Espresso Martini Recipe: Ingredients, Foam and Mixing Tips
An Espresso Martini combines vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and sugar syrup, shaken with ice and served in a chilled glass. This is Cocktailored's coffee-forward version: 40 ml vodka, 20 ml coffee liqueur, 10 ml syrup and 50 ml espresso.
Ingredients for one drink
- 40 ml vodka
- 20 ml Kahlúa or another coffee liqueur
- 10 ml sugar syrup, adjusted to taste
- 50 ml freshly brewed espresso, allowed to cool
- Ice and coffee beans for garnish
How to make an Espresso Martini
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- Measure the vodka, coffee liqueur, syrup and espresso into a shaker. Add plenty of ice.
- Shake vigorously until the shaker is cold and the drink is foamy.
- Strain into the chilled glass. Use a fine strainer if you want to catch small ice fragments.
- Garnish with coffee beans and serve.
How to get a foamy top
Use freshly brewed espresso that has cooled and shake firmly with ice. A gentle stir will not give the same texture. Make one drink at a time or leave enough space in your shaker for the liquid to move. Measure 50 ml of coffee rather than assuming every double espresso has the same volume.
Simple sugar syrup
Combine equal volumes of caster sugar and water. Warm gently and stir until dissolved, then cool before using. Keep in a clean, closed container in the refrigerator. Coffee liqueurs vary in sweetness, so taste before increasing the syrup.
From the bar to the wardrobe
The cocktail is associated with Dick Bradsell and London's 1980s bar scene. Our Espresso Martini collection brings that coffee-cocktail reference to clothing and accessories. For a warm coffee drink, try Irish Coffee; for party planning, explore seven New Year's Eve cocktails.
