My classic chocolate martini recipe is quick, easy, and so impressive to look at— not to mention decadent and delicious! This chocolate lover’s martini is made with a few simple ingredients and is a breeze to whip up. Serve it for dessert, or pair it with other sweet treats for even more indulgence. I tested this recipe with plenty of variations and substitutions so you can make your perfect chocolate martini!
A reader, Claudita, says: “Good gracious! This was so easy and exquisite to taste and look at! Thank you, John, for sharing. Love, love, love your recipes!” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
These are the main ingredients you need to make an easy chocolate martini. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Chocolate liqueur — I developed this recipe with Godiva brand chocolate liqueur, which has a rich chocolate flavor and creamy consistency, but it has since been discontinued. If you can still find it, use the regular kind, not the dark chocolate liqueur (which isn’t creamy). Another good brand is Mozart, but any creamy chocolate liqueur will work!
Irish cream — Baileys is the most popular brand of Irish cream liqueur, which adds extra richness and smooth creaminess to the chocolatini. If you like, you can swap it for Amarula, a South African cream liqueur widely available in US liquor stores. It has a slightly fruitier flavor with strong butterscotch notes.
Vodka — use your favorite plain vodka or replace it with chocolate or vanilla vodka for more flavor.
Chocolate syrup — chocolate syrup is used to decorate and rim the glass. You can swap it for a runnier chocolate ganache, or leave it out if you don’t have any on hand. The cocktail will have slightly less chocolate flavor, but it will still be delicious.
Can I use creme de cacao?
Yes, but keep in mind that creme de cacao isn’t creamy and will change the consistency of the cocktail. A dark creme de cacao would be the best substitute for flavor in a chocolate martini, but white cream de cacao will work, too. (It’s what I use in a brandy Alexander!) If you want the added creaminess missing from the creme de cacao, add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream to the shaker.
Flavor Variations
This is an easy cocktail recipe to switch up and add other flavorings, too. Have fun with the flavors to make one of these popular variations:
- Chocolate Cherry Martini: Use 4 ounces cherry liqueur instead of Irish cream and garnish with a maraschino or Luxardo cherry.
- Mocha Martini: Replace half of the Vodka with coffee liqueur or add 2 ounces of espresso. It’s the perfect mash-up of a chocolate martini and an espresso martini!
- Peppermint Chocolate Martini: Use 4 ounces of peppermint vodka or creme de menthe instead of Irish cream for a creamy, chocolatey riff on a peppermint martini.
Pro Tips For Making Chocolate Martini Cocktails
To make the cocktail less sweet, replace 1 ounce of Irish cream and chocolate liqueur with more vodka.
Do you need to add the chocolate rim and swirl inside? Nope, this drink is delicious on its own, but the chocolate garnish adds a wonderful appearance as well as a bit of extra flavor. So if you want that without the hassle, dissolve a teaspoon of the syrup with the vodka before mixing the cocktail and shaking it. You can also just wet the rim and add either plain sugar or a chocolate sugar made by mixing cocoa powder and sugar together.
How To Make A Chocolate Martini
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making chocolate martinis. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Decorate the glasses: Drizzle a little chocolate syrup inside each chilled martini glass. You can do a swirl or other design inside the glass—this will show up on the outside, so have fun!
2. Add a rim: Pour the rest of the syrup onto a shallow plate. Dip the rim of the glasses into the syrup, then set aside.
3. Mix the cocktail: Add the vodka, chocolate liqueur, and Irish cream to a cocktail shaker along with about a cup of ice.
4. Shake: Shake the cocktail for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the outside of the shaker is frosty and feels very cold.
