Let’s be honest, the name grabs your attention first. I remember the first time I heard it, I did a double-take. But once you get past that, what you find is a genuinely brilliant cocktail. It’s not some overly sweet, novelty drink.

This is a modern classic for a very good reason. When made right, it’s a perfect little balance of tart, tropical, and creamy. It feels fancy but it’s honestly approachable. I think its moment is finally here, moving from clubby menus to home bars everywhere.

My version leans hard into the real passion fruit flavor. We’re using both a liqueur and a puree for depth. The vanilla whisper in the background is the secret, tying everything together. And yes, that sidecar of sparkling wine is non-negotiable. It’s part of the experience.

The Heart of the Drink: Real Passion Fruit

Before we get to the ingredients, let’s talk about the star. A great Pornstar Martini tastes unmistakably of passion fruit. That means using products that actually come from the fruit, not just artificial flavoring.

You’re looking for a tart, almost puckering quality, balanced by a subtle tropical sweetness. If you can find fresh passion fruit to garnish, it’s a wonderful touch. But for the drink itself, a good puree and a quality liqueur will get you there. It makes all the difference.

Ingredients Needed for the Recipe

Here is everything you’ll need to make this cocktail, including the simple homemade vanilla syrup. It’s worth making a batch, it keeps for ages.

• Vodka (1 3/4 ounce): The clean, neutral backbone that lets the passion fruit shine. A decent mid-shelf brand is perfect here.
• Passion Fruit Liqueur (1/2 ounce): I prefer Chinola for its authentic, not-too-sweet flavor. This adds a rounded, boozy fruitiness.
• Unsweetened Passion Fruit Puree (1 ounce): This is the key to that vibrant, lip-smacking tartness. It gives the cocktail its body and punch.
• Lime Juice (3/4 ounce): Freshly squeezed, always. It brightens up all the other flavors and adds necessary acidity.
• Vanilla Syrup (1/2 ounce): Our secret weapon. It adds a soft, creamy sweetness that smooths out the sharp edges. Recipe is below.
• Sparkling Wine (1 ounce for serving): A dry Prosecco or Cava works beautifully. Served on the side, it’s for sipping between bites of the drink.

For the Vanilla Syrup:

• Water & Granulated Sugar (1 cup each): The base of our simple syrup, cooked just until the sugar dissolves.
• Whole Vanilla Bean (1): Using the real bean, seeds and pod, infuses the syrup with a gorgeous, fragrant flavor you can’t get from extract.

Making Your Vanilla Syrup

You can make this while you get your other ingredients ready. It comes together in minutes and really elevates the whole cocktail.

Combine the cup of water and cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Place it over medium heat. You don’t need a rolling boil here, just a gentle simmer. Stir it occasionally until you see that the last of the sugar crystals has fully dissolved into the water. This only takes a few minutes.

While that heats, take your vanilla bean. Lay it flat on a cutting board and use a paring knife to split it lengthwise. Don’t cut all the way through. Then, use the dull back side of the knife to scrape out the sticky, fragrant seeds inside.

Once the sugar is dissolved, turn off the heat. Add both the scraped seeds and the empty vanilla bean pod to the warm syrup. Give it a quick stir, then cover the pot. Let it sit and steep as it cools down to room temperature. I just leave the bean in the bottle forever, it keeps getting better.

How to make Pornstar Martini?

The actual shake is the easy part. The magic is in the prep. Make sure your cocktail shaker, your strainer, and your glass are all ready to go. A chilled glass makes the first sip absolutely perfect.

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Step 1 – Chill Your Glass

First thing, get your serving glass cold. I like a classic coupe glass for this drink. It feels elegant and shows off the beautiful color. Fill it with ice water and set it aside while you make the drink. This simple step is a game changer.

Prepare your sidecar as well. A small champagne flute or even a little juice glass is fine for the sparkling wine. Pour about an ounce of your chilled sparkling wine into it and have it ready on the serving tray or next to the coupe.

Step 2 – Build the Cocktail

Take your cocktail shaker and add the measured vodka, passion fruit liqueur, and passion fruit puree. Follow that with the fresh lime juice and the half ounce of your homemade vanilla syrup. There’s no specific order here, just get it all in the shaker.

Now, add your ice. You want to fill the shaker about two-thirds full with good, solid ice cubes. The bigger the cubes, the less they dilute the drink as you shake. Don’t skimp here, you need enough ice to get it properly cold.

Step 3 – Shake Hard and Strain

Seal your shaker tightly. This is where you put some energy into it. Shake it hard and fast, for a good 12-15 seconds. You should feel the outside of the shaker get frosty and very cold. You’re not just mixing, you’re chilling and diluting the drink to the perfect level.

Empty the ice water from your now-chilled coupe glass. Strain the cocktail directly into the glass, using your Hawthorne strainer to keep the ice out. You should get a lovely, slightly frothy top layer. The color is just stunning, a vibrant sunset yellow.

