Espresso Martini Recipe

Chill glass

Place a coupe or martini glass in the freezer 5–10 minutes before making the cocktail, or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink to chill.

Measure ingredients

Measure 2 oz vodka, 1 oz cold brew, 1 oz Borghetti espresso liqueur, and 0.5 oz orgeat. If you prefer a slightly sweeter drink, measure 0.25 oz simple syrup.

Combine in shaker

Add the measured vodka, cold brew, Borghetti, orgeat, and optional simple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with enough ice to nearly fill it (about 1 cup).

Dry shake (optional, for foam)

For extra crema and a silkier mouthfeel, seal the shaker and shake vigorously without ice for 10 seconds to emulsify the orgeat and coffee liqueur with the liquid.

Wet shake

Add ice if you dry-shook, or proceed directly if you didn't. Shake the sealed shaker vigorously for 12–18 seconds until the outside of the shaker is very cold and slightly frosted. This both chills the drink and creates a frothy top.

Double strain and serve

Remove the chilled glass from the freezer or discard the ice water. Use a Hawthorne or julep strainer and a fine mesh strainer to double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe or martini glass. Double straining removes tiny ice shards and yields a cleaner texture and better foam.

Garnish

Float 3 coffee beans on top of the foam as a classic garnish, spacing them evenly. If the foam is thin, gently spoon a small layer to support the beans.

Serve

Serve immediately while cold and frothy. Optionally provide a small napkin or coaster.