• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Inside The Rustic Kitchen
  • Recipe Index
  • FREE Italian Food Club
  • Tips & Tricks
  • About Us & Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • My Recipe Box
  • About us
  • Subscribe!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Espresso Martini

    Published: May 19, 2021, Last updated: May 19, 2021 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

    40 shares
    • Facebook
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
    Recipe Print

    Espresso Martini - a strong, sweet and delicious coffee cocktail made with espresso, Kahlua and vodka. The perfect after-dinner drink with a creamy, foamy top and garnished with coffee beans, delicious!

    An espresso martini with 3 coffee beans on top

    If you love coffee an Espresso Martini is sure to be your dream cocktail! It's strong and sweet and served ice cold making it the perfect way to end a meal, it's like your after-dinner espresso and dessert in one but hey...you can totally have dessert too!

    This is Kahula's official recipe for an espresso martini which I love. Another popular version found online uses a lot more vodka but I find it way too strong and overpowering.

    This version has the perfect combination of strong coffee and sweet flavours. If your not a fan of coffee but love an indulgent cocktail I totally recommend trying our Chocolate Martini recipe...it's out of this world delicious!

    Ingredients - what you need

    See the photo below that shows you all the ingredients you need to make an Espresso Martini. You'll also need a cocktail shaker!

    An overhead shot of all the ingredients you need to make an espresso martini
    • Vodka - use a good quality vodka if possible, I used Absolute Vodka.
    • Kahlua - this is the classic coffee liqueur used in a classic Espresso Martini but you can use other coffee liqueurs such as Tia Maria.
    • Espresso - make sure you have a single shot of strong brewed espresso per cocktail. We always use 100% arabica coffee.
    • Coffee beans - Three coffee beans are an old traditional garnish of Sambuca in Italy called La Mosca or the fly. It's meant to signify health, wealth and happiness and is almost always seen on an espresso martini now too. Don't worry they don't affect the flavour so you can skip them if you don't have them.

    Make a strong 1 shot espresso using a coffee machine or Moka pot, see photos 1 & 2 for what the creamy foam should look like.

    Step by step photos showing how to brew a coffee for a foamy espresso martini

    Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the vodka, Kahula and espresso (you don't need to cool it first) (photos 3-6).

    Step by step photos showing how to make and pour and espresso martini

    Shake the cocktail vigorously to create the foam then pour into a cocktail glass. Top with 3 coffee beans as garnish (photos 7 & 8).

    Recipe tips and FAQs

    • Make it sweeter - if you'd like the cocktail to be sweeter you can add ¼ teaspoon of sugar to your coffee, stir to dissolve then add to the cocktail.
    • Use vanilla vodka - vanilla vodka will add a delicious vanilla flavour and sweetness.
    • Add baileys - to make it creamy and more dessert-like you can swap the Kahlua for Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur.
    What to serve it with?

    If you'd like to serve your espresso martini alongside a dessert then Tiramisu, Panna cotta or Stracciatella Gelato (No Churn) would be perfect options!

    What can I use instead of Kahlua?

    If you can't find Kahlua you can use another coffee-based liqueur such as Tia Maria which should be easy to find. You can also use Bailey's but it'll change the flavour (creamy, less coffee).

    How do I make it frothy on top?

    Make sure you make an espresso with plenty of Crema on top (foam) using a coffee machine. Then when you add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker make sure to shake it very hard about 10 times to create extra froth.

    I don't have a coffee machine, how do I get the foam?

    If you don't have a coffee machine you probably won't get the crema (foam) on top of your coffee. You can add an egg white to your cocktail shaker which will give you plenty of foam without changing the flavour or you can buy cocktail foam drops online. Add 1-2 drops to your shaker for that creamy top.

    An espresso martini in a cocktail glass

    If you’ve tried this Espresso Martini or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST or sign up to our NEWSLETTER to see more of our delicious food

    Step By Step Photos AboveMost of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
    Save RecipeSaved!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    A close up of an espresso martini topped with coffee beans
    Print Pin
    No ratings yet

    Espresso Martini

    Espresso Martini is the perfect after-dinner drink made with espresso, Kahlua and vodka. It's strong and sweet served ice cold with a creamy and foamy top and topped with coffee beans.
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine Modern Italian
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 5 minutes
    Servings 1 cocktail
    Calories 233kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • 1 part strong espresso (40ml)
    • 1 part Kahlua (40ml)
    • 1 part vodka (40ml)
    • ice
    • coffee beans for garnish (optional)

    Equipment

    • Cocktail shaker

    Instructions

    • Make a strong 1 shot of espresso using a coffee machine or Moka pot.
    • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then add the vodka, Kahula and espresso (no need to cool first). Shake the cocktail vigorously to create the foam then pour into a cocktail glass.
    • Top the cocktail with 3 coffee beans then serve.

    Notes

    • Make it sweeter - if you'd like the cocktail to be sweeter you can add ¼ teaspoon of sugar to your coffee, stir to dissolve then add to the cocktail.
    • Use vanilla vodka - vanilla vodka will add a delicious vanilla flavour and sweetness.
    • Add baileys - to make it creamy and more dessert-like you can swap the Kahlua for Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur.
    • No coffee machine? You can use a Moka pot to make a coffee with great foam OR you can add 1 egg white to your cocktail to create a thick foamy top. Another option is to buy cocktail foam drops online.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 46mg | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

    More Drinks

    • Martini Macchiato Cocktail
    • Puccini Cocktail
    • Americano Cocktail
    • Homemade Limoncello - Quick & Easy Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Ciao, we're Emily and Nathan. Our years living in Italy taught us how to cook authentic and delicious Italian food. We're here to help you put a beautiful meal on the table with tried and tested recipes you can trust. more about us!

    As seen in

    A collage of high profile online publication logos

    Popular Recipes

    • Tiramisu - Authentic Recipe!
    • Mushroom Ravioli With Parmesan Cream Sauce
    • Eggplant Parmigiana (Parmigiana di Melanzane)
    • Italian Beef Ragu - A Classic Recipe
    • Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Cream Sauce
    • Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce - Quick, Easy & Delicious

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us & Contact
    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Accessibility Statement

    My Recipe Box

    • Sign up for email updates and save all your favourite recipes!

    Recipes

    • Pasta
    • Mains
    • Desserts

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Copyright © 2022 Inside the Rustic Kitchen

    40 shares