Pornstar Martini
This Pornstar Martini, sometimes called the passion fruit martini, is a passion fruit sour made with vodka, passion fruit purée and passion fruit liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup and vanilla. Served with a shot of sparkling wine on the side, it’s a fun and delicious sipper with tropical flavors and aroma. So it’s no surprise it’s one of the most popular cocktails in the world.
Read on for all the details about the history of the Pornstar Martini and the meaning of different labels of sparkling wine from brut to sweet. Or just grab your passion fruit, hit that Jump to Recipe button, and let’s make a passion fruit martini!
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Ingredients
The original Pornstar martini was made with vanilla vodka, passion fruit liqueur, passion fruit purée, lime juice, and sugar or simple syrup. Among other things, this adaptation splits out the vanilla vodka into vodka and vanilla. You’re more likely to have these as pantry staples, and they’re probably better quality.
About passion fruit
Passion fruit is a tropical and subtropical fruit from a species of passion flower vine. The center is filled with an edible pulp and seeds that are used to make this Pornstar martini.
Passion fruit is in season nearly year-round in California and Hawaii, but fresh passion fruit was quite expensive when I looked for it. If you can’t find it cheaply, you can purchase passion fruit purée online. Freeze leftover purée in ice cube trays, and then store the cubes in freezer bags.
If you love passion fruit but want a lighter cocktail, check out my passion fruit spritz. Or go non-alcoholic with the Porn Star Martini Mocktail. It has the same flavor, the same balance of sweet and tart, and the same sophisticated fun of the original Pornstar martini.
About sparkling wine
Tip from the wise quacker: sparkling wines are labeled based on the amount of residual sugars they contain. Just to make things confusing, “extra dry” sparkling wines aren’t the driest of the bunch!
The below image is something I created when I was writing all about Prosecco. The order, from lowest to highest amount of residual sugars, is:
- Brut Nature (driest)
- Extra Brut
- Brut
- Extra Dry, Extra Sec, or Extra Seco
- Dry, Sec, or Seco
- Demi Sec or Semi-Seco
- Dolce or Doux (sweetest)
You can use a shot of any sparkling wine to accompany this passion fruit cocktail. I would go with one on the sweeter side so it doesn’t clash with your Pornstar.
Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and substitutions
- Use one and a half ounces of vanilla vodka in place of the vodka and vanilla.
- Make it less sweet by increasing the amount of lime juice up to one ounce and reducing the amount of simple syrup to taste.
- Love gin? Make a Gin Pornstar Martini with a floral gin.
Recipe tips and tricks
The Porn Star martini, aka passion fruit martini, is really a passion fruit sour like this blackberry vodka sour. Sours are really approachable cocktails. If you love sours, check out my other sour recipes like the Aperol sour or Frangelico sour, a spicy margarita with jalapeno simple syrup, a gimlet like this strawberry gimlet, or The Lady Bridgerton, an Empress gin sour.
Make the simple syrup
Simple syrups are one of the easiest ways to change up your cocktails. To make this 1:1 sugar syrup for your Pornstar martini, simply combine equal amounts of water and sugar in a small pot over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool.
Make the cocktail
To make your Pornstar martini, combine all of the ingredients except for the sparkling wine in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
Garnish with half a passion fruit and enjoy with your sparkling wine. If you don’t regularly drink them, here’s how to open sparkling wines.
Recipe FAQs
The porn star martini cocktail was created by Douglas Ankrah. Originally called something else and sometimes now called a passion fruit martini, the cocktail was renamed by Ankrah to be more provocative.
Technically, a martini is a gin martini (sometimes vodka) and vermouth and this passion fruit martini and the espresso martini aren’t martinis at all. The Porn Star martini is actually a passion fruit sour, following more or less the pattern of two ounces of spirit, half to one ounce of lime or lemon juice, and half to one ounce of sugar syrup.
Sure. In its purest form, vanilla extract is a highly concentrated infusion of sliced vanilla beans in vodka (The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that vanilla extract has to be at least 70 proof or 35% alcohol by volume.). Make a vanilla infusion that’s less concentrated, and you have a vanilla vodka without any added flavors or sugar.
Related cocktail recipes
If you love this Porn Star martini, check out other cocktail recipes from the Ugly Duckling Bakery archives like:
Love cocktails and want to explore more? Read all about classic cocktails and bartender basics or join this year’s 52 weeks of cocktails challenge!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.
Recipe
Pornstar Martini
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
Ingredients
1:1 Simple Syrup
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
Porn Star Martini
- 1½ ounces (45 milliliters) vodka
- 1 ounce (30 milliliters) passion fruit purée
- ½ ounce (15 milliliters) passion fruit liqueur
- ½ ounce (15 milliliters) lime juice from about one lime
- ½ ounce (15 milliliters) simple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- passion fruit sliced in half for garnish
- 2 ounces (60 milliliters) sparkling wine on the side, optional
Instructions
1:1 Simple Syrup
- Add the granulated sugar and water to a small pot over medium to heat and bring it to a slow boil, stirring occasionally.¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup water
- When the sugar has dissolved into the water, turn off the heat and let the syrup cool.
Pornstar Martini
- Combine the vodka, passion fruit purée and liqueur, lime juice, a half ounce of the simple syrup, and vanilla extract into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.1½ ounces (45 milliliters) vodka, 1 ounce (30 milliliters) passion fruit purée, ½ ounce (15 milliliters) lime juice, ½ ounce (15 milliliters) simple syrup, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ ounce (15 milliliters) passion fruit liqueur
- Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass or coupe. Garnish with the half a passion fruit.passion fruit
- Serve with a shot glass filled with the sparkling wine, if using.2 ounces (60 milliliters) sparkling wine
Notes
- substitute vanilla-infused vodka for the separate vodka and vanilla extract
- if fresh passion fruit is not available, garnish with a lime wheel or twist
Nutrition
You’re an adventurous home cook looking for inspiration in your weeknight meals and weekend baking. Get that inspiration here: