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Home » Recipes » Vodka Cocktails

Red Velvet Martini

Published: Dec 13, 2023 · Updated: Mar 8, 2024 by Marye

Sweet red velvet cake flavor with a gorgeous crimson color and a kick of alcohol. Perfect for celebrating Christmas or Valentines day -- beautiful on any table.
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 2 minutes minutes
Jump to Recipe
Red cocktail being poured into a martini glass.
Red color martini in a stemmed glass with title text overlay for Pinterest.

This pretty vodka cocktail is perfect for Christmas or Valentine's Day. It's deliciously sweet with red velvet cake flavor - if you don't like sweet cocktails this is NOT the one for you.

Red velvet martini in a martini glass with a red sugar rim.
Table of Contents
  • 🗝️ Key takeaways
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 📖 Variations
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🍴 Equipment
  • 🥫 How to store leftovers
  • 💭 Things to know
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • 📞 The last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Original images
  • 💬 Comments

🗝️ Key takeaways

  • This red velvet martini tastes like a decadent piece of red velvet cake in liquid form with a boozy kick—for people of legal drinking age, please!
  • The beautiful color of this delicious cocktail makes it perfect for Christmas Eve, Valentine’s Day, date night, or your next girls’ night out.
  • Always use authentic grenadine syrup in your cocktail recipes—the fake stuff is just colored sugar water!

Grab your martini glasses, y’all, and get ready to enjoy the sweet flavors of your favorite Southern cake.

Have fun with this unique, easy red velvet cake martini—it even has a tangy cream cheese frosting rim!

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

A photo of the ingredients with text overlay.

📖 Variations

  • Don’t have vanilla vodka? Stir a couple of drops of pure vanilla extract into plain vodka in a pinch.
  • You can use either dark or white crème de cacao in this cocktail. Dark crème de cacao has a more bitter, dark chocolate flavor, while white crème de cacao has a softer milk chocolate taste.
  • If you can’t find cake vodka at the store, you can substitute it with whipped vodka or more vanilla vodka.
  • I like to use red vanilla sugar on the rim for extra cake flavor.
  • Swirl a ring of raspberry, cherry, or white chocolate syrups around the inside of the glass before pouring your martini—but do so sparingly.
  • Storebought cream cheese frosting works fine, but if you plan to make a red velvet cake, you can save a few tablespoons of homemade icing!
  • Serve your red velvet martini with a square piece of cake on the rim—red velvet cake, of course!
  • Add a dollop of whipped cream to your martini with colorful sprinkles on top. It looks so fancy!

🔪 Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Four photos with text overlay depicting the main steps to make a red velvet martini.
  1. Spread the cream cheese frosting along the rim of the glass.
  2. Dip the frosted rim in red sugar crystals on a shallow plate.
  3. Add the cocktail ingredients to your cocktail shaker.
  4. Shake and pour into the prepared martini glasses.

🍴 Equipment

You’ll need martini glasses and a cocktail shaker to make and serve these delicious red velvet martinis.

🥫 How to store leftovers

Leftover red velvet martini cocktails can last a day or two in the fridge in an airtight container, preferably a sealed glass jar. Just be sure not to store them with any ice. It'll melt and dilute the yummy flavor!

Experts recommend storing your vodka bottle in the freezer so you can serve it very well chilled.

A red velvet martini in a martini glass with a red sugar rim.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: You won't have to add any artificial red coloring to your red velvet martini if you use real grenadine. Authentic grenadine naturally gets its flavor and color from deliciously bright pomegranate fruit.

  • A chilled martini glass keeps your delicious cocktail cold longer. Pop your glasses in the freezer half an hour before you plan to serve drinks.
  • The cream cheese frosting helps the sugar mixture stick to the rim—no water is necessary!
  • I like to use store-bought cream cheese frosting at room temperature because it's a little creamier and softer than chilled.
  • Be sure to close the cocktail shaker lid tightly before you give it a good shake—you want to drink your cocktail, not wear it!
  • The best cocktails are made by vigorously shaking the ingredients and ice together. Bar experts will tell you to put some muscle into it!
  • A martini is properly shaken when the outside of the shaker feels icy cold all over. You want to let the ice thoroughly chill the martini before straining it out.

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👩‍🍳 FAQs

What type of creme de cacao liqueur should I use in a red velvet martini?

You can use either dark or white creme de cacao. Dark creme de cacao has a slightly bitter, dark chocolate flavor with hints of citrus. White creme de cacao has a softer milk chocolate flavor.

Can I use Triple Sec instead of Aperol?

I don’t recommend it. Triple Sec will make your martini sweeter, less flavorful, and lighter in color. It tastes like oranges. Aperol has a slightly bitter taste with undertones of spice that add layers of flavor. Plus, it helps make your red velvet martini red.

Can I pre-batch and freeze red velvet martinis?

Sure thing! Prepared martini mixtures won't freeze because of the alcohol content. Place your shaker in the freezer until you're ready to pour.
Big party? Make a bunch at once and keep in a clean gallon milk jug in the fridge.

The best part of freezing martinis is that the vodka will thicken slightly to create an even more luscious, velvety texture—perfect for red velvet martinis!

Red velvet martinis in glasses with red sugar rims.

📚 Related recipes

  • Chocolate Peppermint Martinis taste like a creamy after-dinner mint with a hint of vodka—another cocktail that’s perfect for the holidays!
  • This festive, almost classic Cranberry Daiquiri Cocktail is a sweet and tart beverage full of refreshing cranberry flavor.
  • For a more traditional cocktail, try my Classic Whiskey Sour Recipe—it’s sweet, tangy, and super easy to make!
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🍽️ Serve with...

Red Velvet Blossom Cookies pair perfectly with red velvet martinis. These chewy cookies taste like the classic cake but with a sweet peppermint Kiss in the center!

Then, why not serve a platter of Egg Nog Truffles on the side, too? This simple holiday treat is full of rum flavoring with a velvety texture that melts in your mouth.

While all the adults enjoy their boozy treats, keep the kids busy making these Filled Sugar Cone Christmas Trees. They're easy, fun, and delicious!

📞 The last word

I love this easy martini for Christmas as well as Valentine's Day!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Red cocktail being poured into a martini glass.

Red Velvet Martini

4.64 from 11 votes
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Sweet red velvet cake flavor with a gorgeous crimson color and a kick of alcohol. Perfect for celebrating Christmas or Valentines day -- beautiful on any table.
Course Cocktails
Cuisine American
Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes minutes
Servings:2
Calories:180
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

For the rim of the glasses

  • 1 can of cream cheese frosting, ( you only need 2 teaspoons of the frosting)
  • Red sugar crystals

For the Martinis

  • 2 ounces cake vodka
  • 1 ounce Creme de Cacao
  • ½ ounce vanilla vodka
  • ¼ ounce aperol
  • ½ ounce grenadine
  • ¼ teaspoon of powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Take about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese frosting for each glass.
  • Spread the frosting in a thin line around the outside rim.
  • Roll in the red sugar crystals.
  • Set the glasses aside.
  • Measure the cake vodka, Crème de Cacao, vanilla vodka, Aperol, grenadine, powdered sugar, and ice into a cocktail shaker.
  • Shake until well blended.
  • Strain evenly into the two glasses.
  • Serve.

Notes

Tips
  • A chilled martini glass keeps your delicious cocktail cold longer. Pop your glasses in the freezer half an hour before you plan to serve drinks.
  • The cream cheese frosting helps the sugar mixture stick to the rim—no water is necessary!
  • I like to use store-bought cream cheese frosting at room temperature because it's a little creamier and softer than chilled.
  • Be sure to close the cocktail shaker lid tightly before you give it a good shake—you want to drink your cocktail, not wear it!
  • The best cocktails are made by vigorously shaking the ingredients and ice together. Bar experts will tell you to put some muscle into it!
  • A martini is properly shaken when the outside of the shaker feels icy cold all over. You want to let the ice thoroughly chill the martini before straining it out.
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 0.01g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 4mg | Sugar: 11g | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.02mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

First published, October 18, 2015. Last updated, December 13,2023 for better images and editorial improvements.

Original images

This red velvet martini is every bit as delicious as it looks. Cheers! Restlesschipotle.com
A Red Velvet Martini? Yes please! A beautiful crimson color and a very definite red velvet cake flavor. Restlesschipotle.com

What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness!  Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!

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About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.64 from 11 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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  1. Sara says

    December 21, 2015 at 11:38 pm

    This is the most creative martini I've ever seen, and so perfect for the holidays!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      December 22, 2015 at 12:08 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  2. Jenny | Honey and Birch says

    December 21, 2015 at 8:59 pm

    This is a lovely martini! And that frosting rim - what a great addition!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      December 22, 2015 at 12:07 pm

      Thank you! The frosting rim gives it a nice flavor!

      Reply
  3. Ramona W says

    December 21, 2015 at 4:38 pm

    Beautiful and festive cocktail. 🙂

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      December 22, 2015 at 12:05 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  4. Jennifer A Stewart says

    December 21, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    I don't like a dull red velvet cake either! Vibrant is the name of the game! I loved reading all your trial and errors! So creative! This is a definite must for my Christmas Eve!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      December 22, 2015 at 12:30 pm

      Thank you! It does make a great Holiday beverage!

      Reply
  5. Kathy Hester says

    December 21, 2015 at 11:25 am

    What a great cocktail idea! I can't wait to make it for my friends this week!!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      December 22, 2015 at 12:32 pm

      Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Florian @ContentednessCooking says

    December 21, 2015 at 10:04 am

    Such a classic cocktail, love this

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      December 22, 2015 at 12:33 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  7. Ali @ Home & Plate says

    December 21, 2015 at 9:15 am

    What a pretty cocktail. I thought Red Velvet only really came in dessert form but cocktail form is fantastic. Looks perfect for the holidays!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      December 22, 2015 at 12:34 pm

      Thank you so much! It tastes just like the cake!

      Reply
  8. Kaitie says

    October 21, 2015 at 7:08 am

    HEELLLLO! Cheers! This looks amazing, and to be honest would be perfect as a signature drink being served at a Christmas Party this holiday season!

    Reply
  9. Joanie @ Zagleft says

    October 20, 2015 at 2:10 pm

    Oh my goodness, Marye - this is one beautiful cocktail. The cream cheese around the rim sounds heavenly as does the cocktail itself. This is so perfect for the holidays!

    Reply
  10. Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert says

    October 19, 2015 at 4:35 pm

    Beautiful drink and I LOVE your garnish! Can I come to your parties?!

    Reply
  11. allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says

    October 19, 2015 at 9:21 am

    5 stars
    What a gorgeous cocktail Marye. You have so many great Red Velvet recipes, the Red Velvet Cheesecake comes to mind. This cocktail really is killer and I'd love to have one right this minute, even though it's only 10 a.m. (Naughty.)

    Reply
Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

Welcome to my kitchen! ☕

NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

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