When it comes to mixing the perfect cocktail, a Spiced Pear Martini stands out as a delightful and flavorful option, especially during the holiday season or any special occasion. If you're looking for a new cocktail to make this year, this easy drink is a great way to use up fresh ripe pears. This elegant cocktail is bursting with delicious pear flavor and comes together quickly after you make the spiced pear simple syrup!
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Disclosure: This post was originally published on November 21, 2020, and has been re-developed and photographed as of November 21, 2023. We hope you enjoy the new look!
This unique pear martini recipe combines the rich, warm flavors of spiced pear simple syrup with the crispness of vodka, creating a drink that will become one of your favorite beverages. Whether you're hosting a holiday feast or simply looking to enjoy a cozy winter evening, this pear martini will add a touch of elegance to your gathering.
Looking for more delicious fall cocktail recipes? Try our Aperol sour, this slow cooker mulled wine, this bourbon apple cider cocktail, or this pumpkin martini.
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Super easy. This pear martini is surprisingly easy to make, even for budding mixologists.
- Comforting and delicious. The combination of spiced pear simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and vodka creates a delightful balance of sweet and tangy flavors, making it the perfect cocktail for cozying up by the fireplace.
- Perfect for all. This cocktail is naturally vegan and gluten-free, fitting a variety of dietary preferences.
🍐Simple syrup ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Spices. You can use a blend of your favorite spices. We used cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise, and ground nutmeg.
- Pear. Any pear of choice, just be sure that it's nice and ripe and sweet.
🍐Cocktail ingredients
- Orange liqueur. Use anything you like here, we prefer Cointreau, but you can also use Triple Sec.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Lighter option. Use a low-calorie sweetener instead of brown sugar in the simple syrup.
- Lower alcohol version. You can reduce the amount of vodka added to this martini for a lower ABV cocktail if desired.
- Non-alcoholic version. Replace the vodka and orange liqueur with apple juice, apple cider, or even water for a refreshing pear mocktail.
- Swap the citrus. Add fresh lime juice or grapefruit juice in place of lemon juice.
✨Variations
- French pear martini. Enhance the elegance by using Grey Goose La Poire, a pear-infused vodka, in place of regular vodka. You could use pear liqueur instead of orange liqueur.
- Prickly pear martini. Experiment with a southwestern twist by adding prickly pear juice to the cocktail.
- Sparkling pear martini. Top off your martini with a splash of sparkling wine, or ginger beer for extra bubbles.
- Add elderflower. Add a splash of elderflower liqueur, like St. Germain for even more flavor to this cocktail.
- Add more spices to the simple syrup. If desired, you can add more or less of your favorite spices to the spiced simple syrup. Whole cardamom pods would also make a great addition.
- More fruit. Add a splash of complementary fall fruit juice to this drink for more complex flavor, from cranberry, to blood orange juice, to pomegranate juice, or freshly muddled figs in the simple syrup! You may also enjoy this fig vodka cocktail, this gin and pomegranate cocktail, or this gin cocktail with blood orange!
🔪Prep work
- Make ice cubes ahead of time if you do not have an ice maker, or make sure to pick some up at the store.
- Chill all ingredients before mixing. This drink isn’t served over ice, so you want everything to be as cold as possible.
- Chill your glass in the freezer or place ice in the glass and dump it out right before adding the mixed drink. A cold glass will help keep the drink colder for longer.
- Dice up one pear for the simple syrup.
- Slice some pears for a garnish (optional) and cut some lemons for squeezing the fresh juice.
- Measure out the remaining ingredients.
📋Instructions
Start by making the spiced pear simple syrup. It can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in the fridge.
In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, water, diced pear, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and nutmeg. (Image 1)
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. (Image 2)
Let the simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. The liquid and the pears will begin to darken in color. (Image 3)
Remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the pear pieces and spices. (Image 4)
Transfer the syrup to a clean jar or bottle and store it in the refrigerator. Allow to cool completely before adding to cocktails. This can be kept for up to 2 weeks.
✨Pro Tip: Make sure your simple syrup isn't hot when you mix up your drinks, or else it will melt all the ice in the cocktail shaker and make your drink warm.
Now, it's time to make the cocktail.
Add ice to fill up the cocktail shaker about halfway. Pour in the lemon juice, (Image 5) followed by the spiced pear simple syrup. (Image 6)
Next, add in the vodka (Image 7), and the orange liqueur (Image 8).
Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker becomes frosty, about 10–15 seconds. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass or coupe glass. (Image 9)
✨Pro Tip: Add the least expensive ingredient first (lemon juice), and the most expensive ingredient last (the liquor), and taste as you go! That way, if you mess something up you won’t waste expensive ingredients, and you can adjust along the way.
Garnish with fresh pear slices or a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!
✨Tips & tricks
- Use a rounded-shaped glass with a long stem. This will also help keep the drink colder for longer (because you hold onto the stem). This also allows the aromas of the drink to be more pronounced when enjoying.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice and orange juice are always best for flavor. Because this recipe has so few ingredients, they are all important and should be the best quality you can find.
- Use good-quality, clear ice cubes both for shaking and serving. Ice that has been sitting around in the freezer can absorb odors, which may affect the cocktail’s flavor.
- Measure properly. The ratios in cocktails are absolutely key. Always use a jigger or measuring tool to ensure you're getting the right amounts every time.
- Shake it out. When shaking your cocktail, aim for about 10–15 seconds. Shaking not only chills the drink but also dilutes it slightly and helps the flavors blend together.
- Add the ingredients from least expensive to most expensive in the shaker. That way, if you make a mistake, you can dump it out and start over without wasting expensive ingredients.
- Taste test. If making this drink for the first time, before shaking the cocktail, taste the mix with a straw or spoon. If it needs more sweetness or acidity, adjust accordingly.
- Use fresh pears. Use ripe but firm pears for the syrup. Overripe pears can make the syrup too mushy, while unripe pears won't impart as much flavor.
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💭Frequently Asked Questions
This drink is best enjoyed fresh, but, you can store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Do not freeze.
Yes! Feel free to squeeze the lemon juice 1-2 days in advance and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. The simple syrup can also be made up to 2 weeks in advance.
Yes, you can. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large pitcher, scaling up by the amount of servings you'd like, but don't add ice. Serve the drink over ice instead!
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📖 Recipe
Pear Martini
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
- sauce pan
Ingredients
Spiced pear simple syrup (makes 8-10 servings)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 ripe pear, diced
- 3-4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cocktail
- ½ ounce lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 ounce spiced pear simple syrup (to taste, add more if you prefer a sweeter drink)
- 1.5 - 2 ounces vodka (to taste)
- ½ ounce orange liqueur (we prefer Cointreau, but you can use Triple Sec)
- Ice for the shaker
- Pear for garnish
Instructions
Spiced pear simple syrup
- Chill your glass in the freezer or place ice in the glass and dump it out right before adding the mixed drink. Start by making the spiced pear simple syrup. It can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in the fridge.
- In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 diced pear, 3-4 cinnamon sticks, 4 whole cloves, 1 star anise, and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.
- Let the simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. The liquid and the pears will begin to darken in color. Remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the pear pieces and spices.
- Transfer the syrup to a clean jar or bottle and store it in the refrigerator. Allow to cool completely before adding to cocktails.
Martini
- Add ice to fill up the cocktail shaker about halfway. Pour in ½ ounce of lemon juice, followed by 1 ounce spiced pear simple syrup.
- Next, add in 1.5 - 2 ounces of vodka and ½ ounce of orange liqueur. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker becomes frosty, about 10–15 seconds. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass or coupe glass.
- Garnish with fresh pear slices or a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!
- This drink is best enjoyed fresh, but can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
-
- Use a rounded-shaped glass with a long stem. This will also help keep the drink colder for longer (because you hold onto the stem). This also allows the aromas of the drink to be more pronounced when enjoying.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice and orange juice are always best for flavor. Because this recipe has so few ingredients, they are all important and should be the best quality you can find.
- Use good-quality, clear ice cubes both for shaking and serving. Ice that has been sitting around in the freezer can absorb odors, which may affect the cocktail’s flavor.
- Measure properly. The ratios in cocktails are absolutely key. Always use a jigger or measuring tool to ensure you're getting the right amounts every time.
- Shake it out. When shaking your cocktail, aim for about 10–15 seconds. Shaking not only chills the drink but also dilutes it slightly and helps the flavors blend together.
- Add the ingredients from least expensive to most expensive in the shaker. That way, if you make a mistake, you can dump it out and start over without wasting expensive ingredients.
- Use fresh pears. Use ripe but firm pears for the syrup. Overripe pears can make the syrup too mushy, while unripe pears won't impart as much flavor.
- Taste test. If making this drink for the first time, before shaking the cocktail, taste the mix with a straw or spoon. If it needs more sweetness or acidity, adjust accordingly.
- Large batch. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large pitcher, scaling up by the amount of servings you'd like, but don't add ice. Serve the drink over ice instead!
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