Martha Stewart's 15 Best Tips For Making Cocktails

The name Martha Stewart is synonymous with entertaining at home thanks to, among other things, her creativity in the kitchen and expertise in making cocktails. Now, alcoholic drinks may not be necessary to throw a fun gathering but cocktails can help break the ice among partygoers and keep the conversation flowing. Better drinks allow this environment to take hold more easily, as well, which explains why we often turn to Stewart to help us transform a simple drink into an extraordinary experience.

Stewart has shared her passion for high-quality cocktails through her various television shows, cookbooks, and online platforms. Her approach to mixology is characterized by meticulous attention to detail, an unwavering commitment to fresh ingredients, and an innovative flair that redefines classic concoctions — elevating the most basic drink into an art form.

Whether crafting an uncomplicated mojito or orchestrating an elaborate champagne cocktail, Stewart's expertise comes through in both the precision of her measurements and the finesse with which she presents each creation. Many of her recipes seamlessly blend tradition with modernity and offer a refreshing take on timeless libations, and we decided to take a look at some practical ways to learn from the culinary icon. Here are Martha Stewart's 15 best tips for making cocktails at home.

When it comes to making a good martini, whether you choose gin or vodka is irrelevant as long as you use a high-quality alcohol. However, the temperature is non-negotiable. After all, when Martha Stewart told us the keys to a perfect martini, she called it crucial to serve it "icy cold."

There are several ways to ensure your martini is served ice-cold, such as pre-freezing the glasses several hours before making your cocktails. You can also place ice cubes in a martini glass to quickly chill the glassware before adding any liquid. And, as every James Bond fan knows, a martini is best when shaken (not stirred) in an ice-filled cocktail shaker.

Of course, we suggest doing all of the above for the best results. Additionally, don't overdo it with vermouth or olive juice; that way, the vodka or gin you selected for the cocktail can stand out.

Artificial or pre-made cocktail mixers were big in the 1980s, but luckily, they seem to have stayed there (for the most part). If you didn't get the memo, heed the words of Martha Stewart, who stresses the importance of using fresh juice every chance she gets. Her caipirinha recipe, for example, relies strictly on freshly squeezed lime juice, along with raw cane sugar and cachaca. Likewise, berry spritzer specifically calls for freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Stewart further suggests serving two to three cocktails like this to your guests before they sit down to dinner –- that way they'll be sure to like your food. This may sound like a lot, and you certainly don't have to go with that figure, but with such quantities, it is helpful to use fresh juice rather than mixers, which tend to be higher in sugar content and other unhealthy additives. So, the next time you want to make a margarita, ditch the mix and head straight to the citrus bowl.

Considering that Martha Stewart's Cointreau Kiss cocktail only uses four ingredients, she clearly prefers to keep things simple with the cocktails she prepares. For instance, this particular recipe calls for muddled orange slices, Cointreau, Casa Dragones blanco tequila, and sparkling water to finish. An optional fifth ingredient, raw sugar on the rim, adds a simple finishing touch. And that's it.

Aside from the top marks on flavor, drinks with few ingredients make it easier to scale the recipe and fill pitchers with enough cocktails to serve larger parties. Indeed, the Cointreau Kiss can also be a point of departure for many variations you can try by using a spare list of ingredients. For this one, you could switch around the citrus base, substituting Meyer lemon for something a little tangier, or the Cointreau for another fruity liqueur. With so few ingredients involved, it is really hard to go wrong.

Once you know the basics of making a good margarita, you can branch out and attempt other variations, of which there are many. We recommend Martha Stewart's pomegranate margarita, aptly named the Martha-rita, which requires an impressive 2 full cups of tequila blanco, 2 cups of freshly squeezed lime juice, ½ cup of triple sec, ½ cup of pomegranate concentrate, and plenty of ice. This yields four generously sized drinks. But why pomegranate? As she says on her Instagram post, "I looove pomegranate," and that's a good enough reason for us.

Before serving the drink, Stewart emphasizes the importance of finding beautiful goblets, to aid in the presentation. As this is a variation on a margarita, don't feel obligated to choose a traditional tumbler. Once the goblets have been chosen, rub some lime on their rims and dip them in salt, sugar, or even an edible flower mix. Be sure to select a good-quality pomegranate juice for this, as its flavor really dominates the drink.

The Arnold Palmer, like the Shirley Temple, is a beloved cocktail from our youth, a drink that as children we could sip on merrily while our parents got even merrier with the real stuff. But that doesn't mean this drink — which is traditionally made with just lemonade and iced tea — must remain in the realm of the PG now that we're all grown up. For instance, you can turn this drink into the perfect beverage for big boys and girls by crafting Martha Stewart's boozy Arnold Palmer recipe.

As it happens, lemonade and iced tea make ideal accompaniments for bourbon. This may be why Stewart's alcoholic Arnold Palmer -– which includes bourbon, lemon-flavored simple syrup, and freshly brewed black tea -– works so well. Remember to let your simple syrup and black tea cool completely before you start mixing the drink. This is supposed to be a cold cocktail, served on ice.

When preparing a cocktail, you need to have the right ingredients on hand, as well as the tools to manipulate them (but you probably already knew that). What you might not know is that it's equally important to choose the right glass for each cocktail, as the shape of your vessel can impact the drink's taste. As Martha Stewart's website points out, it comes down to the craftsmanship of the glass itself; its shape, size, and thickness all figure into the equation.

This is probably why you've only ever had a martini in a martini glass, at least at bars or restaurants. A tumbler may be less prone to spillage, but using one for a martini would feel wrong (in part because the wide top creates a large surface area for the aromas in gin and vodka to shine through).

Similar logic is at play with other cocktails and types of glasses. For example, any drink with carbonation, such as a mimosa, should be served in a tall narrow glass, which will help retain the bubbles. In all cases, the right glass can elevate the drinking experience by complementing the drink's flavors, aromas, and overall presentation.

Bubbly cocktails are a great option for brunch, pre-meal aperitifs, or all on their own. And while you can make a decent cocktail with any sparkling wine — from Prosecco to Cava to anything in between — according to Martha Stewart, none of these will compare to a drink made with the real deal: Champagne.

Although some purists of the drink might say it's a waste to use good Champagne in a drink that could mask some of its flavor, it's also true that to make a great cocktail you need to use great ingredients, and what's greater than Champagne? In fact, the original mimosa recipe, which was invented in The Ritz Hotel in Paris in 1925, called for fresh orange juice and Champagne.

To stay true to the original, do the same, or if you must go off script, at least opt for a bubbly wine made in the classic or traditional method, as Champagne is. This means the wine has undergone a second process of fermentation, causing the bubbles to form directly in the bottle. Drinks made this way include Cava and Franciacorta, but not Prosecco.