Easy espresso martini cocktail recipes
We love a good espresso martini. The chocolatey sweetness, creamy mouthfeel, the heat of the liqueur all topped off with that buzz of caffeine.
In this blog post we share four of our favourite espresso martini recipes; the classic espresso martini, a quick espresso martini and our favourite coffee cocktail of the summer, a Funka espresso martini.
What is an espresso martini and how do you make one?
An espresso martini is a staple of so many cocktail menus, that it may surprise you to learn that it actually only dates back to the 1980s when it was created by Dick Bradsell, a bartender at the Soho Brasserie in London.
One of the things we love most about his recipe is how easy it is to make. Not too many ingredients, not too much equipment required. Easy to make at home using regular items from your kitchen cupboard and a real crowd pleaser.
The original espresso martini is just 3 ingredients: vodka, espresso and coffee liqueur or syrup for sweetness, but as you'll see in this blog the espresso martini has been adapted over time and may be made simpler or more complex!
As with all recipes, the quality of your ingredients will have the biggest impact on the final result. We’ve given recommendations for ingredients, our favourite coffees to use as well as go-to spirits which we like to use.
Of course, you may substitute these with others but where possible, do invest in quality spirits as it really will make a difference.
What coffee should I use to make espresso martini?
You should choose a medium roast or espresso roast coffee. This should be brewed as a short, strong drink. A double shot of espresso made using an espresso machine is perfect.
If you don't have an espresso machine you could also use a moka pot or an Aeropress using the classic Aeropress brew method. (Check out our Aeropress brew guide for instructions on how to do this.)
Alternatively, mix 60g of finely ground coffee with 240g of boiling water. Steep for 90 seconds and strain through a coffee filter.
We like to choose natural-process coffees and honey-process coffees when making espresso martinis (any coffee cocktail in fact!). The ways that these coffees are processed imparts an intense sweetness, strong fruit flavours and sometimes boozy flavour notes into the coffees which we think work beautifully in coffee cocktails.
If possible, prepare your coffee in advance so it has time to cool down before you make your cocktail.
What should I use to garnish an espresso martini?
The generally accepted rule for espresso martinis is to garnish with three coffee beans; One for health, one for wealth and one for happiness.
What vodka should I use to make espresso martini?
As with all cocktails, the quality of your spirits has a huge impact on your final drink. Always buy the best quality spirits that you can afford.
The below isn't an exhaustive list, but here are a few of our tried-and-tested favourite suppliers and distilleries.
Chardonnay grape-skin vodka from Discarded
Ok. Time to make some cocktails...
1. The Extract Espresso Martini
If you've visited us in Bristol, London or Manchester and been served an espresso martini, this is the recipe we'll have used.
The Extract recipe uses agave syrup instead of coffee liqueur. This means it's not quite as strong as a traditional Espresso Martini, and there are fewer spirits you have to buy upfront.
What you need
- 35ml vodka. Use the best quality vodka that you can afford. We find the creamy notes in this wheat vodka from the East London Liquor Company works really well in an espresso martini.
- 60g very finely ground coffee - go for Turkish grind if you can.
- 20ml dark agave syrup. (The Groovy Food Company dark agave nectar is good and easy to find)
- Ice
- Cocktail shaker (a large jar and lid will do)
- Spirit measure (or a measuring jug)
- Coffee filter paper
Method
- If possible, prepare coffee in advance so it's cool when you start preparing your cocktails. We also recommend chilling your glassware in the freezer (or fridge) so it's nice and cold.
- For 2 Espresso Martinis mix 60g of finely ground (turkish ground) coffee with 240g of boiling water. Steep for 90 seconds and strain through a coffee filter.
- Alternatively, prepare 2 double shots of espresso (70ml)
- Pour 70ml coffee, 35ml vodka and 20ml dark agave syrup into a shaker.
- Add ice and shake vigorously for 10 to15 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled glass, garnish garnish with 3 coffee beans or grated dark chocolate. Enjoy!
2. The Classic Espresso Martini
There's something to be said for making time to carefully prepare and serve a drink (alcoholic or not). The classic Espresso Martini is hard to beat and the recipe is super easy to remember; 1:1:1 - equal parts of vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso.
As we mentioned at the start of the post, quality matters and that includes the quality of your vodka. We particularly like milk vodka for espresso martinis as their smooth and creamy taste vodka blends perfectly with kahlua and a quality espresso.
