Lychee Martini is so yummy! This refreshing, slightly sweet, and floral cocktail combines lychees, vodka, and Grand Marnier for an incredibly smooth and elegant drink. If you enjoy trying fruity martinis, you are going to love this easy Mango Martini.

Strange to use the term “yummy” for a martini, perhaps, but once you take that first sip, I have a feeling you will mutter, or even exclaim, those exact same words.

Refreshing lychee martini

Recipe Overview: Lychee Martini

  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Bake Time: 2 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 minutes
  • Servings: 2 people
  • Cook Method: Cocktail shaker
  • Flavor & Texture: Sweet and floral, refreshing and smooth.
  • Difficulty: Super Easy.
  • Why this Recipe? A timeless drink that is sophisticated enough for a holiday toast, but super easy for any night of the week when you desire something different to decompress.
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I first tried a lychee martini during one of our trips to the East Coast. I replicated it at home by following and reading many recipes with the same ingredients.

It is now one of my favorite cocktails, straight or stirred, with or without fruit.

In this Article

What is lychee? 

Lychee is a tropical fruit from the southeastern provinces of China. It has a unique appearance and flavor, and is often served as a refreshing end to a meal throughout Asia.

The deliciously sweet fruit is covered by a rough, bright strawberry-red outer rind.

Once peeled, you will find this almost translucent, very juicy, white-fleshed fruit, and the seed. The flesh has the most delightful, sweet, and floral flavor.

While I always enjoy fresh lychee, you can also buy it canned or dried. Lychees are delicious on their own or in fruit salads.

In this recipe, I used lychee juice in place of simple syrup. If you are fortunate enough to find fresh lychees at your grocery store, you will want to make some simple syrup to add sweetness to the cocktail.

Why Grand Marnier?

I love the smoothness of the Grand Marnier. Added to the Vodka, it balances the lychee syrup’s sweetness and the vodka’s more robust flavor.

If you enjoy orange liqueur in fruit-flavored cocktails, you may also love my mango martini with vodka and orange liqueur. It is another refreshing tropical martini, and Grand Marnier can be used in place of the Triple Sec for an especially smooth finish.

When you sip it, you will enjoy the less alcoholic taste of the vodka but a smoother, not sweeter, drink.

Vodka or Gin?

I love both. 

As my first choice, I will always gravitate towards vodka. My preferred brand is Grey Goose, but you can choose any brand you prefer.

If I don’t have vodka on hand, my second choice is Bombay Sapphire Gin. 

I love how clean and smooth the flavor of each is. Either is a great base for this cocktail.

Use your favorite gin or vodka, making sure it is not mixed with any other flavors or fruits that would interfere with the lychee’s light flavor.

A Note From Giangi

Balanced – The slight sweetness of the Grand Marnier mellows the vodka and pairs well with the lychee’s flavor. 

Easy – It takes just a few pours and shakes to make this simple cocktail. 

Unique – Less common than standard martinis or other fruity versions, this is a great way to impress guests. You’ll possibly even introduce them to fruit they haven’t tried before. 

Giangi

How to Serve a Martini

I love a martini, and I am very picky about how it is served. 

For instance, I am not particularly eager to let it sit in the ice cubes, not crushed ice, for too long. The water dilutes the vodka, and all of the flavor is lost.

Use ice cubes, not crushed ice, when shaking all the ingredients. When shaken, ice cubes will give it that coldness you want. The crushed ice will dilute your drink.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes with no room for them to move around. If the ice cubes move around too much when you shake them, you will lose ice fragments to your drinks, which will water them down.

I am also a traditionalist, and my martini must be served in a classic martini glass that is thin, tall, and wide-mouthed. However, you can serve this in your favorite style of glass.

Key Ingredients

Lychee martini ingridients

Vodka: My preference is Grey Goose. If you are more of a gin lover, I would recommend Bombay Sapphire. Do not use either that is fruit-infused. The extra flavors will take away from the milder lychee syrup.

Grand Marnier brings a layer of orange flavor to your cocktail.

Lychees and Lychee syrup: store in the refrigerator any unused portions.

Substitutions and Variations 

  • Batch drinks – Make a large batch ahead of time and store in a pitcher. If you are entertaining a larger group, my make-ahead pomegranate martini for a crown is another great option. That recipe makes 10 servings and can be mixed and chilled before your guests arrive.
  • Carbonation – For an extra-festive presentation, add just a little bit of fizziness with a splash of soda water or a lightly flavored beverage like lemon-lime soda. 
  • Liqueur – For more lychee flavor, use a little lychee liqueur. 
  • Tropical – Try using coconut rum for a fun summertime drink. 
  • Citrus – While lychees have a touch of acidity in their flavor profile, you can also add a little more with a splash of lemon or lime juice.
  • Floral – Add more floral flavor by using a small amount of rose water or elderflower liqueur. 
  • Color-changing – Give your guests a show by using a color-changing gin-like Empress that will be transformed when different ingredients are added. Tip: If you choose this method, it may be better to stir rather than shake for the “wow” factor.

How to Make Lychee Martini

This is a very straightforward recipe. I purchased the lychees, peeled and pitted in heavy syrup. The unused portion can be stored in the refrigerator.

Step 1: Place your martini glasses in the freezer for a couple of minutes before serving.

Vodka, Grand Marnier and lychee syrup added to the shaker.

