Like a Virgin and Material Girl, 2 Cocktails Inspired by Madonna

Like a Virgin and Material Girl were two of the top-performing songs by ’80s Queen of Pop, Madonna. This music icon not only set the standard for the dance-pop genre, she helped pave the way for a less “narrow-minded” approach to women’s sexuality. Her popularity continues to thrive on controversial, provocative lyrics, fed by a rebellious personality that has been celebrated by women for over three decades. Saddened to hear of her recent health scare and disappointed in the postponed North American tour dates, we’re keeping this legendary pop star’s inspired cocktails in our 2023 Summer Concert Cocktail round-up. Shake up the eleventh and twelfth cocktails in our series, and raise your glasses to wishing Madonna a healthy return to the stage!

Like a Virgin White Cosmo Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz Absolut Mandarin Vodka
1 ½ oz Absolut Lime Vodka
1 ½ oz Cointreau
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
5 oz white cranberry juice
Long lemon twist (about 6 inches long) and a maraschino cherry, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add ice to a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the vodkas, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and white cranberry juice.
3. Shake until chilled.
4. Pour and strain into 2 martini glasses.
5. Garnish by taking long lemon twists to glass rims and then sit the maraschino cherry on top of the twist.

Material Girl, Golden, Glitter, Ginger, Appletini

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Tito’s Vodka
½ oz green apple simple syrup (recipe below)
½ oz ginger simple syrup (recipe below)
2 oz fresh pressed apple juice
2 dashes ginger bitters
1/8 tsp Gold Edible Luster Dust

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add ice and vodka to your cocktail shaker.
2. Add in the apple juice, green apple simple, ginger simple, ginger bitters and luster dust.
3. Shake until chilled.
4. Strain into your cocktail glass. The luster dust will settle to the bottom of the glass so you may want to serve with a pretty-cocktail stirrer.

Green Apple Simple Syrup

INGREDIENTS

½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 large or 2 medium Granny Smith apples

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, add the water, sugar, apple peels, and apple core, and set to medium heat.
2. Allow to simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Turn the heat to medium-low, allowing the syrup to simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Do not stir them during the simmering.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely to room temperature. 
5. Strain using a fine mesh strainer into a container. While straining, do not press on the peels or core.
6. Refrigerate. This Green Apple Simple Syrup will last for a minimum of 2 weeks as is in the refrigerator or if you add a tablespoon of vodka or rum it will last longer.

Ginger Simple Syrup

INGREDIENTS

½ cup sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup ginger, peeled and grated

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, add the sugar and water over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and add the grated ginger. Allow mixture to steep, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Strain your syrup using a fine mesh strainer to remove and discard all solids. This Ginger Simple Syrup can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks, or if you add a tablespoon of vodka or rum, it will last longer.

Recipe by Sarah Cascone / Styling by Anna Calabrese / Photography by Dave Bryce / Story by Star Laliberte

Try these other cocktails in our Summer Concert Series:
Prickly Pear Lemonade and Queen B: 2 Cocktails inspired by Beyoncé
So What Cocktail, Inspired by Pink
Baker’s Dozen Cocktail, Inspired by Phish
Man, I Feel Like a Women Cocktail, inspired by Shania Twain
Sunflower Cocktail, inspired by Post Malone
Typical Average Cocktail, inspired by Ed Sheeran
Crush Cocktail, inspired by Dave Matthews Band
Summer’s In Your Blood Cocktail, inspired by Boygenius
Lover Cocktail, inspired by Taylor Swift

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.