Rich, velvety and filled with coffee and Kahlúa, this Espresso Martini recipe is a smooth sipper that needs to be added to your after-dinner drink repertoire.
It’s party season and that means we are shaking up cocktails!
If you are a long-time Garnish with Lemon reader, you know that we love to drink our dessert, so it should come as no surprise that this Espresso Martini is one of our new favorite ways to enjoy our sweets. One sip and you will understand what separates this cocktail recipe from the rest of the coffee martinis you may see.
Ingredients
Pro Tip: The secret to making an absolutely killer martini cocktail is simple but vital to your success: Use quality ingredients! Quality ingredients = the best martini!
Instructions
It only takes a few steps and a lot of shaking to make this dessert drink.
Fill shaker with a little bit of ice. Add coffee, Kahlua, and créme de cacao to shaker.
Add vanilla vodka and shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds to chill drink and create froth.
Pour contents of shaker into a glass and serve immediately. The longer the drink sits, the more the foam will dissipate.
FAQs
The difference between espresso and coffee basically comes down to how they are brewed.
An espresso has to be made in an espresso machine and is made by forcing water through fine, compact coffee grounds thus creating a layer of espresso and a layer of froth. Espresso is stronger and can have a slightly bitter flavor.
Coffee is made by pouring water over coffee grounds. Since the water spends more time with the coffee grounds, the grind of the beans is coarser but the end result is a smoother drink.
Absolutely! Most people don't have an espresso machine but you will still get the foamy top with brewed coffee. You can even use cold brew from a can. Whatever you choose to use, it will still be delicious!
You sure can!
Worried that the caffeine will keep you awake? Don’t stress, you can easily make this with decaf coffee as well. Just remember to use a quality brew that is your favorite. The flavor will shine through so you don’t want to use something you wouldn’t drink alone.
And - AGAIN - don’t try and use instant coffee. It just doesn’t work.
How to Make the Best Coffee Martinis
The froth is created when you shake the ingredients over ice in a shaker. Here are some tips for the best froth:
- If you want to mix them ahead of time combine the ingredients together in a mason jar without ice and chill until ready to shake and serve.
- Use ice from the freezer, not an ice bucket and only fill the shaker half full of ice. The less water there is, the more foam there will be.
- Shake cocktail vigorously for a full 30-60 seconds to get maximum foam.
- Serve immediately. The longer the shaker sits, the more the froth will dissipate.
More Dessert Drinks
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Check out all of our Liqueur Drinks!
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Recipe
Kahlua Espresso Martini
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces Kahlua
- 1 ounce créme de cacao
- 1 ounce vanilla vodka
- 2 ounces brewed coffee or espresso cooled
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add all ingredients1 ½ ounces Kahlua, 1 ounce créme de cacao, 1 ounce vanilla vodka, 2 ounces brewed coffee or espresso
- Shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds to combine.
- Strain into stemmed glass and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you want to mix them ahead of time combine the ingredients together in a mason jar without ice and chill until ready to shake and serve.
- Use ice from the freezer, not an ice bucket, and only fill the shaker half full of ice. The less water there is, the more foam there will be.
- Shake cocktail vigorously for a full 30-60 seconds to get maximum foam.
- Serve immediately. The longer the shaker sits, the more the froth will dissipate.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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