Espresso Martini Recipe

Chill glass

Place a martini coupe or cocktail glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to ensure the drink stays cold and preserves crema.

Brew espresso

If using freshly brewed espresso, pull a 1 oz shot and allow it to rest for 30–60 seconds to cool slightly but remain hot so it integrates with the shaker for crema. Alternatively, use 1 oz cold brew concentrate chilled.

Combine ingredients

Add 2 oz vodka, 1 oz coffee liqueur (Kahlúa), 1 oz espresso (slightly cooled) and 0.25 oz simple syrup into a cocktail shaker.

Add ice and dry shake

Add 6 ice cubes to the shaker. First perform a vigorous 'dry shake' (shake without ice) for 8–10 seconds if you want extra foam — optional. Then add ice (if you already added ice, skip dry shake) and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is very cold and you see frothy crema forming.

Double strain and serve

Remove ice from the chilled glass if used. Use a hawthorne strainer and, if available, a fine mesh strainer to double strain into the chilled coupe to remove small ice shards and preserve a silky surface. Pour gently to allow crema to settle on top.

Garnish

Float 3 coffee beans on the crema as a classic garnish. Serve immediately.

Adjust simple syrup from 0 to 0.5 oz depending on desired sweetness. Use freshly pulled espresso for best crema; if using cold brew, add a touch more syrup if needed. For a richer flavor, substitute 0.5 oz coffee liqueur + 1.5 oz vodka proportions may be adjusted to taste.