Lemon Drop Recipe

Prepare glass

Run the lemon wedge around the rim of a chilled coupe or martini glass to moisten. Dip the rim into the superfine sugar spread on a small plate so it adheres evenly. Set glass aside.

Combine ingredients

In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz vodka, 0.75 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 0.5 oz simple syrup. Fill the shaker with ice (about 1 cup).

Shake

Cap the shaker and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is very cold and slightly frosted. This chills and dilutes the cocktail to proper balance.

Double strain

Double-strain the cocktail into the prepared sugar-rimmed glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer to remove ice shards and any pulp for a silky texture.

Garnish

Express a lemon twist over the drink (pinch peel to release oils) and optionally drop it into the glass or rest on the rim.

Prepare the Lemon Drop exactly as above but pour the shaken cocktail into a champagne flute or coupe only about two-thirds full (or strain into a flute). Gently top with 2 oz chilled Prosecco or sparkling rosé. Do not stir; gently tilt the glass while pouring to preserve bubbles. Garnish with a thin lemon twist.

Adjust sweetness to taste — increase simple syrup by 0.25 oz if lemons are very tart, or reduce to 0.25 oz for a brighter, less sweet drink. For a sweeter sugar rim, moisten rim with lemon, then dip in a mix of superfine sugar and a pinch of lemon zest. Make a batch pre-mixed (vodka, lemon juice, syrup) in a pitcher; shake or stir with ice and strain per serving, then top with bubbles individually.