Espresso Martini Recipe

Chill glass

Place a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for at least 10 minutes, or fill with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to chill it.

Prepare espresso

Brew a fresh double shot of espresso (about 2 oz). If using hot espresso, let it rest 1–2 minutes so it's very slightly warm; cold-brew concentrate may be used and requires no cooling.

Combine ingredients

In a cocktail shaker, add the ice, 2 oz espresso, 1.5 oz vodka, 1 oz coffee liqueur, and 0.5 oz simple syrup. If using, add 2 dashes chocolate bitters or a drop of vanilla extract.

Dry shake (optional, for foam)

For a richer, velvety crema, first dry-shake (shake vigorously without ice) the mixture for 8–10 seconds. This emulsifies the espresso and helps create foam.

Wet shake

Add ice to the shaker (if you dry-shook leave ice in now) and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is very cold to the touch and the contents are well aerated.

Double strain and serve

Remove ice from the chilled glass if using ice water. Using a cocktail strainer and a fine mesh strainer, pour the cocktail into the chilled martini/coupe glass to catch small ice shards and any solids, preserving the foam.

Garnish

Garnish with 3 coffee beans placed on top of the crema. Serve immediately.

For a boozy, richer version use 2 oz vodka and omit or reduce simple syrup. For a sweeter, dessert-style martini, add 0.25–0.5 oz chocolate liqueur in addition to coffee liqueur. If you prefer a less caffeinated option, use decaffeinated espresso or a chocolate espresso alternative.

If you lack a shaker, you can vigorously stir the ingredients with ice in a mixing glass, but you will not get the same crema; use a small handheld milk frother to add foam on top as a substitute.