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Espresso Martinis Recipe

Name: Copper Sharks Espresso Martinis Recipe
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 2 oz vodka; 1 oz freshly brewed espresso (strong), cooled; 1 oz coffee liqueur (e.g., Kahlúa); 0.5 oz simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water) or to taste; 3 to taste coffee beans (for garnish); 1 cup ice (for shaking); 0.125 tsp vanilla extract (optional, adds depth); 0.25 tsp chocolate shavings or cocoa powder (optional garnish)

Inspired by Copper Shark

Time10m

Serves1

Make Espresso Martinis Recipe in just 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Cocktail

2 oz vodka1 oz freshly brewed espresso (strong), cooled1 oz coffee liqueur (e.g., Kahlúa)1/2 oz simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water) or to taste3 to taste coffee beans (for garnish)1 cup ice (for shaking)

Optional variations & finishing

1/8 tsp vanilla extract (optional, adds depth)1/4 tsp chocolate shavings or cocoa powder (optional garnish)

Method

Cocktail

Chill the serving glass: place a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for at least 5 minutes or fill with ice water while you prepare the cocktail.

Brew and cool the espresso: if you haven't pre-made espresso, pull a 1 oz shot of strong espresso. Allow it to cool for a minute or two; hot espresso will melt too much ice and dilute the drink. For best crema, use freshly brewed espresso cooled slightly.

Combine ingredients in a shaker: add ice (about 1 cup), 2 oz vodka, 1 oz coffee liqueur, 1 oz cooled espresso, and 0.5 oz simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. If using vanilla extract, add 1/8 tsp now.

Dry shake (optional for foam): before adding ice, you can dry shake (shake without ice) the vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and syrup for 10–15 seconds to build foam. Then add ice and continue. Alternatively, add ice immediately and proceed to the next step.

Shake vigorously with ice: Secure the shaker and shake hard for 12–20 seconds. The goal is to chill the mixture quickly and aerate it so a silky crema forms from the espresso and syrup.

Prepare the glass: remove the glass from the freezer or dump the ice water and dry the glass.

Double strain into the chilled glass: using a Hawthorne or built-in shaker strainer and a fine mesh strainer (if available), pour the cocktail into the chilled martini/coupe glass. Double-straining removes ice shards for a smooth texture and helps preserve the crema.

Garnish and serve: place three coffee beans on top of the crema in a triangular pattern. Optionally sprinkle a pinch of chocolate shavings or a dusting of cocoa powder. Serve immediately.

Optional variations & finishing

Adjust sweetness and strength

Taste and adjust: if you prefer a sweeter cocktail, increase simple syrup by 0.25–0.5 oz. For a stronger coffee presence, increase espresso to 1.25–1.5 oz and reduce vodka by the same amount to keep total volume balanced.

Make a batch

Scaling: to batch for a party, multiply ingredients by the number of servings, combine in a pitcher, refrigerate, and shake with ice in batches just before serving to preserve crema and texture.