Espresso Martini Recipe with a bonus variation (coffee liqueur cocktail recipes)

Have you ever rubbed the sleep from your eyes and thought about getting yet another boring ol cup of coffee to keep yourself going just a little bit longer? Coffee based cocktail recipe to the rescue!

Mixing coffee and booze can be a sophisticated way to make a stiff yet relaxing drink to help you wake up and wind down all at once.

Here’s how to make a classic espresso martini, and, a cool delicious variation for you chocolate lovers out there.

For a quality Espresso Martini, you need these ingredients:

There are a few things that you will need for both of these coffee cocktails. We’ll take a look at the main ones here, and get into specifics for each individual recipe below.

(Quality) Coffee

You can use brewed coffee if you’d like, but for best results, use a shot of espresso. Many varieties of coffee work well so experiment and have fun with it. Of course, beans that go well with pressure brewing will do the best here. I’d recommend a bean with a strong coffee taste such as a Brazilian.

Need a hand-picking your new fave? Check out our list of Home Grounds’ favourite beans.

(Quality) Vodka

The basis of good coffee cocktails is a good coffee liqueur, which you can also make on your own. The basis of a good coffee liqueur is a quality, high-caliber, clean vodka. Preferably not an infused one as you want to taste the coffee front and center. Remember; don’t skimp and buy shitty ingredients, unless you want to drink a shitty martini.

A Few Handfuls Of Ice

Ice in coffee is not a new thing. In this case, the ice serves the important double role of both cooling down and mixing your drink.

You’ll need a decent chunk of ice for shaking this bad boy up with, so make sure you have enough beforehand (say 3 handfuls per drink)

A Martini Glass and A Cocktail Shaker.

Some cocktails call for a standard coffee-looking glass. But the coffee martini is a little more classy. Obviously, a martini glass is ideal, but any glass should do just fine. This is what you’ll drink your coffee martini in.

A shaker is a great choice for a “mixing” container as well, but if you don’t have a shaker you can simply stir it in a normal glass. But I would not recommend this.

PRO TIP: Freeze your glasses ahead of time, to help keep your drink cold for longer.

Feel free to add sugar or sugar syrup to any of these recipes if sweetness is a must for your specialty drinks.

If you have guests to impress, you can also include a variety of finishing touches, from an orange peel (1) to the classic coat of sugar around the rim of the glass (first rub the rim with vodka to get it to stick), or even a few whole beans or chocolate shavings on top.

an espresso martini recipe

An Espresso Martini is a sophisticated way to make a drink that’ll help you wake up and wind down all at once. Use quality ingredients and you get a quality drink!

Extra notes:

• Freeze your glass beforehand to help keep your drink chilled for longer
• Start with half a shot of sugar syrup, and increase it until it hits the spot. 
• Don’t use a light roast bean; opt for medium or dark roast espresso beans.
• Don’t have an espresso maker? This cold brew martini recipe is just as great.

Instructions

1. Brew espresso or strong coffee.
2. Add espresso, vodka, kahlua, sugar syrup and ice to the cocktail shaker,
3. Shake hard for 30 seconds.
4. Pour into chilled martini glass through a strainer or sieve (this avoids ice entering the drink).
5. Garnish with coffee beans.

Bonus espresso martini Variation: The Creamy Dark Chocolate Martini

This recipe takes a twist on the original by adding some Crème de Cacao Dark and half and half for the ultimate chocolate martini experience!

Instructions

1. Brew your coffee. Make your espresso, or brew your coffee with a strong, concentrated flavor.
2. Put it together. Combine coffee, vodka, Crème de Cacao, and half and half into a shaker or glass filled with ice cubes.
3. Mix it up! Shake or stir for about one minute.
4. Pour it and enjoy. Strain out the ice and pour the coffee martini mixture into your glass. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Now, if you want to try more coffee cocktails, why not try the following:

White Russian Cocktail Recipe: A Coffee Lover’s Variation

Mustang Coffee Recipe: Nomad Lounge Copycat

Carajillo Recipe: How to Make This Mexican Coffee Cocktail

Caffè Corretto Recipe: A Zesty Italian Coffee Cocktail

How to Make An Espresso Martini (+ A Bonus Recipe)

How to Make Irish Coffee (A Simple Recipe)

Final Thoughts

Three great ways to wake up, relax, and cool down all at once. These recipes are great for anything from a hot day in the sun to a late night pick-me-up. Which espresso martini cocktail recipe have you tried before?

Let us know! And don’t be shy – share these recipes and spread the coffee martini joy.