Classic Espresso Martini Recipe

To me an espresso martini spells the start of the weekend. It’s the perfect go-go juice blend of caffeine and booze to pick you up and dust you off after a long week. Here’s our easy espresso martini cocktail recipe that’ll have you dancing on your desk in no time!

Mr and Mrs Romance - Espresso Martini cocktail recipe

It’s funny – Mrs Romance and I were sipping on an espresso martini the other night when she told me we haven’t written about these amazing cocktails yet.

I felt sure we had, but a quick search told me what I should have got used to hearing by now: Mrs R was right!

We’ve done a couple of interpretations of one but never a true espresso martini. For example, we’ve done the Styling You Mocha espresso cocktail and our Halloween version – the Black Promise, but never a straight up martini.

Well, it’s time to rectify that!

Mr and Mrs Romance - Espresso Martini cocktail recipe

For the caffeine hit, we’ve been playing around with a local roaster’s blend recently. The Old Fox from Leftfield Roasters has a nice balance of sweetness, nuttiness and acidity that goes well with this martini.

We do have an espresso machine, but decided to use one of those old style stovetop percolators for this cocktail. It worked very well.

Espresso Martini Cocktail Recipe

Mr and Mrs Romance - Espresso Martini cocktail recipe

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 x measures espresso coffee
  • 1 x measure vodka
  • 1 x measure Kahlua
  • Ice
  • Cocktail shaker
  • Coffee beans to garnish

Here’s what you do:

  1. Pour the coffee, vodka and Kahlua into the shaker over plenty of ice.
  2. Shake everything up hard for quite a long time – a minute if you can.
  3. Strain the drink into a martini glass so there’s a frothy head on the drink.
  4. Float coffee beans on the froth to garnish.

Mr and Mrs Romance - Espresso Martini cocktail recipe Mr and Mrs Romance - Espresso Martini cocktail recipe Mr and Mrs Romance - Espresso Martini cocktail recipe

Variations:

  • Instead of Kahlua, try using Frangelico or Amoretto for a nutty hint to your espresso martini.
  • For a creamier option, replace the Kahlua with Baileys.
  • A half shot of butterscotch schnapps or vanilla syrup will sweeten and thicken your cocktail if you’re after a dessert or after-dinner cocktail.
  • Need this cocktail a little sweeter? Dissolve a teaspoon of fine caster sugar in a tablespoon of warm water and add it to the ice. This simple syrup will sort you out!

Mr and Mrs Romance - Espresso Martini cocktail recipe

What do you do to get your Friday night going? Do you have a secret ingredient you like to add to your coffee cocktails? When do you like your espresso martini? Tell us in the comments!

Images by Mrs Romance using an Olympus OM-D EM10 camera.

6 Comments

  • Reply February 27, 2015

    Sonia from Sonia Styling

    An espresso martini is a great first drink to have on a night out – particularly a Friday after work. It peps you up and gets you in the mood for a good time. I love that I can see Chrissy in the reflection in that first photo (lucky she was wearing clothes)….!

    • Reply February 27, 2015

      Mrs Romance

      haha wonder if anyone would spot me! It’s my bright red pants (and lucky I was wearing pants lol 😉 )

    • Reply March 1, 2015

      Mr Romance

      Ha ha! Yeah that’s a rarity, Sonia. C’s really into her body paint at the minute – her current favourite style is ‘urban sniper’. I come home sometimes thinking the house is empty and she’ll just emerge from a wall, completely blended in. It’s amazing, but a little disconcerting!
      There’s nothing like getting the ol’ ticker going with an espresso martini, is there? Sets the mood perfectly, doesn’t it?
      Jxx

  • oh my goodness! A Cocktail and coffee together!! Now that certainly got my attention.:)

    • Reply March 1, 2015

      Mr Romance

      That’s exactly right, Kat! It’s the perfect storm!
      Jxx

  • […] an iconic cocktail – so much so that we’ve got our own recipe for an espresso martini here and we even created a new version of the classic in honour of our lovely friend Nikki […]

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