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 preparing the cocktail to chill.

Brew espresso

Brew a single shot (about 1 oz) of Lavazza espresso. Allow it to cool for 1–2 minutes so it won't melt too much ice (still warm is fine).

Measure ingredients

Using a jigger, measure 2 oz vodka, 1 oz espresso liqueur, 1 oz cooled espresso, and 0.25 oz simple syrup if you prefer a slightly sweeter cocktail.

Add to shaker

Add ice to the cocktail shaker (about 1 cup). Pour in vodka, espresso liqueur, cooled espresso, and simple syrup (if using).

Dry shake (optional)

For a thicker, frothier crema, first shake the ingredients without ice (dry shake) vigorously for 10–15 seconds. This helps emulsify the espresso and liqueur.

Wet shake

Add ice if you dry-shook, or shake again vigorously with ice for 12–18 seconds until the shaker feels very cold. This both chills the drink and creates a silky crema.

Double strain

Discard ice/water from the chilled glass. Using the Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer, double-strain the cocktail into the chilled martini/coupe to remove ice shards and produce a smooth surface.

Garnish

Float three coffee beans on the crema as a classic garnish.

Add pecorino shave

If using pecorino, shave a few thin curls (or micro-grate about 5 g) of fresh pecorino over the top of the cocktail, either directly on the crema or onto a small corner of the glass so it imparts a subtle savory-salty note.

Finish with pepper (optional)

Optionally add a very light dusting of finely cracked black pepper over the pecorino to enhance aromatic complexity. Serve immediately.

Serve the Espresso Martini immediately while the crema is fresh and the cocktail is well chilled.