This Easy, 3-Ingredient Lemon Drop Is The Cocktail Of The Summer

The zeitgeist is fickle and unpredictable, but the lemon drop is a consistent crowd pleaser that's ready to fuel your summer season. We honestly only have good things to say about this drink. It's simple to make, doesn't require very many ingredients, and has a flavor profile that's highly accessible without being cloyingly sweet. There's a reason the lemon drop is Martha Stewart's favorite cocktail, after all.

There are a few variations on the basic lemon drop template but, at its core, this is a 3-ingredient cocktail that consists of a vodka base, lemon juice, and simple syrup (essentially sugar water) with a lemon peel garnish. The ingredients should be poured into a cocktail shaker with ice, given a good shake, and double strained before being served up. You'll typically see the lemon drop served in a martini glass with a sugar rim. A great way to incorporate more citrus flavor (and to get the sugar to stick) is to run a lemon wedge around the edge of the glass before dipping it into a plate of sugar.

You'll sometimes see an orange liqueur such as Cointreau substituted in for the simple syrup or added in as a fourth ingredient, like we do in our lemon drop martini recipe. The original recipe contained triple sec (another orange liqueur), but the three ingredient version of vodka, lemon, and simple syrup has become quite popular.

The lemon drop grew out of the 1970s San Francisco bar scene at the hands of Norman Jay Hobday, who owned the popular bar Henry Africa's, which is considered to be the country's first fern bar. You've likely been to contemporary bars that take inspiration from fern bars through their generous display of house plants. The lighthearted pleasure of that iconic American moment in history is perfectly embodied in the easygoing lemon drop.

The lemon drop is also extremely versatile. If you're only making one or two, shaking it and serving it in a martini glass is a fine option. But you aren't limited to the classic cocktail format if it doesn't fit your needs. The recipe can also be made in bulk in advance to serve at a big party. The only thing to keep in mind here is that it's better served cold, so keeping it in the fridge is an option, or placing whatever container you're holding it in over ice could work too. Be careful about placing the ice directly into the drink, though, since you don't want to water it down.

Lemon drops also make for great mixed shots. The recipe stays the same, simply fill up shot glasses with the drink and pass them out to the group. You probably won't want to make a full cocktail's worth of lemon drop for each shot since that's a lot of liquid to down at once.