Espresso Martini Recipe

Chill glass

Place a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for at least 5 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to ensure the drink stays cold when served.

Brew espresso

Brew about 1 ounce of very strong espresso. If you don't have an espresso machine, make 1 ounce of very strong coffee (use a Moka pot or concentrated pour-over). Let the espresso sit for 10–20 seconds so it isn't piping hot; it should still be warm to help create foam but not scalding.

Add ingredients to shaker

Add 6 ice cubes to the cocktail shaker, then pour in 1.5 oz vodka, 1 oz coffee liqueur, 1 oz warm espresso, and 0.5 oz simple syrup.

Dry shake (optional)

If you prefer extra-froth, first add the espresso, vodka, coffee liqueur and simple syrup to the shaker without ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds to build initial foam from the espresso crema (this step is optional but recommended for a thicker crema).

Wet shake

Add ice to the shaker (if you did a dry shake, add ice now), then shake vigorously for 12–18 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels very cold and some condensation forms. The goal is to chill the drink quickly and create a velvety, frothy top.

Strain and serve

Discard ice or water from the chilled glass. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled martini/coupe glass using the shaker’s strainer and a fine strainer if available to achieve a smooth texture and stable foam.

Garnish

Carefully place three coffee beans on top of the foam in a triangular pattern for aroma and classic presentation.

Serve

Serve immediately. Sip to enjoy the contrast of cold, boozy coffee, sweet liqueur, and the creamy espresso foam.

Ensure all equipment (shaker, jigger, strainer) is clean and the glass is chilled before assembling ingredients to keep the cocktail properly cold.

If making multiple servings, scale ingredient amounts proportionally and prepare espresso fresh for each batch or keep espresso warm (not hot) and shake each drink individually for best foam.