Breakfast MartiniCocktail recipe
Rating
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Breakfast Martini is a modern gin sour that leans into a distinctly British twist: marmalade. While it isn’t a centuries-old classic, it sits comfortably in the late-20th/early-21st-century wave of bright, citrus-forward cocktails that reframe familiar sour structures with a single, characterful pantry ingredient. You’ll find it feels both playful and polished, with the cocktail glass presentation giving it a proper “martini” moment even though its profile is closer to a refined citrus sour.
On the palate, gin brings crisp botanical backbone, while lemon juice delivers a clean, direct tartness. Cointreau adds orange sweetness and a gentle citrus depth that softens the lemon’s edge, keeping the drink rounded rather than sharp. The teaspoon of marmalade ties everything together: it amplifies the orange notes, adds a lightly bitter peel-like complexity, and gives a subtle, jammy richness that lingers after the sip.
This is a great choice when you want something zesty and grown-up that still feels a little indulgent. You’ll enjoy it as a pre-dinner opener, a brunch-adjacent treat, or anytime you’re in the mood for citrus with a twist—especially if you like gin drinks that balance brightness with a touch of bittersweet fruit.
Microbadges
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Cocktail Colin says:
Gin leads with crisp botanicals wrapped in Cointreau’s orange sweetness, sharpened by lemon juice, while a teaspoon of marmalade adds bitter orange peel, jammy depth, and a lightly pulpy texture. It works because the lemon’s acidity snaps the marmalade and Cointreau into focus while gin keeps it dry and aromatic, perfect for citrus-sour fans who like a bittersweet, breakfasty twist.
Method
How to make a Breakfast Martini
- Gin 60ml, Cointreau 22.5ml, Lemon juice 22.5ml, Marmalade Teaspoon
-
- In a cocktail shaker add the marmalade, gin, lemon juice and Cointreau
-
- Next break down the marmalade by mixing with a bar spoon before adding ice and shaking for slightly longer than normal to mix the marmalade properly
-
- Strain into a chilled martini glass
-
- Garnish with a lemon peel twist and serve
Power tips
Elevate the Breakfast Martini with these master mixologist tips
Upgrade to premium
And receive world class tips on how to raise your cocktails to the next level.
Find out more- Select a high-quality marmalade with coarse-cut orange peels and a hint of bitterness to add complexity and texture to the Martini.
- Add a drop of orange blossom water to the shaker for a subtle floral note that lifts the citrus elements in the cocktail.
- Upgrade to premium to receive even more power tips on this cocktail.
Your private tasting notes
Featured in
FAQ's
Who invented the Breakfast Martini and what is its origin?
The Breakfast Martini was invented by Salvatore Calabrese in the late 1990s at the Library Bar of the Lanesborough Hotel in London. It was inspired by his desire to incorporate his morning ritual of marmalade on toast into a cocktail.
What is the ideal type of gin for a Breakfast Martini?
The ideal gin for a Breakfast Martini is a high-quality London Dry Gin. Its crisp and juniper-forward profile complements the sweet and citrusy flavors of the other ingredients.
Can I use a different type of citrus instead of lemon juice?
While lemon juice is the traditional choice for its bright acidity and balance, you can experiment with other citrus juices like lime or grapefruit for a twist on the classic. However, the overall flavor profile will change, so adjust to taste.
Is there a specific type of marmalade recommended for the Breakfast Martini?
The classic Breakfast Martini calls for a good quality orange marmalade. Choosing one that is slightly bitter can add a depth of flavor to the cocktail, balancing the sweetness and acidity.
How important is the shaking method for the Breakfast Martini?
Shaking is crucial for the Breakfast Martini, as it not only chills the drink but also emulsifies the marmalade with the other ingredients, creating a smooth texture and ensuring even distribution of flavors.
Upgrade your mixology
Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. Or become a premium member to rise to cocktail greatness.
- Save your bar forever
- Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
- Access to Cocktail Colin; ask Cocktail Colin anything on an individual cocktail and he'll give you the answers you need.
- Create personalised cocktail menus for all your events, bars or parties
- Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
- Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
- Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
- A personalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
- And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)
Have you tried our Wordpress Plugin?
Download our plugin and embed cocktail recipes directly onto your own site or blog.
Choose from our whole recipe database, or choose a specific cocktail made with a certain ingredient, and let us place a beautiful recipe on your own site.
Find out moreYou might also like
Try this rich, aromatic coffee-infused Negroni.
Coffee Negroni
Gin, Campari, Red vermouth
Try this Prohibition era delight with honey and gin.
Bee's Knees
Gin, Lemon juice, Honey syrup
Taste this vibrant mix of gin, absinthe, and orange.
Monkey Gland
Absinthe, Gin, Orange juice, Grenadine
Discover this gin and grapefruit refreshment with a twist
Salty Dog
Gin, Grapefruit juice, Salt
Create a cocktail
Choose a theme and some ingredients, give us some description and we'll create an amazing cocktail for you.
Register as a Premium Make Me a Cocktail community member and get access to an even more powerful creator.
Start creatingBuild your bar
Tell us what you have at home and we’ll find a delicious cocktail for you to make right now.
Register as a Make Me a Cocktail community member and we’ll save your ingredients list so you can come back to it at any time.
Create My Bar
Cocktail Colin
Your cocktail expert
Hi! I'm Cocktail Colin
Ask me anything about this cocktail - how to make it, substitutions, variations, or any other questions!
Become a member to access Cocktail Colin
Become a member (for free) to pick Cocktail Colin's cocktail filled brain on everything on this cocktail, from substitutions, if you can use what you have, to serving suggestions and more.
Become a member
Comments