Homemade Espresso Martini – Cookie and Kate

Want to make a great espresso martini at home? Make this recipe! I’ve recently fallen in love with the espresso martini and have perfected my style. The Espresso Martini delivers a rich, bold coffee flavor with a balanced level of sweetness. It’s a lovely festive drink that can be enjoyed after a long week or before a holiday gathering.

You can customize your espresso martini to your preference. You’ll find guides on how to order your morning coffee. Do you like it black or sweetened? Do you prefer espresso or cold brew? When it comes to cocktails, do you enjoy vodka, gin, or tequila? My trick to making the best homemade espresso martini is to use cold brew coffee! Read on to find out why.

An espresso martini delivers a hit of caffeine, so it’s the perfect cocktail to drink before a party. It also has a rich and delicious taste, making it a great after-dinner drink instead of hot coffee. Generally, I can’t drink coffee in the afternoon and still sleep at night, but I can have a single espresso martini, and I will gladly do so.

Although the cocktail was invented in the 1980s, I rarely received a request for one during my time as a bartender around 2010. The espresso martini is seeing a resurgence in popularity, and you can count me as a fan. Let’s make one.

Espresso martini ingredients

vodka

Vodka is standard in an espresso martini. It’s the spirit of choice if you want an espresso martini that tastes similar to the kind you order in restaurants. (If you’re interested in fun homemade variations, try the tequila or gin variations available below.)

Any good quality vodka will do, e.g Tito or Gray Goose. I’ve heard Which Costco Kirkland Signature French Vodka It’s an excellent, budget-friendly option, but I haven’t tried it yet.

Cold brew or fresh espresso

Fresh, machine-brewed espresso is standard in an espresso martini It provides a lovely foamy layer that supports the garnishing of whole coffee beans (thankfully three!). You can order espresso from your favorite coffee shop, but by the time you get home and make a martini, the foam capacity will have decreased dramatically (I’ve tried).

This may be controversial, however I recommend cold brew concentration for a homemade espresso martini If you don’t have a fancy espresso machine at home. Actually, I am He prefers Cold brew flavor in my espresso martini. It’s smoother, nicer and doesn’t require as much sweetener to balance. Try it, and you’ll see.

The photos in this post depict the cold brew version. I wanted to give a realistic depiction of this recipe, which, despite the lack of foam, is still beautiful with swirls on top. If you’re lucky enough to have an espresso machine at home, you’ll find instructions in the recipe below. I found the most balanced flavor using less espresso than cold brew concentrate.

Buy cold brew concentrate from the store (I like the Chameleon brand) or Make your own cold brew concentrate With 12 to 18 hours of advance planning.

Coffee liqueur

I have tried many coffee liqueurs in my quest to make the best homemade espresso martini. classic Eat them He came out on top! It offers a rich coffee flavor with a reasonable level of sweetness. Use your extra Kahlúa to make it White Russians.

For the record, I tried too Mr. Blackwhich would be my next best recommendation. It’s cold brewed and less sweet than Kahlua, so I didn’t like my drink until I added a quarter to half a teaspoon of maple syrup. Despite the beautiful packaging, St. George NOLA Coffee Liqueur It was my least favorite because it tasted like old coffee (maybe it was the chicory?). Negroni and Americano cocktail Lovers will enjoy J. Rieger’s Amaro Caféwhich presents some bitter complexity.

Sweetener optional

I prefer my drinks slightly sweeter, and the taste of my cocktail is well balanced with the amount of Kahlua provided in the recipe below. Sweetness levels are very personal, so you may want to add a touch Simple syrup Or real maple syrup.

The recipe below provides guidance. Feel free to use maple syrup, as its subtle flavor pairs nicely with the coffee.

Watch how to prepare an espresso martini

Espresso Martini Variations

tequila

This is my favorite variation. If you’re a tequila lover, try making this recipe using silver tequila (blanco). I tested this option with Casamigos and loved it. Garnish with orange peel for a drink that tastes better than a twenty-dollar cocktail from your favorite restaurant. I’m obsessed!

trap

My friends told me to try gin in an espresso martini, and they weren’t wrong. If you prefer gin based MartiniThis option is right for you. I used a locally produced London-style dry gin made by J. Rieger. As expected, an espresso martini made with gin tastes more complex, with aromatic notes of juniper that are somewhat weakened by the coffee.

Affogato Style

Affogato is a classic dessert that features a shot of hot espresso poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. To make a dessert cocktail, spoon vanilla ice cream into a sturdy cocktail glass and pour your drink over the top.

More cocktails to prepare

Here are some of the best classic cocktail recipes. My surfing Cocktail Archives For more.

Please let me know how your espresso martini turns out in the comments! I would love to hear from you.

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