Step 2: In a martini shaker, add the vodka, Grand Marnier, and lychee syrup. I always add them first so they will not sit in the ice cubes.

Shaker filled with ice cubes.

Step 3: Fill the shaker with ice cubes to the top: there should be no room to move around.

Shake vigouresly for a few seconds.

Step 4: Shake vigorously for a couple of seconds.

Pouring the martini into the glass from the shaker.

Step 5: Pour into your two chilled glasses and garnish each with two lychees.

Giangi’s Pro Tips

  • Do you not have a martini shaker? Use a jar with a seal-tight top.
  • Unlike many cocktails, there’s no need to use simple syrup. The lychee syrup is quite sweet and adds a wonderful flavor to the drink.
  • If you want a more spirit-forward cocktail, remove the lychees from their natural juice and store them submerged in vodka or gin for a couple of days. Resist the temptation to overindulge!
  • Use ice cubes, not crushed ice, when shaking all the ingredients. When shaken, ice cubes will give it that coldness you want. The crushed ice will dilute your drink.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes with no room for them to move around. If the ice cubes move around too much when you shake them, you will lose ice fragments to your drinks, which will water them down.
  • Place your martini glasses inside the freezer for a few minutes before serving. The cold glass is always welcome but not necessary.
  • The lychee fruit is delicious every way you choose to serve it in your cocktail. Either drop two in your glass before filling it. Or use a cocktail pick to pass them through, then place them over the rim or inside your drink. Whatever you do, enjoy them.
  • With all alcoholic beverages, please use them in moderation and do not drink and drive.
Ice bocket and two martini glasses filled with lychee martini.

What To Serve With A Lychee Martini

Lychee martinis are slightly sweet, floral, and refreshing, so I like to serve them with savory appetizers that provide a little contrast. My Gougeres with cheese and scallions are one of my favorite choices. Airy French cheese puffs that are easy to enjoy with a cocktail and make a perfect dinner starter.

For larger gatherings, try my easy ham and cheese puff pastry appetizers. They are flaky, savory, easy to hold, and perfect when guests are mingling with a cocktail in hand.

These elegant smoked salmon appetizers are also captivating and perfectly balanced in flavor.

Storage 

Make-Ahead: You can make these martinis ahead of time and store them in a pitcher or sealed jars in the refrigerator. Just stir or shake them up before serving to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Refrigerator: Store leftover lychee martinis in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Lychee Martini FAQ’s

What is a lychee martini made of? 

Recipes for lychee martinis can vary greatly. However, most start with lychees and a liquor base like vodka or gin.

Then you can add a liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or lychee liqueur. Or you can use a fortified wine such as dry vermouth. 

What does a lychee martini taste like?

Lychee martinis are simultaneously sweet and slightly tart. Served cold, these cocktails are refreshing.

Is the lychee martini strong? 

Since the base is usually vodka or gin, it can be a somewhat strong cocktail. You can adjust the strength by reducing or increasing the amount of liquor or liqueur.

Canned vs. fresh lychee?

For cocktails, I prefer the canned lychees. Fresh lychees are delicious to eat, but they must be enjoyed as soon as you peel them or they oxidize and turn brown, and their flavor changes as well. Canned lychees are peeled and canned immediately thereafter so they retain that punchy, floral syrup needed for cocktails. Also, trying to squeeze enough juice from fresh lychees to make a martini will require more fruits than you can imagine and a lot of effort.

I do love what I do! Where else can you have a lychee cocktail at work and have lots of fun doing it? After all, it is 5 o’clock somewhere.

More Martini and Cocktail Recipes You Will Love

If you tried this Lychee Martini or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

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Lychee Martini

5 from 201 votes
Lychee martini in tall glasses with garnish.
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 4 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Author: Giangi Townsend
Lychee Martini is so yummy! Strange to use the term yummy for a martini; however, once you try this recipe, I know you will mutter the same words
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Ingredients 

  • 6 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce Grand Marnier
  • 1½ ounces lychee syrup
  • 4 lychees , for garnish

Instructions

  • Place your martini glasses in the freezer a couple of minutes before serving, optional.
  • In a martini shaker, add the vodka, Grand Marnier, and lychee syrup, and fill with ice cubes. Shake vigorously for a couple of seconds.
  • Pour into 2 martini glasses and garnish with two lychees per glass.

Equipment

Notes

  • Do you not have a martini shaker? Use a jar with a seal-tight top.
  • Unlike many cocktails, there’s no need to use simple syrup. The lychee syrup is quite sweet and adds a wonderful flavor to the drink.
  • If you want a more spirit-forward cocktail, remove the lychees from their natural juice and store them submerged in vodka or gin for a couple of days. Resist the temptation to overindulge!
  • Use ice cubes, not crushed ice, when shaking all the ingredients. When shaken, ice cubes will give it that coldness you want. The crushed ice will dilute your drink.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes with no room for them to move around. If the ice cubes move around too much when you shake them, you will lose ice fragments to your drinks, which will water them down.
  • Place your martini glasses inside the freezer for a few minutes before serving. The cold glass is always welcome but not necessary.
  • The lychee fruit is delicious every way you choose to serve it in your cocktail. Either drop two in your glass before filling it. Or use a cocktail pick to pass them through, then place them over the rim or inside your drink. Whatever you do, enjoy them.
  • With all alcoholic beverages, please use them in moderation and do not drink and drive.

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.

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