Espresso Martini Recipe

Prepare espresso

Brew a fresh shot of espresso (about 1 oz). If the espresso is piping hot, let it sit 1–2 minutes to cool slightly — it should still be warm to help bloom the crema but not scalding. If you only have cold-brew concentrate, use 1 oz of that instead.

Chill glass

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

Combine ingredients

In a cocktail shaker, add the ice, vodka (2 oz), coffee liqueur (1 oz), freshly brewed espresso (1 oz), and simple syrup (0.5 oz). The ice should fill roughly half to two-thirds of the shaker to chill and dilute properly.

Shake hard

Seal the shaker and shake vigorously for 15–25 seconds. A vigorous shake is essential to create a silky, frothy crema on top from the espresso. If using a Boston shaker without a built-in strainer, double-strain carefully.

Strain and serve

Dump the ice or water from the chilled glass if you used it to chill. Double-strain the cocktail through a fine strainer into the chilled martini/coupe glass to remove small ice shards and ensure a smooth texture.

Garnish

Gently float three coffee beans on the crema. Optionally dust a very light sprinkle of grated dark chocolate or cocoa powder (about 1/4 tsp) over the top, or express a small strip of orange zest over the drink and discard or rest it on the rim.

If you prefer a slightly sweeter or flavored martini, substitute the simple syrup with vanilla syrup (same quantity) and reduce to 0.25 oz if you want less sweetness. For a lighter body, reduce vodka to 1.5 oz and increase espresso to 1.25 oz.