Apple Martini

Test Kitchen Notes

Picture this: It’s the late ‘90s and you’re at a swanky bar in West Hollywood. A bartender named Adam asks you what you’ll have, and you say you’ll take one of his signature drinks. A few pours of a jigger and a firm shake later, he slides a martini glass filled with bright-green liquid your way. The drink before you is the first of its kind, the so-called Adam’s Apple, allegedly crafted to use up a dusty bottle of Sour Apple Pucker schnapps in combination with a sample from an eager sales rep—a bottle of Ketel One.

Somewhere along the way, the drink’s namesake was ditched in favor of more descriptive monikers: the cutesy appletini (à la Zach Braff’s character on Scrubs), or the decidedly less dainty apple martini. Today you’ll find some variation of this drink at bars across the country, each with its own slight variation, from the addition of a neon cherry and a bit of grenadine to a simple Granny Smith apple slice.

This apple martini recipe relies on the tried-and-true method of combining Ketel One Vodka with green apple schnapps and lemon juice, shaken for at least 10 seconds until things are nice and chilled. Serve in a martini glass and throw on a ‘90s playlist for a delicious dose of nostalgia.

This recipe is shared in partnership with Ketel One Vodka.
—The Editors