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Key Lime Pie Martini

A creamy, tangy dessert cocktail that tastes like key lime pie in a glass. This silky martini balances sweet condensed milk, zesty lime, and vanilla for a restaurant-quality drink ready in under five minutes.
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Prep Time 3 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Course: Drinks and Beverages
Cuisine: American, Tropical
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 2 ounces vodka preferably premium or flavored vodka
  • 1 ounce white rum light rum
  • 1.5 ounces fresh key lime juice or fresh regular lime juice if key limes are unavailable
  • 1 ounce sweetened condensed milk
  • 0.25 ounce or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 0.5 ounce heavy cream optional but recommended
  • 1 cup cubed ice for shaking
  • Graham cracker crumbs for rimming the glass optional
  • 1 key lime wheel or twist for garnish

Equipment

  • Cocktail shaker or mason jar with lid
  • Jigger for measuring spirits and liqueurs
  • Bar spoon or long spoon for stirring
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Martini glass or coupe glass
  • Juicer or citrus reamer for fresh lime juice
  • Cutting board and knife for lime garnish

Method
 

  1. Place your martini or coupe glass in the freezer for at least two minutes before you start mixing.
  2. If using a graham cracker rim, mix fine graham cracker crumbs with a small pinch of sugar on a shallow plate. Cut a thin wheel from a key lime and set it aside for garnishing after you pour.
  3. Pour 2 ounces of vodka and 1 ounce of white rum into your cocktail shaker.
  4. Add 1.5 ounces of fresh key lime juice, 1 ounce of sweetened condensed milk, 0.25 ounce of vanilla extract, and 0.5 ounce of heavy cream (if using) to the shaker.
  5. Add approximately one cup of cubed ice to your cocktail shaker.
  6. Seal the shaker tightly and shake hard for about ten to twelve seconds until the outside becomes frosty and condensation covers the shaker.
  7. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into your chilled glass, leaving the ice behind in the shaker.
  8. If you prepared a graham cracker rim, gently press the rim of the glass into the mixture and then into the crumbs. Top with a key lime wheel balanced on the rim or drop it into the drink.

Notes

Always use fresh key lime juice whenever possible because bottled lime juice lacks the floral brightness that makes this drink taste authentically like key lime pie. Don't skip the vanilla extract as it bridges the gap between a basic cocktail and an actual key lime pie experience. Shake the drink hard and fast for the full duration to create proper emulsification. Make the drink right before serving because the emulsification breaks down after about fifteen minutes.