Lemon Drop Shots are the perfect shot! They are a fun drink that is tart, sweet, and very easy to make so you might as well double the batch!
The next time you’re hosting a get-together with friends, this is the perfect Drink to get the party started along with my Chocolate Cake Shot. For a sippable vodka drink to follow up the shots, try a Moscow Mule.
Why You’ll Love These Shots?
- The serving size is 4 shots so it’s perfect for a party crowd or easily make a big batch!
- Easy to turn into a Lemon Drop Cocktail or customize it further.
Sabrina’s Lemon Drop Shots Recipe
Lemon Drop Shots are a true crowd-pleaser. While they’re a fun shot with plenty of kick, their sweet and tart flavor makes them pleasant to drink. There’s definitely a good amount of alcohol, but it doesn’t have as much of a burn as a straight vodka or tequila shot would. Plus, you can make 4 shots at once, so it’s a great drink for parties. If you’re making these shots for a birthday party or another large get-together, it’s a good idea to prep a large batch in advance. That way, you don’t have to keep mixing ingredients all night.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 ounces vodka
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Stir together vodka and lemon juice.
- Pour into four shot glasses and sprinkle top with 1 teaspoon sugar each.
- Cut lemon into four equal wedges and sprinkle wedges with remaining sugar.
- To enjoy, drink shot and immediately follow with sugared lemon.
Nutrition
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Sabrina’s Tips
One way to ensure you get the best flavor for your Lemon Drop Shot is by using freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can make the recipe with pre-squeezed, store-bought lemon juice; it just won’t taste quite as fresh and bold.
Table of contents
About this Recipe
These Lemon Drop Shots are so easy to make and even more fun to drink! Add the vodka and fresh lemon juice to a mixing glass, pitcher, or bowl. You could also add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and quickly shake them together instead of stirring. Share the divided lemon and vodka mixture evenly into four shot glasses with a sprinkle of granulated sugar over the top of each shot. Chase it down with a zesty sugared lemon! If you prefer a sipper over a shooter, you could also serve these as martinis in two chilled glasses with a lemon juice and sugared rim!
Ingredients
- Vodka: Vodka is the base alcohol for this classic shot. You can use any of your favorite vodka brands or citron vodka for extra lemon flavor. Although you probably don’t want the cheapest vodka, you also don’t need to shell out for the most high quality vodka either. Keep the vodka in the fridge or freezer before pouring so that you have cold vodka for your shots. It’s perfect for this recipe because it’s relatively flavorless, which allows the lemon flavor to come forward. If you don’t have vodka, tequila or gin are the best substitutes, but they both have a more pronounced flavor than vodka.
- Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. The lemon juice adds the signature tart flavor to this drink recipe which makes it delicious and reminiscent of lemon drop candies.
- Sugar: Sprinkling sugar over the top makes the drink more pleasant by balancing out the tart with sweet. Because of the flavor contrast, it also enhances the lemony taste.
- Lemon Slice: Use sugared lemon slices after you finish the shot. They cut back on some of the bite from the alcohol and lets you enjoy the sweetened lemon flavor. After a shot of vodka, the tangy-sweet lemon wedges make the perfect balance of lemony goodness to keep the fresh juice flavor at the forefront.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can! The best way to make these ahead of time are to make them in a large batch. Multiply the ingredient amounts by the number of shots you’ll need. Then pour the vodka and lemon juice into a large pitcher and stir them together. To make everything quicker, you can leave out the sugar topping and instead add simple syrup to the shot mixture. You can also prepare the sugared lemon wedges and put them on a plate covered in plastic wrap. Keep the pitcher and the lemon wedges chilled in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Pairing Suggestions
This is an amazing recipe to take your next birthday party, holiday get-together, or summer bash to the next level. Don’t forget to round out the party with favorite appetizers like Sausage Balls, Spinach and Artichoke Dip, and Fried Pickles. It’s always a good idea to have savory snack foods on hand for once your guests start getting tipsy.
