Espresso Martini Recipe
Vodka shaken with espresso, coffee liqueur and sugar syrup.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Cocktail
Method
Cocktail
Prepare espresso
Brew a single shot (about 1 oz) of espresso and allow it to cool for 1–2 minutes. It should still be warm but not piping hot (hot espresso will melt too much ice and dilute the cocktail). If you don't have an espresso machine, use 1 oz of very strong cold-brew concentrate or strongly brewed coffee and cool it to room temperature.
Chill glass
Place a martini/coupe glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to ensure the drink stays cold.
Combine ingredients
Add 2 oz vodka, 1 oz cooled espresso, 1 oz coffee liqueur, and 0.25 oz simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Add a generous amount of ice (about 1 cup or enough to almost fill the shaker).
Shake vigorously
Seal the shaker and shake very hard for 12–20 seconds. Vigorous shaking both chills and aerates the mixture, creating a silky foam (crema) on top from the espresso.
Strain and serve
Discard the ice or water from the chilled glass. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled martini/coupe glass using a cocktail strainer and a fine mesh strainer to remove small ice chips and ensure a smooth surface.
Garnish
Float 3 coffee beans on the crema as a classic garnish. Optionally, grate a small amount of fresh espresso beans or a tiny dusting of cocoa powder over the top.
Serve
Serve immediately while cold and enjoy.