Espresso Martini Recipe

Chill glass

Place a coupe or martini glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water to chill while you prepare the cocktail (about 5 minutes).

Combine ingredients

In a cocktail shaker add 2 oz Ketel One vodka, 1 oz coffee liqueur, 1 oz cold brew coffee cordial, and 0.25 oz simple syrup if you prefer a touch more sweetness.

Add ice and shake

Fill the shaker with ice (about 1 cup) to near the top. Seal and shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds until the outside of the shaker becomes very cold and you see a frothy emulsified head forming. The vigorous shake helps create the characteristic foam on top of an Espresso Martini.

Strain and serve

Discard ice from the chilled glass if used. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe or martini glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to catch any small ice shards and ensure a smooth texture.

Garnish

Gently place 3 whole coffee beans on the foam as a classic garnish. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you don't have cold brew coffee cordial, use 1 oz freshly brewed espresso (cooled) plus 0.5 oz simple syrup to balance. Adjust sweetness to taste. For a slightly richer mouthfeel, use 0.25 oz coffee liqueur + 0.75 oz cordial or increase vodka slightly while keeping total volume balanced.