(Without Breaking the Bank)
Welcome to Plan4One.com, the unofficial HQ for cooking (and drinking) for one—but not tonight. Tonight, you’re hosting. Whether it’s a Friday knock-off get-together, a first date that made it to drink number three, or just a solo celebration with your favourite playlist, a good martini can turn your humble kitchen into a top-shelf bar.
No need to spend half your paycheck on obscure liqueurs or cry over cocktail shakers you don’t own. These 20 martinis use simple, supermarket-friendly ingredients you’ll find at your local Coles, Woolies or bottle-o. All single-serve friendly. All delicious. Some fancy, some fun, all guaranteed to impress.
So dim the lights, cue the music, and let’s shake things up.
1. The Classic Dry Martini
The OG of martinis. Allegedly invented in the late 1800s, this is the Don Draper of drinks—simple, serious, and a little bit mysterious.
Ingredients: 60ml gin, 10ml dry vermouth, lemon twist or olive
Method: Stir over ice, strain into a chilled glass. Garnish. Look smug.
2. The Dirty Martini
For lovers of savoury. Legend has it this version came from bartenders sneaking olive brine into their own drinks after hours.
Ingredients: 60ml vodka or gin, 10ml vermouth, 10ml olive brine, olive to garnish
Method: Shake hard with ice. Serve salty and proud.
3. Lemon Drop Martini
Born in San Francisco in the ’70s, it was basically dessert in a glass before espresso martinis came along.
Ingredients: 45ml vodka, 20ml lemon juice, 15ml sugar syrup
Method: Shake and strain into a sugar-rimmed glass. Sweet, sharp, sunshiney.
4. Espresso Martini
An Aussie brunch favourite. Invented in the ’80s when a model asked for a drink that would “wake me up and then f*** me up.” (True story.)
Ingredients: 30ml vodka, 30ml coffee liqueur, 30ml espresso
Method: Shake like you’re mad. Strain and top with coffee beans if you’re feeling bougie.
5. Appletini
Popularised by ’90s sitcoms and awkward first dates. Don’t judge—it’s still a hit at house parties.
Ingredients: 45ml vodka, 30ml apple juice, 15ml lemon juice
Method: Shake and serve. Bonus points for a green apple slice.
6. Cosmopolitan Martini
Thank ‘Sex and the City.’ This pink-hued drink became iconic thanks to Carrie Bradshaw and a thousand girls’ nights out.
Ingredients: 45ml vodka, 30ml cranberry juice, 15ml Triple Sec, squeeze of lime
Method: Shake and serve with sass.
7. Cucumber Mint Martini
Like a gin and tonic at a spa. No official origin—just refreshing, reinvigorating, and slightly smug.
Ingredients: 45ml gin, 15ml lemon juice, cucumber slices, mint leaves
Method: Muddle, shake, strain. Perfect for sipping barefoot.
In the context of cocktails, muddling refers to the technique of gently crushing or mashing fresh ingredients, like fruits, herbs, or sugar, in the bottom of a glass to release their flavors and aromas. This process, often done with a muddler (a tool resembling a pestle), helps to infuse the cocktail with the essence of these ingredients, creating a more flavorful and aromatic drink.
8. French Martini
Not actually French. Invented in New York in the ’80s. But hey, it’s got Chambord and a good accent.
Ingredients: 30ml vodka, 30ml pineapple juice, 15ml raspberry liqueur
Method: Shake, strain, feel très chic.
9. Ginger Lime Martini
A spicy twist. This modern take pairs zingy lime with fiery ginger—perfect with takeaway pad Thai.
Ingredients: 45ml vodka, 15ml lime juice, 15ml ginger syrup
Method: Shake with ice. Strain. Feel the heat.
10. Strawberry Basil Martini
Farmers’ market vibes. A herb garden meets happy hour.
Ingredients: 45ml vodka, 2 strawberries, 2 basil leaves, 15ml lemon juice
Method: Muddle, shake, strain. Smells like summer.
