Espresso martini recipe
Turn your espresso into a classic coffee cocktail. Vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso are shaken with ice to make a chilled drink with a creamy foam on top.
Follow the recipe below for the ingredients, simple mixing steps and tips to adjust the sweetness to your taste.
What you'll need
- Cocktail shaker with a strainer
- Small measuring jug or cocktail measure
- Fine-mesh strainer, optional for catching small ice fragments
- Martini or coupe glass
- Ice
You’ll also need a way to make espresso. The ingredients below make one cocktail.
Ingredients for one cocktail
- 50ml vodka
- 25ml coffee liqueur
- 25–30ml freshly brewed espresso, cooled
- 5–10ml sugar syrup, optional
- Ice
- Three coffee beans to garnish, optional
Coffee liqueur already adds sweetness, so start without the syrup or use a little, depending on your taste.
How to make it
Step 1: Prepare the coffee. Brew your espresso and let it cool before adding it to the shaker. Don’t shake hot liquid in a sealed shaker.
Step 2: Chill the glass. Fill your martini or coupe glass with ice while you prepare the drink.
Step 3: Add the ingredients. Pour the vodka, coffee liqueur and cooled espresso into the shaker. Add sugar syrup if using, then fill the shaker with ice.
Step 4: Shake well. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for about 15–20 seconds, until the shaker feels very cold.
Step 5: Strain and serve. Empty the ice from your glass, then strain the cocktail into it. For a smoother finish, pour through a fine-mesh strainer as well.
Step 6: Add the garnish. Finish with three coffee beans on the foam, if you like, and serve straight away.
Taste and adjust
Too sweet? Use less sugar syrup next time, or leave it out. The coffee liqueur already adds sweetness.
Not sweet enough? Add a little sugar syrup next time, starting with 5ml.
Coffee flavour getting lost? Use the full 30ml of espresso and choose a coffee you enjoy drinking on its own.
Not much foam? Use freshly brewed espresso that has cooled, plenty of solid ice and a vigorous shake. Serve straight after straining.
Change one thing at a time so you can find the balance you enjoy.
