In & Out Lemontini

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 05/13/21
In-and-Out Lemontini cocktail served in a coupe

The Spruce Eats / Isabella DiRenzo

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The in and out lemontini transforms the dry in and out martini into a sweet dessert cocktail. It replaces dry vermouth with the delicate flavor of limoncello and is the perfect venue to show off your favorite premium vodka.

With just two ingredients, this recipe is incredibly simple and quick to mix up. You'll start off by rinsing the glass with limoncello then add shaken vodka. Really, that's all there is to it! The result is a semi-sweet, tart cocktail that you're sure to fall in love with.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make an In-and-Out Lemontini cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / Isabella DiRenzo

  2. Pour a splash of limoncello into a frozen cocktail glass. Swirl the liqueur around in the glass until the entire surface is evenly coated. Toss any excess limoncello.

    A hand holding a coupe glass, swirling around Limoncello

    The Spruce Eats / Isabella DiRenzo

  3. Shake the vodka in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

    A hand holding a cocktail shaker

    The Spruce Eats / Isabella DiRenzo

  4. Strain the shaken vodka into the coated cocktail glass.

    A hand pouring shaken vodka from a cocktail shaker into a Limoncello-coated cocktail glass

    The Spruce Eats / Isabella DiRenzo

  5. Garnish with a lemon twist. Serve and enjoy.

    An In-and-Out Lemontini cocktail garnished with a lemon twist

    The Spruce Eats / Isabella DiRenzo

Tips

  • The importance of pouring a top-shelf vodka cannot be stressed enough for this cocktail. It makes up the entire drink, so you should really like the vodka straight to get the most enjoyable experience.
  • Limoncello is a sweet, thick lemon-flavored liqueur that is often used to top ice cream, so you know it makes some very delicious drinks. It is best when kept chilled in the freezer.
  • Making limoncello at home is very easy, but it's not a quick process. It is one of the longest infusion times for liquors and will take almost three months for the flavor to fully develop. If you're patient, you'll find that it's well worth the wait!
  • Chilling your glass will improve this lemontini considerably and keep it nice and cold. If you don't have room in the freezer for cocktail glasses, the quickest way to cool it down is to place a few ice cubes in the glass then dump them out before making the martini.

Recipe Variations

  • Bring back the vermouth if you like, but add it to the shaker with the vodka. It's a great way to add a hint of sweetness to the vodka martini; 1/2 ounce of dry vermouth creates a perfectly balanced cocktail.
  • Rim the glass with sugar before rinsing it with limoncello. Each sip will be just a little sweeter.
  • No limoncello? Mix up a lemon-flavored syrup to rinse the glass as a substitute. This can be as easy as adding a little lemon juice to simple syrup (essentially making a sour mix). You can also flavor simple syrup with the zest from a whole lemon while it's still hot and let the flavor infuse until it cools completely.
  • If you have a favorite flavored vodka, try it in the lemontini. Good options include any of the berry vodkas as well as citrus and coconut. Be sure to choose quality vodkas for the best results.

How Strong Is an In and Out Lemontini?

The in and out lemontini will be slightly lighter than the vodka you pour. Factoring in dilution from the shake and that splash of limoncello, this martini's alcohol content should be somewhere around 34 percent ABV (68 proof). Its sweet taste will mask the potency and it is a double shot of vodka, so be sure take it easy with this one.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
248 Calories
0g Fat
8g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 248
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 8mg 40%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 11mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)