Learn how to make an espresso martini! This caffeinated cocktail recipe is rich, frothy, smooth, and sweet. Coffee lovers, you have to try it!
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This espresso martini recipe is smooth, sweet, and strong, with a rich coffee flavor and delicious layer of foam on top. It might seem fancy, but it’s easy to make with 4 simple ingredients: vodka, coffee liqueur, simple syrup, and freshly brewed espresso (or cold brew). You don’t need to be a bartender to master this classic cocktail!
When I order an espresso martini at a restaurant or bar, I find that it can often be too sweet. I love making this recipe at home because I have full control over the balance of flavors. Jack and I started making it a few years ago, when espresso martinis were becoming trendy again and we’d gotten a new espresso machine we wanted to try out. It’s been one of our favorite party tricks ever since! We love it as an after dinner drink or with a special occasion brunch. I hope you will too!
Espresso Martini Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this espresso martini recipe:
- Vodka – It gives the cocktail its boozy kick, and its neutral flavor lets the coffee shine through. Use your favorite brand of vodka—we like Tito’s.
- Coffee liqueur РVermouth is the liqueur in a traditional martini, but in an espresso martini, we use a coffee liqueur instead. It adds sweetness and deepens the coffee flavor. Kahl̼a, a rum-based liqueur, is our go-to pick, but any coffee liqueur you like will work.
- A shot of espresso – Freshly brewed espresso works best here, because it creates the thickest layer of foam on top of the drink. But don’t worry—if you’re not able to pull a shot of espresso with an espresso maker, you can substitute cold brew or strong coffee. Allow it to cool before making your drink.
- Simple syrup – To sweeten to taste. I call for 1/2 ounce, and I like this level of sweetness—it’s sweet, but not too sweet. Feel free to start with less if you prefer a drier espresso martini. I like to make my own simple syrup using equal parts sugar and water. Learn how in this simple syrup recipe.
You’ll also need ice for shaking the cocktail, and, if you like, coffee or espresso beans for garnish!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make an Espresso Martini
This espresso martini recipe is easy to make. Here’s how to do it:
- Add the vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake until well-chilled. (Don’t hold back here! Vigorously shaking the cocktail is key for a frothy espresso martini.)
- Pour the mixture through a strainer into a chilled cocktail glass. Use a coupe or martini glass to achieve the classic look!
- Garnish with espresso or coffee beans, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Fresh espresso makes the best foam. That’s because brewing the espresso under pressure draws out more oils from the coffee beans than you’d find in regular hot coffee or cold brew. The coffee oils trap air when you shake the martini, creating the frothy layer on top.
- Let the espresso cool. After you pull a shot of espresso, it’s piping hot. Instead of pouring it over ice right away (which would melt the ice and dilute the cocktail), let it cool first. I like to stick the hot espresso in the fridge or freezer to help it cool down quickly.
- Cold brew works too. Don’t have an espresso machine? Use cold brew concentrate instead! If you plan ahead, you can easily make homemade cold brew coffee, but a store-bought concentrate like Chameleon Cold Brew (my go-to) will also work. Note that an espresso martini made with cold brew isn’t quite as foamy as one made with espresso, but the flavor is still great.
- Use a different liquor. Love a gin martini? Try using gin in this recipe instead of vodka for botanical depth of flavor.
More Cocktail Recipes to Try
If you love this espresso martini recipe, try one of these classic cocktails next:
Espresso Martini
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka, we like Tito's
- ½ ounce coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa
- 1 ounce espresso, freshly brewed*, or cold brew concentrate
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Coffee beans, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso or cold brew, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, ideally a coupe glass or martini glass.
- Garnish with coffee beans and serve.
I made this! I added 1/2 oz of Irish Cream instead of simple syrup, it was delicious.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
nice taste but what makes it frothy on top. Min wasn’t