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A lot of people have the idea that because martinis are “classy”, they are complicated to make. This is not true! Classic martini recipes have 2 ingredients. That’s it! Nothing crazy, no muddling or anything like that, and you don’t even strictly need a shaker. When you look at the classic martini recipe below, you’ll see that all your fears of making martinis can just run away. And because the martini recipe is so simple, that means there are tons of ways to customize them to fit your tastes.

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We don’t like martinis. Let’s just put that out there.

They have too much straight alcohol for us. We like diluted stuff, like margaritas and bloody mary’s. You know, drinks where you can taste the alcohol, but only if you pay attention. But this drink is a classic, and is loved by many, and so we wanted to make sure you had a classic martini recipe that was simple, easy to follow, and delicious…if you like martinis, that is.

Classic martini recipe:

1 part [easyazon_link identifier=”B01JJI8U96″ locale=”US”]dry vermouth[/easyazon_link]
4 parts gin (you’ll want good quality)

Stir together, or shake in a [easyazon_link identifier=”B011QONIBG” locale=”US”]cocktail shaker[/easyazon_link]. Serve in a martini glass.

Times to make martinis:

Martinis are a fabulous idea for parties. You can set up a martini bar, with a few customizing ingredients, and let your guests make their own drinks. Saves you the stress and makes them happy to get exactly what they want! If you do a martini bar, post the basic martini recipe somewhere easy to find. And we recommend you also include club soda at the bar so people who don’t like such strong drinks can make something weaker.
New Year’s Eve. They are a classic. You’re main problem with serving martinis at a large event is going to be the glasses. You can find disposable martini glasses online, though, which is incredibly helpful.
James Bond watching. If you are a fan, or your significant other is a fan, turn your movie-watching night into an event by including martinis. Shaken, not stirred.

Martini recipe variations:

Dry Martini: A dry martini used to be made out of a different type of vermouth. It’s confusing because you’d think a “dry” martini would have more “dry” vermouth in it, but it’s exactly the opposite. Generally, a dry martini has 1 part dry vermouth to 6 parts gin. An extra dry martini is 1 part dry vermouth to 15 parts gin.

Dirty martini: A dirty martini includes olive brine (the juice that comes in the jar with green olives) and is garnished with an olive. Typically, you’ll want the recipe to be 1 part olive brine, 1 part dry vermouth, and 5 parts gin.

Vodka martini: This variation simply switches out vodka for the gin. In our opinion, it is much tastier.

Appletini: An appletini is a popular “girly” version of the martini. It really isn’t a martini at all, however, so we don’t have the variation. It uses none of the same ingredients. Go here for a recipe if you’re interested though!

Fun fact: A pink martini is a drink, but it is also the name of a band!

Martini Making Supplies:

Martini Glasses: These really are necessary for the whole experience when drinking this “king of cocktails”. You can get a set inexpensively to keep at home, or you can order a few online.

Shaker: While a cocktail shaker is not required, if you make your martinis in a shaker you can better chill the alcohol. And it’s more fun. We’ve found mason jar shaker we really love, but you can also get one at your local kitchen or big box store.

Jigger: This is simply a small measuring glass specifically for cocktails. One side is 1/2 ounce, the other is 1 ounce. As long as you know the ratios, however, you can really use any measuring method. If you’re planning a martini bar, however, this might be a really nice tool to have for people. You can get them on Amazon here.