Dirty Dill Pickletini (Dill Pickle Martini Recipe)

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This pickletini recipe makes two ice-cold cocktails with Grey Goose Vodka, dry vermouth, and dill pickle juice in just 5 minutes. A Jane's Mixed Up Krazy Salt rim and three baby dill pickles on each glass give this dirty dill pickle martini its salty, tangy finish. If you reach for the pickle jar as often as the snack bowl, this one belongs in your cocktail rotation.

Why You'll Love This Cocktail

• Big, bold flavor: The salty, vinegary pickle brine gives this martini an extra punch.
• No fussy ingredients: Just vodka, dry vermouth, and pickle juice-simple but unforgettable.
• Perfect for pickle lovers: If you love pickles, this is your new favorite cocktail.
• Ice cold and refreshing: Served in a chilled glass, this drink is bracing, crisp, and perfect for a hot evening on the porch.

Recipe at a Glance

Flavor: salty, tangy and dill-forward. Texture: smooth and ice-cold. Difficulty: easy. Prep and total time: 5 minutes. Yield: 2 cocktails. Make ahead: measure ingredients and prepare garnishes; shake just before serving.

What Is a Pickletini?

A pickletini is a pickle martini: a savory cocktail made with pickle brine in place of the olive brine used in a dirty martini. Here, vodka keeps the dill flavor front and center, while dry vermouth adds an herbal note. There's no olive juice in this recipe.

The liquid from your dill pickle jar is the pickle juice you need. Choose a brine you enjoy tasting on its own; its salt, vinegar, and dill flavor will come through in the glass. For another way to use that flavor, try my creamy dill pickle pasta salad.

Ingredients You'll Need

The measurements are in the recipe card below.

• Grey Goose Vodka: the vodka used in this tested recipe.
• Dry vermouth: brings an herbal note to the brine.
• Dill pickle juice: use the brine from a jar of dill pickles you enjoy.
• Ice: chills the cocktail in the shaker.
• Baby dill pickles: thread three onto a pick for each glass.
• Jane's Mixed Up Krazy Salt: coats the rim; keep it out of the shaker.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Vodka: use another high-quality vodka or swap with gin for a more botanical flavor.
• Pickle juice: use your favorite dill brine, or try spicy dill pickle juice for heat. Sweet pickle juice changes the savory flavor.
• Dry vermouth: substitute extra pickle juice for a bolder pickle flavor.
• Rim prep: use a separate splash of pickle juice on a plate to moisten the rims; the measured brine in the recipe card goes into the cocktail.

Tools That Make It Easier

A cocktail shaker and a jigger make it easy to measure, chill and divide these two drinks.

• Cocktail shaker with lid
• Jigger or small liquid measure
• Two coupe or martini glasses
• Two shallow plates, for the pickle juice and rim seasoning
• Cocktail strainer, or the shaker's built-in strainer
• Two cocktail picks

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How to Make a Dirty Dill Pickletini

Rim and chill the glasses, shake the liquids with ice until frosty, then strain and garnish. The full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Prepare and chill the glasses. Pour some pickle juice onto one shallow plate and Krazy Salt onto another. Dip each rim in pickle juice, then in the seasoning, and place both glasses in the freezer while you mix.

Step 2 - Mix the cocktail. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, dry vermouth and dill pickle juice.

Step 3 - Shake and strain. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds, until the shaker feels frosty and cold. Strain evenly into the two chilled glasses.

Step 4 - Garnish and serve. Thread three baby dill pickles onto a cocktail pick for each drink. Rest each pick on the rim or drop it into the cocktail, and serve immediately.

Tips for a Cold, Briny Cocktail

• Start with dill brine you like. Brands vary in saltiness and tang. Sweet pickle juice changes the flavor of this savory recipe.
• Keep the seasoning on the rim. Dip the edge of each glass into the pickle juice, then the Krazy Salt; don't add the seasoning to the shaker.
• Watch the shaker as well as the clock. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds, until the outside feels frosty and cold.
• Strain and serve promptly. The ice chills the cocktail in the shaker; the finished drink is served without ice in the chilled glasses.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

This cocktail is best freshly shaken and served immediately. The chill and dilution from shaking are part of the finished drink; storing an already shaken cocktail will change that result.

Can You Make a Pickletini Ahead?

Measure the ingredients and prepare the pickle garnishes ahead to make serving easier. Rim and chill the glasses while you mix, then shake with ice just before pouring.

What to Serve with a Pickletini

Make a savory snack spread with Marinated Cheese, Charcuterie Cups and Cheese Snaps. Rich cheese, cured meats and crisp crackers work well alongside the briny cocktail.

FAQs

Can I Use Spicy Pickle Juice?

Yes. Your favorite spicy dill pickle brine can replace the regular dill pickle juice for a little heat. Sweet pickle brine gives a different result and is not the swap used in this tested recipe.

Can I Make a Pickletini Ahead?

Shake and strain the cocktails just before serving. You can measure the ingredients and prepare the garnish beforehand, then rim and chill the glasses while you mix. The frosty shaker and chilled glass are the useful cues for this fresh cocktail.

Can I Use Gin Instead of Vodka?

Yes. The tested notes allow gin in place of vodka for a more botanical flavor. Grey Goose is the vodka in this recipe, but another high-quality vodka also works.

Can I Make It Without Dry Vermouth?

Yes. Replace the dry vermouth with extra pickle juice, as suggested in the recipe notes, for a bolder pickle flavor. That variation still contains vodka; it isn't a nonalcoholic drink.

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