Espresso Martini

If you love coffee I urge you to try any coffee lover’s dream cocktail…Espresso Martini! Technically it’s not a true martini like a classic French Martini because it doesn’t contain any gin or vermouth but it’s served in traditional martini glasses and has become just as iconic.

It’s strong but sweet, rich, smooth, and utterly delicious it’s pretty much like your after-dinner coffee, liqueur, and dessert all in one. If an Irish Coffee is your thing you’re guaranteed to love this! The best part is how quick and easy it is to make, all you need is four easy ingredients and a cocktail shaker.

If you want to impress at your next dinner party serve this alongside your dessert to really blow your guests away or serve it at the start of the night to really kick things off!

What you need to make this recipe

Coffee – make sure to use strong espresso coffee preferably brewed in a machine with plenty of froth! One kind of coffee to avoid for making this cocktail is instant coffee, it just won’t taste like a true Espresso Martini without proper espresso.

Kahlua – this is a wonderful coffee and rum liqueur that tastes amazing it really gives this cocktail the best flavor.

Vodka – use your favorite vodka here it doesn’t need to be expensive!

Simple syrup – this is used to sweeten the cocktail and mellow the flavors of the strong coffee and vodka. You can buy simple syrup in bottles or make it by bringing equal amounts of water and sugar to a boil then leaving it to cool completely.

Coffee beans – these are a traditional and fun garnish but not necessary for taste.

How to make an Espresso Martini

1. Brew the coffee then pour into a bowl to cool quickly.

2. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice then add the cooled coffee, vodka and simple syrup.

3. Then add the Kahula.

4. Shake the cocktail very hard in the cocktail shaker.

5. Strain the espresso martini into martini glasses.

6. Top with three coffee beans, serve.

Pro tips for making this recipe

• Make sure to cool the coffee completely after brewing it or it’ll melt the ice and you won’t have a nice chilled cocktail.
• To cool your coffee quickly you can put it in the freezer for a few minutes.
• Make sure to shake the cocktail extra hard so you create that lovely foam on top.
• When pouring the cocktail into your glass do it swiftly to ensure the foam ends up on top!
• If you don’t have bottled simple syrup you can make it by bringing equal amounts of sugar and water to boil until the sugar has dissolved. Turn it off the heat and leave it to cool completely before using.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes an espresso martini frothy?

The secret to a frothy espresso martini is to use machine brewed espresso. You’ll notice that when using a coffee machine the coffee has foam on top (called Crema in Italian), you won’t get that by using a French press or instant coffee (please don’t use instant coffee for this).

Alternative to a coffee machine – If you don’t have a coffee machine you can add one egg white to the cocktail shaker, it doesn’t affect the taste of the cocktail but is used to give a beautiful foam on top. 

Alternative to egg whites – If the thought of raw egg whites put you off you can buy cocktail foam in small bottles online. You only add one or two drops to each cocktail and it creates a lovely foam on top of your cocktail after shaking.

What do the three coffee beans on top mean?

The three coffee beans were the traditional garnish of Sambuca in Italy. Called La Mosca (the fly) it’s meant to represent health, wealth, and happiness!

Can I use something else instead of Kahlua?

Although I recommend using Kahula for an authentic flavor you can substitute it for any coffee-based liqueur such as Tia Maria.

If you’ve tried this Espresso Martini then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!