The French Martini is an elegant three-ingredient cocktail with pineapple, vodka, and a kiss of French Chambord. Perfect for entertaining!
It’s one of my favorite cocktails to serve because with each sip you can taste a little hint of all three ingredients ~ pineapple, Chambord raspberry liqueur, and crisp vodka
This sunny, slightly sweet, tart, frothy, and completely gorgeous French martini recipe was created in New York in the late 1980s. The first French Martini gained popularity as a contemporary classic cocktail and hasn’t looked back since!
These types of elegant, beautiful, fruity cocktails, like our Blueberry Vodka Cocktail, and reader favorite, the Pineapple Vodka Cocktail, are always a hit with friends and for special occasions. The French Martini has the advantage of being super simple to make because, unlike the others, you don’t need simple syrup.
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Ingredients Needed
Just 3 ingredients ~ plus a delicious garnish ~ are needed for this simple drink
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient
- Pineapple Juice – If you can find (or make) fresh fruit juice then definitely use it! If not, use quality premade 100% pineapple fruit juice. You’ll need just 2 ounces, or 60 ml pineapple juice, for each drink
- Vodka – Since there are just a few ingredients in this drink opt for a good vodka for the best and cleanest flavor
- Chambord Liqueur– Chambord black raspberry liqueur is where we get the name French martini. Chambord is a French raspberry liqueur that is an infusion of raspberries, blackberries, black raspberries, black currant, Madagascar vanilla, and Cognac
- Fresh Raspberries – Optional, but perfect for a garnish. We skewered ours with a decorative bamboo pick. We chose to use 3 raspberries since traditional martinis use 3 olives. You can also use a citrus peel for garnish.
Instructions for making a French Martini
While this recipe is super simple there are a few important steps for success:
- Prep the garnish by skewering 3 raspberries and set aside
- Add ice cubes, pineapple juice, and vodka to the martini shaker
- Pour the Chambord into the shaker
- Place the top on the shaker and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds
- The shaker will get super cold so, if needed, wrap a small kitchen towel around it. I always do this because it also helps save you if there are any leaks from the shaker
- Leave the strainer part on the shaker and gently pour the shaken martini into the martini glasses
- The strainer will prevent any ice from going into the glasses and diluting the finished cocktail
- The top of the French martini should be foamy as you pour it in. The foaminess will depend on how cold the drink is and how long you shake before you pour
Helpful Tips for the Perfect French Martini
- If possible chill or freeze both your martini glasses and your martini shaker for about 10-15 minutes before preparing the drinks
- Chilled pineapple juice, Chambord, and vodka from the freezer, are ideal to help create the frothy top for this drink which makes it look so elegant
- Use ice cubes, instead of crushed ice, in the shaker for the best results. Crushed ice tends to dilute the drink too much while shaking
- The colder the ingredients when you start the more refreshing and frothy the French Martini cocktail will be when you pour it!
Of course, if the drink isn’t super frothy on top it will still be delicious! And the froth will evaporate in a few minutes. Serve immediately after pouring. Again, these cocktails are still delicious even with little or no froth.
Substitution Ideas
Since there are only 3 ingredients in the original French Martini there aren’t a lot of substitutions to be made, however, here are a few ideas if you feel like getting creative!
- Gin – substitute gin for vodka for a slightly more botanical taste. (An original martini is made with dry gin and dry vermouth)
- Pineapple wedge garnish – Instead of raspberries use a chunky wedge of pineapple on the side of the glass, along with the freshest pineapple juice
- Lemon twist garnish – to give the drink more of a classic martini feel use a twist of lemon peel instead of the raspberries
- Chambord substitute – there are a few other choices available so if you’re not using Chambord we recommend Mathilde Framboise Liqueur because it has a clean raspberry flavor, or another type of black currant liqueur
- Vanilla Vodka – If you want an added bit of vanilla flavor. Be sure to substitute with a high quality vodka (such as Absolut vanilla vodka)
Equipment
- SHAKER – Using a quality cocktail shaker, with room for plenty of ice, is the key to a great frothy French martini. We use either a traditional silver shaker or a clear shaker. Just make sure it has a strainer on top. If yours doesn’t have a strainer you’ll need a fine mesh strainer instead for pouring the drink into the glasses.
- GLASSES – We love the elegant look of an etched coupe glass, but a traditional v-shaped martini glass works well too. Regardless of the shape use a chilled martini glass.
Make-Ahead Tips
Planning a party and want to prep ahead of time? Great idea!
- Chill everything!
- If making fresh pineapple juice make it ahead of time and then shake well before prepping the cocktails
- Premix the Chambord, pineapple juice, and vodka and refrigerate. When ready to prepare the drink add ice to a shaker and proceed as above
FAQ
- Why is it called a “French Martini”? This cocktail wasn’t invented in France but Chambord liqueur is produced in France, thus the name. Want to make it even more French? Use a French vodka brand, such as Ciroc, Vodka Mariette, or Grey Goose.
- Who invented the original French Martini? It was one of the many specialty cocktail recipes to appear in one of restaurateur Keith McNally’s New York City bars. The original recipe was on the cocktail menu at McNally’s famous Balthazar in SoHo and this classic recipe was popularized by the “King of Cocktails” Dale Degroff.
- Is this cocktail a true martini? A French martini cocktail isn’t technically a martini cocktail but has the name because it’s served in a martini glass. This fruity cocktail is a lightly sweet drink while a classic gin martini or dry vodka martini is not sweet at all.
- Should I refrigerate Chambord? It is shelf-stable but we recommend chilling it. It tastes great on its own, poured over a glass of ice.
Perfect appetizers to serve along with French Martinis:
- Our Honey Roasted Cashews are a sweet, salty snack that is perfect for happy hour
- Baked Brie with Garlic pairs perfectly with these slightly tart martinis
- Crab Cakes with zesty homemade Cocktail Sauce are an ideal appetizer or great as a light meal
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French Martini
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 2 martini glasses
Ingredients
- 4 ounces premium vodka
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- 1 ounce Chambord liqueur, or similar such as Mathilde Framboise (2 TBSP)
- ice cubes
- 6 raspberries for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shake about ½ full with ice cubes
- Add vodka, pineapple juice, and Chambord to the shaker
- Shake vigorously for about 20-30 seconds. The shaker will get very cold, so consider wrapping it in a dish towel. You want some froth to develop in the shaker
- Strain gently into 2 martini or coupe glasses
- If desired, garnish with a few raspberries, and serve
Notes
- This drink works best if all of the ingredients are chilled before using
- Use whole ice in the shaker. Crushed ice melts too quickly and will dilute the martini
- Just need one martini? Simply cut the ingredients in half
- For an extra cold drink chill the glasses in advance
Ieva
Yes! This one is definitely for me! Love Chambord and this martini was super delicious!
Jovita
So delicious and light cocktail! I will serve it to my friends.
kushigalu
Refreshing and delicious cocktail recipe. Thanks for sharing
Natalie
I may not have those fancy glasses as you, but I surely enjoyed your french martini recipe. Had to share your recipe with my friends, thanks!
Suja md
We really like this recipe. Never knew it was this easy to make. Will be trying without further delay!