Step 4 – The Final Presentation

If you have half a fresh passion fruit, place it on the rim of the coupe as a garnish. It looks beautiful and hints at what’s inside. The traditional garnish is a passion fruit half floating in the drink, but I find that gets in the way of sipping.

Place the coupe and the small sidecar of sparkling wine on a coaster or small tray. The idea is to take a sip of the martini, then follow it with a sip of the bubbly wine. They play off each other wonderfully, cleansing the palate. It’s interactive and just fun.

Tips

• Shake with conviction. A weak shake won’t get the drink cold enough or create that nice integrated texture. Really go for it.
• Taste your passion fruit puree first. Brands vary in tartness. If yours is extremely sour, you might add an extra tiny drizzle of vanilla syrup after shaking. Adjust to your taste.
• Don’t substitute vanilla extract for the syrup in the drink itself. The extract can taste harsh and alcoholic. The syrup integrates seamlessly.
• Make a bigger batch of vanilla syrup. It’s fantastic in coffee, over yogurt, or in any number of other cocktails. It keeps for months in the fridge.
• If you can’t find Chinola, other passion fruit liqueurs work. Just taste them first, as some are much sweeter. You may want to reduce the vanilla syrup a touch if your liqueur is very sweet.

Why the Sidecar Matters

You might be tempted to skip it or just pour the sparkling wine on top. I’d advise against it. Serving it on the side is a specific sensory choice. The cocktail is rich, creamy, and intense. The sparkling wine is dry, crisp, and effervescent.

Taking a sip of wine after the martini is like hitting a reset button on your palate. It makes the next sip of the cocktail taste as vibrant as the first. It turns drinking into a little ritual, which is part of what makes the experience feel special.

Easy Variations to Try

Once you’ve mastered the classic, feel free to play around. The basic structure is very forgiving. For a slightly different take, try using a vanilla-infused vodka instead of plain. It deepens that creamy note.

If you love a floral hint, a small bar spoon of elderflower liqueur added to the shaker is lovely. It complements the passion fruit beautifully. For a slightly sharper, more sophisticated version, you could use a dry cava in place of the Prosecco for the sidecar.

Just remember the core principle. You want that bright, tart passion fruit flavor front and center, supported by vanilla, and lifted by citrus. Keep that balance, and your variations will all be delicious.

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Print Recipe

Pornstar Martini Recipe

Author: Elly Cooking Method: Simmering Cuisine: International Courses: Drink and Beverage

Difficulty: easy Cook Time 5 mins Total Time 5 mins

Servings: 1 Estimated Cost: $ 12 Calories: 280

Best Season: Spring, Summer

Description

This early-2000s modern classic is more popular than you think and only getting more so. Made to spec, its lip-puckering passion-fruit flavor shines, with a whisper of vanilla and a creamy texture. I’m calling it: 2026 is the year of the Pornstar Martini.

ingredients

Servings

Pornstar Martini

• 1 ³⁄₄ ounce vodka
• ¹⁄₂ ounce passion fruit liqueur (Chinola preferred)
• 1 ounce unsweetened passion fruit puree
• ³⁄₄ ounce lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• ¹⁄₂ ounce vanilla syrup (see recipe below)
• 1 ounce sparkling wine (for serving (sidecar))

Vanilla Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean (split and scraped)

Instructions

To make the Pornstar Martini

1. Add vodka, passion fruit liqueur, unsweetened passion fruit puree, lime juice, and vanilla syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
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2. Shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds until well-chilled.
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3. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
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4. Serve immediately with a sidecar of sparkling wine.
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To make the Vanilla Syrup

1. In a small saucepan, combine water and granulated sugar.
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2. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is fully dissolved.
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3. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds using the back of a paring knife.
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4. Add both the seeds and the scraped pod to the syrup.
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5. Remove from heat, cover, and let cool to room temperature.
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6. Transfer to a clean bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to several months. The vanilla pod can remain in the syrup to enhance flavor over time.
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Nutrition Facts

Servings 1

Serving Size 1 cocktail (approx. 4.5 oz total without sidecar)

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 280kcal

% Daily Value *

Sodium 5mg1%

Potassium 90mg3%

Total Carbohydrate 22g8%

Dietary Fiber 1g4%

Sugars 20g

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Calcium 10 mg

Iron 0.3 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

• Make it keto-friendly: Substitute the vanilla syrup with a sugar-free vanilla simple syrup made from erythritol or allulose.
• No passion fruit puree? Use high-quality frozen pulp or strained fresh passion fruit pulp.
• For extra flair: Garnish with a half passion fruit or a twist of lime zest.

Keywords: pornstar martini, passion fruit cocktail, vodka cocktail, vanilla syrup cocktail, sparkling wine sidecar