Espresso Martini Recipe

Chill glass

Place the martini coupe or cocktail glass in the freezer for at least 5–10 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink so the cocktail stays cold when served.

Brew espresso

Brew a fresh double shot of espresso (about 2 oz). Use the freshest, darkest roast you have. Pour it into a heatproof cup and let it rest 20–30 seconds so it’s still hot but not boiling; this helps proper dilution and foam when shaking.

Combine ingredients

Add the freshly brewed hot espresso, vodka (1.5 oz), coffee liqueur (1 oz), and simple syrup (0.5 oz) into the cocktail shaker.

Add ice and dry shake

First add the ice (about 1 cup) to the shaker. Close and shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds to chill and mix. For a silkier crema, you can perform a quick dry shake (no ice) first: shake the espresso, spirits, and syrup without ice for 8–10 seconds, then add ice and shake again 10–12 seconds.

Double strain and serve

Open the shaker, place a fine strainer over the chilled glass and pour the cocktail through both the shaker’s strainer and the fine strainer to remove small ice shards and ensure a smooth texture. Pour gently to preserve the crema layer on top.

Garnish

Carefully place three coffee beans on the crema as a traditional garnish. Serve immediately.

If you prefer a sweeter drink, increase simple syrup to 3/4 oz (0.75 oz). For a richer coffee flavor, use cold-brew concentrate in place of the espresso but expect less crema.

To make simple syrup: combine equal parts sugar and water, heat until sugar dissolves, cool before using. Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

If you want a non-alcoholic version: substitute vodka and coffee liqueur with 2.5 oz cold-brew coffee and 0.5–0.75 oz simple syrup, and add 1–2 drops of non-alcoholic vanilla or rum extract to mimic depth.