Do you ever have some extra basil lying around, and wonder what you could do with it that would be really easy and delicious? Well I have a solution for you, make a lemon basil martini with a sugared basil rim. You’ll feel like you’re in a trendy martini bar, but with kids running around and screaming.

The martini itself is very basic, just vodka and fresh lemonade. I’m using a fresh Meyer lemonade. What elevates this martini to the next level is the sugared basil rim.

Simply combine about a 1/2 cup of sugar, and 6 or 7 large leaves of fresh basil in a processor.

It will look somewhat like this.

Spread the basil sugar out on a plate in a ring the size of your martini glass rims.

Next, dip the martini glass in the basil sugar. It should have enough moisture that you don’t need to rim the glass with a lemon first, but you sure can if you want to. Make sure to really get the rim of the glass in the basil sugar, and move it around a lot so it sticks.

To Mix the Martini

Ingredients

2 oz vodka (gin would be good, too)

2 oz fresh lemonade (as I mentioned earlier, I’m using a Meyer lemonade here)

Directions

Pour liquor and lemonade in a shaker over ice

Shake for 10 seconds

Strain the martini into the basil sugar rimmed glass.

Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Now enjoy, and don’t forget to Pin it!