How to Store
- Serve: For best results, combine and pour Lemon Drop Shots right before you shoot them.
- Store: If you want to prep the shot recipe in advance, you can combine the lemon juice and vodka ahead of time and store the mixture in the fridge. Whisk the mixture one more time, or shake the recipe in a cocktail shaker before pouring and serving the shots.
- Freeze: You could also put the mixture in a freezer-safe airtight container to store it frozen. The alcohol won’t freeze, but the lemon juice can. After freezing, you can let the mixture thaw in the fridge for a few hours for a chilled, slightly icy-like lemon shot mixture.
Frequent Questions
The Lemon Drop Shot and Lemon Drop Cocktail both get their name from classic lemon drop candies. Just like the drink, the candy is sweet and tart.
Although they have a very pleasant taste, lemon drop shots can still be quite strong because the alcohol is only diluted by lemon juice. Depending on how strong of a drink you want, you can adjust the ratio of lemon juice to vodka accordingly.
To add a sugar rim to your shot glasses, start by adding white sugar to a shallow plate so that it covers the surface. Then run a lemon wedge along the rim of your shot glass to wet it. Dip the shot glass in the sugar to cover the rim. The lemon juice will make the sugar stick to the glass. Repeat with the remaining three shot glasses to decorate them.
Variations
- Simple Syrup: If you prefer, you can make this shot recipe with simple syrup instead of sprinkling granulated sugar on top. It takes ¼ ounce simple syrup for one teaspoon of sugar. Mix the simple syrup into the drink mixture along with the lemon juice and vodka.
- Flavored Vodka: If you want to add a little more flavor to this recipe, you can use a favorite variety of flavored vodka for the drink mixture. You’ll probably want to opt for lemon vodka to go with the drinks flavor. But you could also use another citrus vodka like lime vodka or orange vodka. Other fruity flavors like coconut vodka, or pomegranate vodka are fun options. You could also go in an entirely different direction with ginger zest vodka for a surprising and pleasant spice.
- Raspberry Lemon Drop Shot: Introduce new flavors to this delicious drink recipe in a raspberry version. To make this version, you’ll swap out half of the lemon juice for raspberry puree. Combine all the ingredients and shake well. Then strain the mixture to remove any leftover raspberry pieces. Pour into shot glasses and serve the shot recipe with raspberries to garnish.
- Blueberry Lemon Drop Shots: You can make this variation with pureed berries the same way as the raspberry shot. Or, add blueberry schnapps to the drink mixture. Either way will add a delicious and fresh fruit flavor to the recipe. You can also rim the shot glass with blue sugar for a fun garnish.
- Lime Drop Shots: This variation is exactly what it sounds like. You’ll follow the original recipe amounts and instructions. The only difference is that instead of using lemon juice, you’ll use fresh lime juice. This is a tasty option if you like limes, but keep in mind that limes are a little less sweet than lemons, so this version will taste a little more sour.
Lemon Drop Martini Cocktail
- You can use mostly the same ingredients to make a sippable lemon drop martini instead of shots. But, along with the lemon juice and vodka, you’ll also need simple syrup and triple sec.
- Prepare Cocktail Glass: Wet the rim of your cocktail glass with water or lemon juice. Then put granulated sugar on a plate, and place the rim of the glass in the sugar. Let the sugar rim dry before pouring the cocktail in.
- Combine Lemon Drop Cocktail: Add 2 ounces vodka, ½ ounce triple sec, 1 ounce lemon juice, and 1 ounce simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well until combined and chilled.
- Pour: Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass and serve immediately. For garnishes, you can top it with a slice of lemon or lemon zest for some extra lemony goodness. If you want a little more sweetness, you can sprinkle a layer of sugar on top for a nice balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
- Note: You can double the amount of ingredients to make 2 cocktails or make a large batch in a pitcher and serve this lemon drop drink for a party.
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