Pomegranates show up in so many recipes during the fall and winter seasons, and their juice is delicious mixed with almost any spirit, especially – in my opinion – with an herbaceous gin. The tart, bright juice shines in this pomegranate martini cocktail recipe, which features a rosemary-infused honey syrup. Any extra rosemary honey syrup is a delicious topping for pancakes or as an additional flavor boost in hot tea!
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Pomegranate Martini Recipe
This pomegranate martini recipe is delicious and easy to make!
You can use either fresh pomegranates or bottled pomegranate juice. A honey-based rosemary simple syrup gives it some herbal goodness!
How to Make Fresh Pomegranate Juice
A friend recently gifted me a few pomegranates, which I juiced in anticipation for a cocktail creation.
Of course, you can purchase delicious pomegranate juice for this recipe, but you won’t get the benefits of the super-fresh, antioxidant-rich, unpasteurized juice.
The fruit might look a little intimidating to juice, but I assure you that it’s an easy-to-follow process.
First, de-seed the pomegranates. Using a sharp knife, slice the fruit in half, vertically.
Using your hands, gently pull apart the fruit into smaller pieces. Place those pieces into a bowl of water and loosen the red seeds from the membrane and peel. The seeds will sink to the bottom.
Next, juice the seeds.
Once you’ve released the seeds from the membrane and peel and removed them from the water, place the seeds in a blender and gently pulse.
You don’t want to pulverize the seeds. You simply want to break open their skins to release the juice.
Pour the gently pulsed mixture into a fine-mesh strainer and express the juice.
I’ve found that a large pomegranate yields a little over a quarter cup of juice, which is the perfect amount for this recipe.
Make the Rosemary Honey Syrup
You’ll only need a small portion of rosemary honey syrup for this recipe, but I tend to make a larger batch because I love leftovers of this herbaceous, silky syrup.
Cutting honey with hot water lets you make a syrup that easily integrates into cold drinks; otherwise, if you tried to mix straight honey into a cold drink, the honey would never dissolve.
The aroma of rosemary really shines in this cocktail, so be sure to select the freshest rosemary sprigs – freshly picked is best – and let the rosemary steep until the heated syrup fully cools.
In a small saucepan, combine the honey, water, and rosemary and bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Stir and remove from heat.
Allow the mixture to come to room temperature, letting the rosemary fully steep. Strain off the rosemary sprigs, pour it into a mason jar, and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Make the Pomegranate Martini
In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, citrus liqueur, rosemary honey syrup, lime juice, and pomegranate juice.
Add ice and shake well. Strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary and serve.
This pomegranate martini is so delicious and beautifully festive! Cheers!
A Few Tips for Making this Pomegranate Martini
Not a gin fan? This recipe is perfect with any clear spirit of your choice – tequila, rum, and vodka are all stellar substitutes.
My favorite citrus liqueur for this cocktail? I enjoy using Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao. It is a blend of brandy and cognac, accentuated with notes of spice and bitter orange peel, making it a perfect match for wintry cocktails. It might be a little difficult to find, but it’s worth the extra effort.
Want to serve this at your next get-together? This recipe can be made in advance and is easily batched. Simply multiply the ingredients by the amount of cocktails you’d like to serve and follow the recipe accordingly. Just wait to add the ice and shake, until you’re ready to serve.
More Herbal and Wildcrafted Cocktails
I have a few other festive herbal and wildcrafted cocktails for you to enjoy:
- Infused Winter Gin
- Conifer Infused Vodka
- Raspberry Mint Wine
- Cranberry Champagne Cocktail
- Rhubarb Gin Sour Cocktail
- 10 Holiday Cocktail Recipes
- Elderberry Cocktail
- Persimmon Champagne Cocktail
- Rosemary Champagne Cocktail
- Rose Hip Whiskey Smash
Pomegranate Martini with Rosemary Honey Syrup
Ingredients
Rosemary Honey Syrup
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Pomegranate Martini
- 1 1/2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce citrus liqueur
- 3/4 ounce rosemary honey syrup
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 ounces pomegranate juice freshly squeezed or bottled
- rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
Rosemary Honey Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine the honey, water, and rosemary and bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Stir and remove from heat.
- Allow the mixture to come to room temperature, letting the rosemary fully steep.
- Strain off the rosemary sprigs, pour it into a mason jar, and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Pomegranate Martini
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, citrus liqueur, rosemary honey syrup, lime juice, and pomegranate juice.
- Add ice and shake well.
- Strain into a coupe or martini glass.
- Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
Notes
- Not a gin fan? This recipe is perfect with any clear spirit of your choice – tequila, rum, and vodka are all stellar substitutes.
- My favorite citrus liqueur for this cocktail? I enjoy using Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao. It is a blend of brandy and cognac, accentuated with notes of spice and bitter orange peel, making it a perfect match for wintry cocktails. It might be a little difficult to find, but it’s worth the extra effort.
- Want to serve this at your next get-together? This recipe can be made in advance and is easily batched. Simply multiply the ingredients by the amount of cocktails you’d like to serve and follow the recipe accordingly. Just wait to add the ice and shake, until you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition
Jayme Henderson is a sommelier-turned-farmer, who lives in the small mountain town of Hotchkiss, Colorado, where she farms grapes and makes wine with her husband, Steve, for their winery, The Storm Cellar. When she’s not in the vineyard, you can find her crafting cocktails, using the herbs, flowers, and fruit she sources from local farms, grows in her backyard garden, or forages within the abundant North Fork Valley. She is the creator of the cocktail-centric blog, holly & flora. Find Jayme on Instagram here.
Can I substitute pomegranate juice with grenadine syrup? Obviously using a little less.
Of course!
This sounds delicious, but I hate the thought of cooking my honey. Could I boil the rosemary in just the water, and add the honey once it’s cooled a bit?
Sure!