5. Strain: Strain the cocktail into the decorated glasses. This recipe will give you 4 chocolate martinis.
6. Garnish: Garnish with shaved chocolate for extra decadence (optional) and serve.
Chocolate Martini Recipe
Video
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
- Small plate
- Martini glasses
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Vodka
- 4 ounces Chocolate Liqueur
- 4 ounces Baileys Irish Cream
- 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup or ganache
- Chocolate shavings (optional)
Instructions
- Drizzle half of the chocolate syrup inside 4 chilled martini glasses, then add the remaining chocolate syrup to a shallow plate. Dip the top rim of each glass in the chocolate to coat them. Set aside.
- Combine the vodka, chocolate liqueur, and irish cream in a cocktail shaker and add about a cup of ice to the shaker. Shake until thoroughly chilled and frosty on the outside of the shaker, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Strain the cocktail into the prepared glasses. You can garnish with shaved chocolate if you’d like, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Can I garnish the glasses ahead of time? Yes! Decorate the martini glasses with the chocolate syrup, then store them in the fridge for a few hours. If your syrup is on the runny side, freeze the glasses instead to keep the syrup from running down the sides.
- To make chocolate shavings: Run a vegetable peeler on the side of a chocolate bar. This will shave off thin, small shards of chocolate, perfect for garnishing the cocktail.
Nutrition
What To Serve With Chocolate Martinis
A chocolate martini is a wonderful dessert cocktail that goes so well with a variety of things.
- Pair it with a fruit and cheese board: Load your cheese board with strawberries, raspberries, salty pistachios, triple cream brie, or aged cheddar. Anything that you enjoy with a bar of chocolate will be a nice pairing here.
- Serve it with an assortment of tender cookies like shortbread cookies, pecan shortbread cookies, or Mexican wedding cookies.
- Enjoy chocolate martinis alongside other decadent desserts like tiramisu, strawberry cake, chocolate-covered strawberries, or chocolate truffles. The chocolate flavor pairs well with each of these desserts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mix all the alcohols together and chill the mixture in the fridge in an airtight jug. Wait to add the ice and shake the cocktail when you are ready to serve. Adding the ice in advance will dilute the chocolate martini too much. Plus, shaking the cocktail aerates the creamy liqueur and makes the cocktail feel more velvety and smooth.
A chocolate martini mocktail is essentially a shaken chocolate milk! For a non-alcoholic chocolate martini, replace the alcohol with milk (dairy or non-dairy), add chocolate syrup to taste, then shake with ice and serve. Or, use milk for the two liqueurs and spirit-free vodka if you want some of the spirit flavor without the alcohol.
Crème de cacao is a liquor distilled from cacao beans with added vanilla. The “creme” refers to the liqueur being sweet, not creamy. Dark vs. white crème de cacao is determined by when the cacao beans are added to the distilling process. Dark is more robust in chocolate flavor and dark in color, and white is lighter in flavor and is clear.
The term “chocolate liqueur” can refer to all types of alcohol flavored or distilled with chocolate, including crème de cacao. For this recipe, I chose Godiva chocolate liqueur because I love the flavor and creaminess, but creme de cacao or other brands of chocolate liqueur can be used interchangeably with Godiva.
This is up for debate and personal taste. Most straight spirit-only cocktails are stirred, while those with mixers are shaken. I enjoy this chocolate martini shaken with tiny shards of ice mixed in.
More Cocktail Recipes To Try
Try one of these cocktails next! I have creamy ideas and more refreshing options.
Irish coffee is an iconic cocktail made with black coffee, whiskey, and whipped cream. It’s a wonderful after-dinner drink.
If you like espresso martinis, you will love my white Russian cocktail! It’s sweet and creamy, with a lovely coffee hit from Kahlúa.
The Vieux Carré is a boozy New Orleans cocktail and is a wonderful slow sipper for lazy, cozy evenings.
Made with Pisco, bitters, simple syrup, egg whites, and lime, the Pisco sour is a classic drink that’s popular throughout South America.
Balanced and smooth, mai tais are a delicious tropical drink ideal for hot summer days. This beloved tiki drink is rum-forward and easy to make more or less boozy depending on your preference.
If you’ve tried this chocolate martini recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Shawn says
Delicious and easy!