How to Make a Desert Sunset Martini with Prickly Pear Syrup

The Desert Sunset Martini is three ingredients: vodka, prickly pear syrup, and fresh lemon juice. The prickly pear gives it that deep pink or orange color (not all prickly pears are pink!) and a subtle earthy sweetness that mingles with the lemon.

It’s clean and bright without being too tart or too sweet, which is exactly what I want from a martini.

If you’ve been making cocktail recipes with prickly pear syrup, you already know how creative you can get with it. This is one of the most straightforward cocktails that uses it.

What Makes This a Martini

Most martinis are spirit plus vermouth, sometimes with a dash of bitters.

This one skips the vermouth and uses prickly pear simple syrup instead, which gives you the color and sweetness, while the lemon handles the brightness that vermouth would normally bring.

Two dashes of orange bitters are listed as optional, but I’d put them in. They add a little complexity on the finish that you’ll notice if they aren’t there. Try it both ways and see what you think.

About Prickly Pear

Prickly pear (also called cactus fruit or tunas) comes from the paddle cacti you see throughout the Southwest and Southern California. The flesh is usually magenta, sometimes orange, and the flavor is somewhere between watermelon and kiwi with a light earthiness.

It’s a mild fruit, which is why it works in a drink this simple. It adds color and flavor without competing with the vodka or lemon. That’s why I didn’t use gin. The botanicals from gin would throw off the prickly pear.

To make your own syrup, simmer the fruit with equal parts sugar and water, then strain out the seeds. I keep mine frozen in 4 oz glass jars so I have it year-round.

WARNING: The thin needles on prickly pear fruit are pretty much invisible, and they will end up in your fingers. Use thick gloves or a towel you can throw out, as you don’t want to put these prickles in your washing machine either.

Can’t find fresh fruit? This prickly prickly syrup isn’t too sweet and is easy to order online.

What Glass to Use

Coupe glasses are my first choice for martinis, as the shallow, wide bowl shows off the color. I find them easier to carry without spilling than a traditional V-shaped martini glass.

I like these coupes. If you don’t have them, Nick and Nora glasses are a bit smaller but easier to drink from and look great.

Chill your glass in the freezer before you pour. It makes a real difference when you use a cold glass with martinis.

Orange Bitters

Two dashes of orange bitters are listed as optional in the recipe, but I’d use them.

If you don’t have them yet, they’re useful in a lot of drink recipes I make, including the Citrus Grove Martini if you want another vodka martini worth making.

Mocktail Version

Replace the vodka with 1½ oz of white grape juice.

Keep the prickly pear syrup, lemon juice, and orange bitters. Bitters do contain a small amount of alcohol, but the quantity is negligible for most people. You can also buy non-alcoholic bitters.

Shake and double-strain just like you would a regular shaken cocktail. It’s a lighter drink without the vodka, but the flavors stay intact.

Which Vodka to Use

A clean, neutral vodka, like Tito’s, Absolut, and Smirnoff work well here.

With only three ingredients, the vodka matters, so pick something smooth without any off-flavors.

The prickly pear and lemon carry the flavor, so there’s no reason to use anything expensive. Save that for drinking it neat (do people still drink vodka neat? I mean, I get gin and whiskey, but vodka?!).

Don’t go super cheap either; this isn’t the prohibition era, and you are allowed to care about the vodka you drink.

For the mocktail, Ritual Zero Proof makes a non-alcoholic vodka alternative that adds some body, but isn’t essential.

Fresh Lemon Juice

Don’t use bottled citrus whenever possible. Half an ounce is barely one lemon, and the flavor difference is noticeably better. The citrus juicer I use makes it fast if you’re making a batch of cocktails.

Double Straining

After shaking, strain through your regular strainer into a fine-mesh strainer held over the glass. It catches ice chips and any lemon pulp, leaving you with a clear drink. It takes two extra seconds, and it’s worth it.

The Lemon Twist

Give the peel a firm twist over the glass before you drop it in or rest it on the rim. That releases the oils, which you’ll smell and taste in every sip. A channeling knife or citrus zester gives you a cleaner peel than a regular knife.

A dehydrated lemon slice also works if you want a more polished look.

Find more options in my cocktail garnish guide.

Storage and Batching

Prickly pear syrup keeps in the fridge for about a week. Freeze it in silicone ice cube trays (I love supporting this local company, and their products are great!) or in standard ice cube trays for longer storage.

One cube is close to the right amount for a single drink.

For a group, mix the vodka, prickly pear, lemon, and bitters in a pitcher and keep it cold. Shake individual portions with ice when you’re ready to pour. Martinis dilute fast, so don’t make them ahead and let them sit.

Variations

Swap vodka for gin if you want something more herbal. Juniper and prickly pear work well together, but remember that something, whether it’s the botanicals or the prickly pear, will be diluted.

Elderflower liqueur in place of the prickly pear gives you a softer, more floral drink if you want to go a different direction, but it won’t be prickly pear anymore.

For another vodka martini that’s just as easy, the Citrus Grove Martini uses orange blossom syrup and vermouth and is worth trying out.

Tools

A Boston shaker, a fine-mesh strainer, and a citrus juicer cover what you need. A bartender kit usually has everything in one place if you’re just getting started.

Everything I use is in my shop.

Check out my podcast, Twist Happy Hour, for good company while you’re at the bar cart, if you want to chat drinks and the latest trends hitting social media.

More Cocktails Using Prickly Pear Syrup

Prickly Pear Margarita – Tequila, prickly pear, lime, and orange liqueur.
Cactus Cooler Collins – Vodka, prickly pear, pineapple, and lime with soda water.
Cactus Orchard Fizz – Bourbon, prickly pear, apple juice, and lemon with a cinnamon stick.
Prickly Pear Moscow Mule – Prickly pear in place of simple syrup, with ginger beer and lime.
Desert Bloom Vodka Soda – Vodka, prickly pear, and soda water over ice.
Prickly Pear Daiquiri – White rum, lime, and prickly pear shaken and served up.
Prickly Pear Paloma – Tequila, grapefruit soda, lime, and prickly pear.