A silky, crowd-pleasing Espresso Martini that actually tastes like espresso. We shake vodka with coffee liqueur, fresh espresso, and just enough simple syrup for balance—then fine-strain for that café-style crema. Perfect for dinner parties, dessert cocktails, and late-night weddings.
About This Espresso Martini
We first dialed this in while prepping for a winter wedding on Long Island: guests wanted a dessert drink that didn’t taste like syrup. The solution was simple—freshly brewed, cooled espresso, a clean vodka base, and a firm shake for that crema cap. Three coffee beans on top for luck, health, and prosperity.
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz coffee liqueur (Kahlúa or similar)
- 1 oz fresh espresso, cooled (or strong cold-brew concentrate)
- 1/4–1/2 oz simple syrup (1:1), to taste
- Pinch of fine salt (optional, enhances chocolate notes)
- Ice
- Garnish: 3 coffee beans
Steps
- Chill your glass. Pop a coupe in the freezer (5–10 minutes) for best texture.
- Build the cocktail. Add vodka, coffee liqueur, cooled espresso, simple syrup, pinch of salt, and ice to a shaker.
- Shake hard. 12–15 seconds until the tin is frosty—the vigorous shake creates that silky crema.
- Fine-strain & garnish. Double-strain into the chilled coupe. Float 3 coffee beans on top.
Bar Tips
- Cool the espresso: hot shots melt ice and kill foam. Brew early and chill.
- Sweeten to taste: start at 0.25 oz syrup; add up to 0.5 oz if your espresso is very bitter.
- Fine strain: removes ice shards and maximizes the crema cap.
Flavor Pairings
- Mixes well with: vanilla, orange, cacao, salted caramel, hazelnut.
- Food pairings: tiramisu, flourless chocolate cake, biscotti, affogato.
Variations
- Vanilla Espresso Martini: add 2–3 drops vanilla extract or 0.25 oz vanilla syrup.
- Salted Caramel: swap simple for caramel syrup + tiny pinch of flaky salt.
- Mezcal Espresso: split base 1.5 oz vodka + 0.5 oz mezcal for smoky depth.
- Decaf: use decaf espresso or cold-brew concentrate—same specs.
Party Batch (8 drinks)
- 2 cups (16 oz) vodka
- 1 cup (8 oz) coffee liqueur
- 1 cup (8 oz) espresso, cooled
- 4–6 oz simple syrup (to taste)
Combine in a pitcher and refrigerate 2–4 hours. To serve, shake each portion with ice (about 4 oz per drink) and fine-strain into chilled coupes. Garnish with 3 coffee beans.
When to Serve
Brunches, dessert hours, and late-night receptions. Want us to batch + garnish on site? Hire a bartender. Or explore more Cocktail Recipes.
See our Summer roundup: Summer Cocktail Recipes.
Browse Some Fall Favorites: Fall Cocktail Recipes.
Browse All Cocktails: Cocktail Recipes.
Vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso, and a touch of simple syrup. Shake hard with ice and fine-strain to get that thick cream on top.
It’s best. Hot shots should be cooled first. In a pinch, use strong cold-brew concentrate (not regular iced coffee) for similar body and flavor.
Use cooled espresso, shake vigorously 12–15 seconds, and double-strain into a chilled coupe. The combo of proteins and air creates the crema.
Start with 0.25 oz syrup and taste. Bitter espresso may need up to 0.5 oz. Keep it balanced so the coffee leads.
Yes just pre-mix the base (vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, syrup) and refrigerate. Shake each portion with ice to order for fresh foam.
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