’t miss our article where we explain how to double strain and why it’s important.

• Quality ingredients
  As we often say, the fewer ingredients you have in a cocktail, the more important the quality of each of those ingredients is. With this in mind, we recommend pressing fresh Lemon Juice instead of buying the bottled stuff. Similarly, we recommend using Absolut Citron, Lemon-Flavored Vodka.

Variations of a Lemon Drop Shot

• Lemon Drop Martini
  The original that inspired the shot. Our Lemon Drop Martini recipe consists of Absolut Citron (Lemon-Flavored Vodka), Triple Sec, Lemon Juice and Simple Syrup, which is then shaken, strained, and poured into a Sugar-rimmed Martini Glass.
  
  The two are very similar ingredient-wise except the Lemon Drop Martini includes Triple Sec whereas the shot does not. Yet taste-wise, the drinking experience is quite different, with the Martini version being sweeter and softer. Learn how to make the best Lemon Drop Martini.

• Basil Lemon Drop Martini
  Now here’s a fantastic Lemon Drop Martini variation you’ve got to try. Trust us! There’s something about the combination of Basil and Lemon. Mmm, mmm. This variation follows the same recipe as our Lemon Drop Martini but adds Orange Curaçao and fresh Basil Leaves. Discover our recipe for a Basil Lemon Drop Martini.

Serving and Garnish Ideas for a Lemon Drop Shot

We recommend serving a Lemon Drop Shot in a Sugar-coated Shot Glass and then garnishing with a Lemon Wedge. It’s the classic way, it’s the best way.