The French martini is a triumph! This classy cocktail is perfectly balanced with vodka, pineapple juice, and raspberry liqueur.
Here’s a sophisticated cocktail that’s calling your name: the French martini! This martini is hardly related to the classic dry martini at all. It’s fruity and balanced, featuring a fancy French black raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice.
Each sip is so intriguing and nuanced, it’s hard to put the glass down! As expert mixologists with over 300 cocktail recipes in our library, this fruity spin has become a favorite. Here’s how to make the perfect French martini!
Ingredients in a French martini
The French martini is a fruity spin on a vodka martini made with raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice. It might seem like a retro classic cocktail, but it was invented in the 1980’s by New York bartender Allen Katz. It’s gone on to become a sort of modern classic! This cocktail makes the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, so it has an official definition. The ingredients in a French martini are:
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- ½ oz Chambord (or other raspberry liqueur)
Want a substitute for Chambord? Use crème de cassis (black currant liqueur) or crème de mure (blackberry liqueur). Another option is to make the Clover Club instead, a similar cocktail made with raspberry syrup and gin.
How to make a French martini
It’s so easy to make a French martini, there’s barely anything to it! This drink follows the basic “shake and strain” model for cocktails (or go right to the recipe):
- Shake in a cocktail shaker. Take 2 oz vodka, 1 oz pineapple juice, and ½ oz Chambord, and shake it together in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Strain into a glass and add garnish. Strain the drink into the cocktail glass. Garnish with a raspberry.
More about Chambord
The French martini requires a special ingredient: Chambord! It’s got a beautiful gold and purple round bottle with a crown insignia. But what exactly is it?
- Chambord is a black raspberry liqueur made in France. With the fancy bottle you might think it’s historic, but the brand actually started in the 1980’s. However, it was inspired by a raspberry liqueur recipe from the the 1680’s.
- The flavor of Chambord is rich and fruity, with strong raspberry notes and hints of citrus.
- Want a few more Chambord cocktails? Try the popular Chambord and Champagne, or swap it for crème de cassis in a Kir Royale. It also pairs with Prosecco and soda water as a Chambord spritz.
Similar fruity martini recipes
Flavored martinis are a modern invention built on the vodka martini. The fruity French martini is nothing like a dry martini, made with gin and dry vermouth! Most vodka martinis drop the vermouth, so they’re hardly like the base drink at all. Here are some of our favorite martini recipes:
Classic French Martini
The French martini is a triumph! This classy cocktail is perfectly balanced with vodka, pineapple juice, and raspberry liqueur.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) vodka
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) pineapple juice
- ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) Chambord* or other raspberry liqueur
- For the garnish: raspberry (optional)
- Add the vodka, pineapple juice, and Chambord to a cocktail shaker. Fill it with ice and shake it until cold.
- Strain into a cocktail glass. If desired, garnish with a raspberry.
More French-inspired cocktails
Of course, the French martini isn’t classically French. But if you love a French martini, you might like these France-inspired cocktails! Here are a few more to try:
