Christmas Lemon Meringue and Shortbread Martini

A creamy Christmas dessert martini made with vanilla vodka, limoncello, lemon curd, a little butterscotch and Irish cream, poured into a shortbread-rimmed glass and finished with softly whipped cream. All the flavour of lemon meringue pie, with a proper festive warmth beneath it.

Late on Christmas afternoon, once the plates are cleared and everyone has settled into a comfortable chair, there is always room for one small, special thing to finish. A slice of lemon meringue pie would do it beautifully. So does this.

Limoncello and a spoonful of lemon curd are shaken until cold and smooth, with vanilla vodka, butterscotch schnapps and Irish cream rounding out the sweetness. The rim of the glass is pressed into crushed shortbread, buttery and crumbly like the last biscuits in the Christmas tin, and a soft spoonful of whipped cream sits on top where the meringue would be. Grated lemon zest goes over the very end.

It is gentle and creamy on the first sip, but there is a generous pour beneath that lemon meringue sweetness. Make it one glass at a time, hand it over slowly, and let it be the last lovely thing of the day.

Prep: 10 min · Serves: 1 · Cuisine: Australian · Category: Drinks

Ingredients

For the glass

• 1 or 2 shortbread biscuits, finely crushed
• A little lemon curd, for the rim

For the cocktail

• 30 ml vanilla vodka
• 30 ml limoncello
• 10 ml butterscotch schnapps
• 10 ml Baileys Irish Cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon curd
• Ice

To finish

• 30 ml thickened cream, softly whipped
• Finely grated lemon zest
• A little extra crushed shortbread

Method

1. Spread a very thin layer of lemon curd around the rim of a chilled martini glass, then dip it into the crushed shortbread until evenly coated.
2. Add the vanilla vodka, limoncello, butterscotch schnapps and lemon curd to a cocktail shaker. Shake briefly without ice to help the lemon curd dissolve.
3. Add the Baileys and a generous handful of ice. Shake well for around 15 seconds, until thoroughly chilled and creamy.
4. Double strain into the prepared glass.
5. Gently spoon the softly whipped cream over the surface. Finish with a little crushed shortbread and finely grated lemon zest, and serve straight away.

Serving Suggestion

For a Christmas drinks table, pour this alongside the Midori Limoncello Spritz for something bright and sparkling, and the Tiramisu Martini for anyone who would rather finish with coffee than lemon. It also works beautifully in place of dessert, served once the main meal has had time to settle.

Storage and Make Ahead

The glasses can be rimmed with lemon curd and shortbread up to an hour ahead and kept in the fridge. Whip the cream ahead too, keeping it covered and chilled until needed. Shake each cocktail just before serving so it stays cold and creamy.

Notes

This is very much a one-and-done Christmas cocktail. It drinks like dessert, but there is 80 ml of spirits and liqueurs beneath that creamy top, so sip it slowly.

For a softer drink, shake 15 to 30 ml of thickened cream in with the Baileys. It takes some of the punch out of the alcohol and makes the drink richer, while the lemon meringue flavour stays just as bright.

Vanilla vodka brings out the buttery shortbread and butterscotch notes. If you only have plain vodka, it still works well, and a few drops of vanilla extract in the shaker will bring some of that warmth back.

Please don't skip the lemon curd. That single teaspoon is what makes the lemon flavour clear and true.

Add the Baileys with the ice rather than at the start. Cream liqueurs can split if they sit with citrus for too long.

To double strain, pour through the shaker's own strainer and a small fine sieve held over the glass. It catches the ice shards and any undissolved curd, leaving the drink perfectly smooth.

The Grace Table Tip

Chill the martini glass in the freezer for 10 minutes before rimming it. The cold glass firms the lemon curd slightly, so the shortbread holds in place and stays crisp to the last sip.

Good store-bought lemon curd works perfectly here, though homemade is lovely if you have some in the fridge.