Call it an appletini if you must, but the appeal of this ’90s-era drink is undeniable. Go on, admit it—we’ve all had a few ’tinis in our time. According to Carlos Quinonez, bar director at Hungry Eyes in New Orleans (one of our Best New Restaurants of 2024), the apple martini is one of the most popular drinks on their menu. So popular it’s made in batches and served on tap. Where some appletini recipes rely on cloying flavored vodka, sour mix, or apple schnapps, at Hungry Eyes the drink is made with fresh apple juice, cognac, and a house-made sour apple syrup. The Jolly Rancher–like hue comes from a splash of Midori melon liqueur, which “enhances the apple flavor,” says Quinonez, and lends the drink “that bright green color I really wanted.”
To make the syrup, you’ll blend Granny Smith apples with sugar and lemon juice. Passed through a strainer, the resulting liquid makes about 20 cocktails. Because of apple, the syrup oxidizes quickly. If you aren’t making cocktails for a crowd, freeze the extra (ice cube trays work great); it’ll keep for about one month.
Switch up this cocktail recipe by trading the cognac for apple brandy, such as Calvados, or use apple cider in place of the juice. Skip the stemware and pour the drink into a cocktail glass over ice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or apple slices. No matter which way you go, this green apple martini is a crowdpleaser of a drink. —Shilpa Uskokovic, senior test kitchen editor