Martha Stewart Bitter Bee Cocktail

Martha Stewart Bitter Bee cocktail is an easy tequila drink made with honey-cardamom syrup, fresh grapefruit juice and Angostura bitters, ready in 45 minutes. Save this pretty pink winter cocktail for holiday parties, date night or cozy get-togethers, because it takes few ingredients.

Let the honey-cardamom syrup cool completely before it goes in the shaker, because warm syrup melts the ice too fast. Skip that and the drink turns watery and loses its bright grapefruit bite.

Martha toasts the crushed cardamom pods in a dry saucepan before adding the water and honey, which wakes up their warm, citrusy perfume. She also finishes the drink with a few dashes of Angostura bitters, so the honey never gets too sweet.

Martha Stewart Bitter Bee Cocktail

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Course: BeverageCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

190

kcal

A shaken blend of tequila, tart grapefruit and spiced honey, served over ice with a grapefruit wedge. It tastes bright and lightly bitter, with warm cardamom in the background.

Ingredients

• 8 cardamom pods, crushed
  

• 1/4 cup honey
  

• 2 ounces tequila blanco, such as Espolon
  

• 3/4 ounce fresh grapefruit juice, plus a wedge for serving
  

• 3 to 4 dashes Angostura bitters
  

Directions

• Toast the cardamom: Toast 8 crushed cardamom pods in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir them for about 1 minute, until they smell fragrant.
• Simmer the syrup: Stir in 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup honey, then bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Cool and strain: Let the syrup cool completely, then strain it and discard the cardamom solids. It keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Combine the cocktail: Combine 2 ounces tequila blanco, 3/4 ounce fresh grapefruit juice, 3/4 ounce syrup and 3 to 4 dashes Angostura bitters in a cocktail shaker. Fill it halfway with ice.
• Shake until frosty: Shake for about 30 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is frosty. That tells you the drink is properly chilled and diluted.
• Strain and serve: Strain the cocktail over fresh ice in a glass. Garnish it with a grapefruit wedge and serve right away.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO Steel cocktail shaker, Cuisinart fine mesh strainer set. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use sweeter grapefruit juice?

Yes, but swap half the grapefruit juice for lime juice, since sweeter grapefruit can make the drink too sugary. That keeps the tart, bitter edge the recipe is built around.

How long does the honey-cardamom syrup keep?

Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The recipe makes more than one drink needs, so you can mix a few cocktails over several days.

Can I make this for a crowd?

Yes, scale it up in a large pitcher with the same ratios. Fill the pitcher halfway with ice and stir with a long spoon until the outside is frosty, then strain into glasses and garnish each one.

What can I use instead of a cocktail shaker?

A tightly lidded mason jar works well. Fill it halfway with ice, add the ingredients and shake for 30 seconds, then strain into your glass.

What's the most common mistake with this cocktail?

Using warm syrup is the usual problem, because it melts the ice and waters down the drink. Cool it fully first, and strain out the cardamom so no gritty bits end up in the glass.