My lemon drop shot is sweet, tart, and ice-cold, with a sparkly sugar rim that stays crisp. One shake makes a full tray of six, so it's an easy way to kick off any party.

A plate of lemon cocktails in sugared rim glasses, garnished with lemon wedges, with bottles and fresh lemons in the background.

Lemon drop shots are my go-to welcome drink when friends come over. They taste like the candy they're named after, sweet and tart with a clean vodka finish, and handing someone a sugar-rimmed shot as they walk in tells everyone the party has started.

I keep this lemon drop shot recipe simple: vodka, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup in a 2:1:1 ratio. Equal parts lemon and syrup give you a bright, puckery bite up front and a soft, sweet finish, which I think tastes more like the candy than the extra-tart versions. The detail I learned in recipe testing is the rim. I wet the glasses with simple syrup instead of lemon juice because the syrup is already full of sugar, so it won't dissolve the rim. It stays crisp and sparkly, even when I rim the whole tray ahead of time.

One shake makes six shots, so you can pour a full tray in about a minute. And if you love this flavor as a slower sip, my lemon drop martini is the one to make next.

How to prep lemon drop shots ahead

Lemon drop shots are ideal for making ahead, which is exactly why I love them for parties. The syrup rim holds up beautifully, so I rim the whole tray of glasses before anyone arrives and set them aside.

You can also measure the vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup straight into the shaker, pop the lid on, and tuck it in the fridge. Cut your little lemon wedges at the same time and keep them covered until you need them.

When it's time to serve, just add ice to the shaker, give it a good shake, and pour. The shots stay fresh and icy cold, and you're handing out a full tray in under a minute.

Lemon Drop Shots for a Crowd

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Sweet-tart lemon drop shots made with vodka, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, shaken ice-cold and poured into sugar-rimmed glasses. The syrup rim stays crisp, so you can prep the whole tray ahead.

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings: 6 shooters

Course: Shot

Ingredients

3 ounces vodka regular or lemon vodka
1 ½ ounces lemon juice
1 ½ ounces simple syrup
6 tiny lemon wedges for garnish

Sugar Rim

Simple syrup
Granulated sugar

Method

Start by dipping the rim of 6 shot glasses in simple syrup. Then, dip the wet rim in granulated sugar.
Granulated sugar, Simple syrup
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice, and then add the vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
3 ounces vodka, 1 ½ ounces lemon juice, 1 ½ ounces simple syrup
Shake until icy cold (about 20 seconds), then strain into the 6 sugar-rimmed shot glasses. Garnish each with a tiny lemon wedge.
6 tiny lemon wedges