Vanilla Martini

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 12/26/22
Vanilla martinis in glasses

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

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

This flavored martini is one of the easiest ways to enjoy a sweet vanilla flavor in a neat drink. The vanilla martini gets its flavoring from a vanilla liqueur, which is not the most common on liquor store shelves.

Originally, this martini from Belvedere Vodka featured Navan, a naturally flavored vanilla liqueur that was utterly delicious. It has since been discontinued, much to the dismay of its many loyal fans, so a substitute is required. Tuaca, Bols Vanilla, and Galliano are all viable vanilla liqueurs and each will make a great vanilla martini. You might also try Brinley Gold Shipwreck Vanilla Rum, which has a flavor that is surprisingly reminiscent of what Navan offered.

When you find a great vanilla spirit and pair it with a smooth vodka such as Belvedere, a wonderful cocktail is born. The lime juice is included to offset the sweetness and add a welcomed splash of citrus flavor.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Vanilla martini ingredients in glasses and a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

    Ice, vodka and vanilla liqueur in a cocktail shaker

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Shake well.

    Shake the cocktail shaker

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

    Vanilla martini in a glass

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • Since there are only three ingredients in this martini, it's imperative that you use a top-shelf vodka. If you're going to use a substitute for Belvedere, make sure it's of equal quality.
  • For the lime juice, simply cut a lime wedge and squeeze it into the shaker. You want just a splash of juice as too much will throw the drink out of balance.

Homemade Vanilla Liqueur

It's pretty easy to make a vanilla liqueur, even if it's your first attempt at any homemade liqueur. Essentially, you'll use a vanilla syrup to sweeten the liquor of your choice. It's a relatively quick process and can be adapted to suit your taste.

To make the liqueur, begin by making vanilla syrup. Dissolve 2 cups of sugar into 1 cup of boiling water. Add a whole vanilla bean (split lengthwise) and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it steep for about 8 hours before removing the bean. Alternatively, you can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the syrup, eliminating the long steeping time.

With the syrup ready, choose your liquor; brandy and vodka are great choices. For a full 750ml bottle of liquor, begin by adding 1/4 cup of vanilla syrup and mix it. Taste the liqueur and add more syrup (a little at a time) until it reaches your desired flavor. Bottle and store just like any other liqueur.

How Strong Is a Vanilla Martini?

The average vanilla liqueur is bottled around 60 proof, so that's a good strength to use when estimating the drink's alcohol content. When mixed with an 80-proof vodka, the martini should fall into the 29 percent ABV (58 proof) range. That's perfectly normal for liquor-only martinis. Just because they're sweet and pretty, doesn't mean they're light drinks.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
276 Calories
0g Fat
26g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 276
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 3mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 34mg 1%
*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.)