In this recipe, we use Black Cow Vodka, a sustainably made vodka made using the leftover whey from cheesemaking down in Dorset.
You can use any espresso for this recipe. We like using a honey-process or natural-process coffee something like Dr Strangelove or, when available, Funka is great. A natural process coffee will have a slightly boozy and juicy flavour profile which perfectly compliments the sweetness of the coffee liqueur.
For our coffee liqueur we've chosen Tia Maria but you could also use Kahlua or another coffee liqueur.
What you need
- 50ml Black Cow Vodka
- 50ml Tia Maria
- 50ml espresso
- Ice
- Cocktail shaker (a large jar and lid will do)
- Spirit measure (or a measuring jug)
Method
- First, brew your espresso. If you have an espresso machine, pull a double shot of espresso. If you don’t have an espresso machine you can use a moka pot, or an aeropress using a fine grind and a fast plunge.
- Fill your cocktail shaker with ice then add 50ml Black Cow Vodka, 50ml Tia Maria and finally your 50ml espresso. Make sure the lid is on (otherwise you'll be cleaning espresso martini off the kitchen walls!) and shake.
- Once shaken, slowly pour and strain (use a cocktail strainer or a sieve) into a martini glass. Take your time. A slow pour will mean you get more beautiful foam on the top of your cocktail.
- Garnish with three beans and serve.
Here's a throwback to drinking and making espresso martinis with our friends In The Welsh Wind Distillery at The Do Lectures in West Wales.
3. The Shortcut Espresso Martini
In this recipe we've simplified things. If you're looking for an espresso martini recipe which is super quick and easy, or if don't have a way of making espresso at home, this is the recipe for you.
It may surprise you that an espresso martini doesn't have to be made of espresso. A coffee liqueur is a super-quick espresso martini ready to go.
We have worked with two incredible distilleries who have each created their own coffee liqueur.
First up is a cold brew coffee liqueur made by our friend Shaun from
Wardington's distillery in Shropshire. (a hard job... but someone had to do it!). The result was Project X Coffee Liqueur, a delicious cold-brew liqueur which is so good it was awarded two stars in the Great Taste Awards and silver in the London Spirits Competition.
Project X is made using our Peruvian filter coffee, Project Peru. Ethically sourced from
Sol y Cafe, an organic cooperative in the northern mountains of Peru in Jaen. These farmers grow in some of the most remote conditions in the world. Extract selects a group of about 50 farmers, producing coffee of the highest quality for our Project Peru filter coffee.
Ingredients
- Project X Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
- Ice
- Cocktail Shaker (or a jam jar)
Method
- Pour Project X into a cocktail shaker with ice (a jam jar works fine if you’re improvising at home)
- Shake well, then slowly pour into a martini glass
- Garnish with three coffee beans.
Project X Promo Film from Lush Films on Vimeo.
The Funka espresso martini
Time to roll your sleeves up. This recipe isn't for the faint hearted but if you want to go all-out it's a lot of fun and tastes amazing.
We think our summer espresso, Funka makes an epic espresso martini. This year, Extract Account Manager, Martin has jazzed up the classic espresso martini to create this mouthwatering coffee cocktail.
This year's Funka is a natural process espresso from El Salvador. Our Head Roaster, Tommy, has roasted it to perfection bringing out sweet notes of blood orange marmalade, jammy dodger biscuits and a subtle cardamom note.
Martin has built on the citrus notes in the coffee by using cointreau, blood orange marmalade and bitters. Martin has also chosen this incredible grape-skin vodka from Discarded.
It's unconventional. It's delicious. It's funky and we love it.
Ingredients
- 20g Blood Orange Marmalade
- 40g Funka Espresso
- 1g Salt Water
- 40g Discarded Grape Skin Vodka.
- 20g Cointreau Liqueur
- 2 drops Orange Bitters
- 2 drops Angostura Bitters
- Ice
- Cocktail Shaker
Method
- Measure and pour all of your ingredients into a cocktail shaker over ice.
- Check the lid is on. (always check this before you shake!)
- Shake vigorously for 20 seconds to create loads of creamy foam.
- Strain into a chilled coup glass for smooth texture.
- Garnish with orange, serve and enjoy!
Mix along with the video below. This video is in portrait mode so great for phones but if you're on a desktop we recommend watching in Full-Screen or Picture-in-Picture for the best viewing experience.
All that reading left you thirsty?
Head over to our shop to take a look at our newest coffees.