Espresso Martini Recipe

Chill glass

Place a coupe or martini glass in the freezer for at least 5 minutes or fill with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to ensure the drink stays cold and holds crema.

Brew and chill espresso

Brew 2 oz fresh espresso. If possible, let it cool slightly (30–60 seconds) so it isn’t boiling hot when it hits the ice — but keep it hot enough to create crema. For a colder cocktail, you can brew ahead and chill the espresso in the refrigerator until cold (this reduces dilution).

Combine ingredients

In a cocktail shaker, add 1 cup of ice, 2 oz brewed espresso, 1 oz coffee liqueur, 1.5 oz vodka, and 0.25 oz simple syrup. If you prefer a sweeter drink, increase the simple syrup to 0.5 oz.

Dry shake (optional)

For extra froth and a thicker crema, pour the ingredients into the shaker without ice and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds, then open the shaker and add ice. (This step is optional but common.)

Wet shake

With ice in the shaker, vigorously shake for 15–20 seconds until the outside of the shaker is very cold and the mixture is well aerated. This chills and dilutes the drink appropriately and creates a smooth foam (crema) from the espresso.

Strain and serve

Discard the ice or water from the chilled glass. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe or martini glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to remove small ice chips and ensure a silky texture.

Garnish

Float three coffee beans on top of the crema as a classic garnish. Serve immediately.

Combine 0.5 cup granulated sugar and 0.5 cup water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. Use 0.25–0.5 oz per cocktail as directed above.