🛒 Aussie Supermarket Tips:
- Vodka & Gin: ALDI and Dan Murphy’s both offer solid budget-friendly options.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh or the bottled kind from the fridge section.
- Sugar syrup: DIY with 1:1 sugar and boiling water. Cool before using.
- Juices & fruit: Coles and Woolies have single-serve juices in the cold section—perfect for cocktails for one.
🍸 Handy Serving Tips
- Chill your martini glass in the freezer for 5–10 mins before serving.
- Use a jam jar if you don’t have a cocktail shaker.
- Shake with lots of ice to get that delicious frost on top.
11. Mango Lime Martini
A Queenslander in a glass. Juicy, tropical and refreshingly tart.
Ingredients: 45ml vodka, 30ml mango nectar, 15ml lime juice
Method: Shake it like you mean it.
12. Choc-Hazelnut Martini
Dessert meets cocktail. Basically Nutella for grown-ups.
Ingredients: 30ml vodka, 30ml chocolate milk, 15ml Frangelico
Method: Shake and serve. Pair with your leftover brownies.
13. Spicy Chilli Martini
Not for the faint-hearted. Think margarita’s moody cousin.
Ingredients: 45ml gin, 15ml lime juice, 1 slice red chilli
Method: Muddle chilli, shake with other ingredients. Strain and sweat.
14. Peach Iced Tea Martini
Southern charm with an Aussie twist. A cheeky nod to porch swings and Sunday arvos.
Ingredients: 30ml vodka, 30ml peach iced tea, 15ml lemon juice
Method: Shake, strain. Add mint if you’re feeling extra.
15. Pineapple Coconut Martini
A Pina Colada without the blender. No tropical holiday required.
Ingredients: 30ml rum, 30ml pineapple juice, 15ml coconut milk
Method: Shake and imagine ocean breezes.
16. Watermelon Mint Martini
Invented by TikTok or Gen Z or whoever discovered juice is better with vodka.
Ingredients: 45ml vodka, 30ml watermelon juice, 2 mint leaves
Method: Shake and serve with a smug grin.
17. Honey Citrus Martini
Like a hot toddy on ice. A favourite when hay fever hits but the drinks must go on.
Ingredients: 45ml vodka, 15ml lemon juice, 1 tsp honey
Method: Dissolve honey in lemon first, then shake with vodka and ice.
18. Vanilla Chai Martini
Spice up your Friday night. Like a chai latte that decided to party.
Ingredients: 30ml vanilla vodka, 30ml cooled chai tea, 15ml milk
Method: Shake with ice. Sip slowly, then fast.
19. Blueberry Lemon Martini
Fruit salad martini. It’s basically a smoothie with edge.
Ingredients: 45ml vodka, 20ml lemon juice, a handful of blueberries (muddled)
Method: Shake and strain. Optional soda top.
20. Orange Marmalade Martini
From grandma’s fridge to your Friday night. Surprisingly posh.
Ingredients: 45ml gin, 1 tsp marmalade, 15ml lemon juice
Method: Shake vigorously to dissolve marmalade. Strain. Serve with toast? (Kidding.)
💌 Cheers to Solo Sips!
Love these martinis? Save your favourites and share the post with a friend who always says, “We should catch up over drinks!” (and never actually does).
Need food to go with that drink? Try the single-serve winter desserts or our easy one-pan dinners while you’re there.
The Morning After (AKA ‘What Was I Thinking?’)
We’ve all been there. Your phone’s charging in the bathroom sink, there’s glitter in your hair, and your tongue feels like it’s been sandpapered.
Here’s what helps:
- Hydrate: Start with warm lemon water and chase it with something more substantial.
- Eat something smart: Check out our round-up of morning after hangover managing recipes.
- Caffeine… carefully: Go for a cup of tea or a small coffee—not five.
- Don’t spiral. You were charming, not annoying. (Probably.)
Final Sip
Martinis don’t have to be intimidating or expensive. They can be fun, fruity, fancy—or just what you needed after a long week. So whether you’re hosting a party of one or a few close friends, mix something fabulous and toast to keeping it simple, social, and single-friendly.
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Cheers! 🥂
