French Martini Recipe: Vodka, Pineapple and Raspberry in One Easy Ratio
Approx. 5 min read
The easy French Martini ratio
If you want one French Martini recipe you can remember without checking your phone every time, start with 3:1:3.
- 3 parts vodka
- 1 part raspberry liqueur
- 3 parts pineapple juice
For one cocktail, that becomes 45 ml vodka (1.5 oz) + 15 ml raspberry liqueur (0.5 oz) + 45 ml pineapple juice (1.5 oz).
It is fruity and smooth, but the vodka still gives the drink enough structure to keep it feeling like a proper cocktail.
The raspberry liqueur is the small but important part. Too much can quickly make the drink heavier and sweeter, so this is one ingredient worth measuring.
French Martini recipe
Recipe details
- Prep time: 3 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Glass: Chilled coupe or Martini glass
- Taste: Fruity, smooth, raspberry-led and tropical
- Serves: 1
- Tools: Cocktail shaker, jigger and strainer
Ingredients
- 45 ml vodka (1.5 oz)
- 15 ml raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord (0.5 oz)
- 45 ml pineapple juice (1.5 oz)
- Plenty of fresh ice, for shaking
- 1 fresh raspberry, optional garnish
How to make a French Martini
- Chill your coupe or Martini glass while you make the drink.
- Add the vodka, raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice to a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker generously with fresh ice.
- Shake firmly for about 12–15 seconds, until the shaker feels very cold and the drink looks frothy.
- Strain into the chilled glass. Fine-strain as well if you want a particularly smooth finish.
- Garnish with a raspberry if you like and serve straight away.
Love My Drink tip: Do not give this one a polite shake. Pineapple juice needs proper movement to build the soft foam that makes a French Martini look finished.
If shaking cocktails still feels a little random, our guide to using a cocktail shaker makes the technique much easier to judge.
Why this ratio works
A French Martini only has three main ingredients, so small changes are surprisingly noticeable.
Vodka gives the drink a clean base. Raspberry liqueur adds berry flavour and sweetness. Pineapple juice brings the tropical fruit, a little acidity and the frothy texture on top.
The balance here keeps the raspberry noticeable without letting it take over, while equal amounts of vodka and pineapple make the recipe easy to remember.
Make it drier, fruitier or more raspberry-forward
For a drier French Martini
Keep the vodka and raspberry liqueur the same, but reduce the pineapple juice to 30 ml (1 oz).
The drink becomes more spirit-forward and a little sharper.
For a softer, fruitier drink
Add another 15 ml (0.5 oz) pineapple juice after tasting.
This softens the alcohol and pushes the tropical fruit forward without making the raspberry too dominant.
For more raspberry
Increase the raspberry liqueur by just 5 ml (about 1 teaspoon).
Small changes work better here than a big pour.
How to get that frothy French Martini top
Use plenty of fresh ice and shake firmly for around 12–15 seconds.
Pineapple juice aerates as it moves through the shaker, helping create the soft layer of foam on top of the drink.
Fresh or good-quality pineapple juice generally gives the nicest flavour and texture, but the exact amount of foam will vary between juices.
If the drink is cold but almost flat, shake the next one a little harder rather than adding another ingredient.
What does a French Martini taste like?
Expect pineapple first, then soft raspberry and a clean vodka finish.
It is fruity and lightly sweet rather than dry like a traditional Martini. The texture should feel smooth and slightly silky, especially just after shaking.
That makes it an easy choice if you like colourful, fruit-forward drinks but still want a proper cocktail feel.
If simple three-ingredient drinks are your thing, save our 3 ingredient cocktails you can make in minutes for your next round.
French Martini garnish
You do not need much.
One fresh raspberry keeps the glass clean and elegant. A small pineapple leaf or very thin pineapple piece also works, but avoid loading the rim with fruit.
The pale pink drink and frothy top already do most of the visual work.
French Martini FAQ
Is a French Martini actually a Martini?
Not in the classic gin-and-vermouth sense. It belongs to the modern family of cocktails that use the Martini name and stemmed-glass presentation, but the flavour profile is completely different.
If you want the dry, spirit-forward version, see our classic Martini ratio guide.
Do you need Chambord for a French Martini?
Chambord is the best-known choice, but another good raspberry liqueur can work. Expect the sweetness and berry flavour to change slightly between bottles, so taste before adjusting the rest of the recipe.
Can you make a French Martini without a shaker?
You can use a tightly sealed jar in a pinch, but this is one cocktail where shaking really matters. Stirring will chill the ingredients, but it will not create the same frothy texture.
Can you make a French Martini ahead of time?
You can measure the vodka, raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice ahead and keep the mixture cold, but shake each serving with fresh ice just before pouring. The fresh shake is what gives the drink its cold texture and foam.
An easy French Martini worth remembering
Three ingredients are all you need: vodka, raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice, shaken properly cold.
Start with the balanced version once, taste it, then decide whether your next glass should be drier, fruitier or a little more raspberry-forward. Easy enough for tonight, polished enough to make again for friends.
