The Pomegranate Martini has a number of variations, and they’re all delicious. This is one of those drinks you just about can’t mess up. The recipe I’m sharing with you is the standard – well, sort of.
Most people make pomegranate martinis with vodka, but I’m saying “gin or vodka” because both can be terrific. The trick with gin is to pick a good one like Bombay Sapphire or Hendrick’s.
There are a lot of other ways to tweak this drink. You could add an ounce of club soda for some bubbles. Or you could add a touch of orange, lime or lemon juice. Pomegranate pairs well with chocolate in any form, so try a flourless chocolate cake with this drink. If you’re looking for something that’s more of a main course, dishes with a mole negro sauce, with notes of chocolate pepper, are wonderful with it.
Pomegranate Martini Recipe
- 1 ounce vodka or gin
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau or Orange Curacao
- 3 ounces pomegranate juice
- Optional: garnish with pomegranate seeds
Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with orange peel or a lime wedge or whatever.
The above version makes a very standard cocktail with the traditional 1.5 ounces of alcohol. To make this drink stronger, you could use 2 ounces of vodka or gin and 2 ounces of pomegranate juice. Some people use citrus-flavored vodka rather than plain. There’s no end to all the ways you can play with this recipe and still come up with a fabulous drink – as long as you like pomegranate juice.
If you’re serving these for guests, you can pre-mix a big batch of this cocktail in a pitcher. Unless you know all your guests prefer a stronger cocktail, start with the above alcohol ratio (so you end up with 1.5 ounces of alcohol in each cocktail). When pouring for a guest who likes it stronger, just pour an ounce of vodka or gin into the glass before pouring in the pre-mixed cocktail.