If you love chocolate and you also love coffee, you know that the two are a perfect pair. But admittedly, it can get a bit mundane, no matter how perfectly the two pair (gasp!). Now check this, chocolate espresso martini (what?! ). The chocolate espresso martini is the perfect fancy new “dessert” you need this holiday season – the Umamiologist has got you covered.
What is this new dessert cocktail I speak of that you’ve never heard of? Well, read on and I’ll tell you!
So you may have heard of an espresso martini (if not, check out my Espresso Martini post and start there)… The espresso martini is a perfectly sophisticated treat at brunch, after a meal, or even as a nightcap. But the chocolate espresso martini is the perfect festive holiday dessert-to-the-next-level kind of cocktail. You’ll have your party guests talking about this fancy treat for weeks, months, and years!
This holiday, can I be as bold to say… a new tradition is born! The Umamiology household will serve chocolate espresso martinis every year on Christmas from now on!
Sorry, I digress… But this chocolate espresso martini is THAT good! And we’re sharing the ooey gooey chocolate espresso martini recipe with you today! Now buckle up.
What Is Espresso Coffee?
REAL simply put, espresso coffee is just concentrated coffee. So it’s stronger in caffeine than regular coffee, and the taste is much bolder. This concentrated version of coffee is perfect for cocktails because it holds itself well despite the carefully selected hodgepodge of added ingredients. As you can imagine, it’s especially important for the coffee to keep its bold taste if you’re trying to make that perfect glass of espresso martini!
We have a Nespresso machine at home, so I am using my Nespresso coffee pods. With a click of a button, I can pull a delicious shot (or two) of espresso!
Generally, I like the Altissio coffee pod. However, holidays call for extra umami flavor! …Which is why I’m using the limited edition Unforgettable Double Espresso Nespresso Vertuo pod. This one’s a delight with notes of cereal and nuttiness.
What Is Chocolate Liqueur?
Chocolate liqueur contains chocolate and distilled liquor like whiskey or vodka. They are sweet and sometimes flavored (like vanilla) depending on the manufacturer. These chocolate liqueurs are often used for baked goods, but can be enjoyed on its own as a sweet aperitif.
Today’s recipe calls for a chocolate liqueur that has real Belgian chocolate – Baileys Chocolate Liqueur. Yum! If you’ve read the Espresso Martini with Baileys post, you know how I love Baileys. So when I found out about their chocolate liqueur, I had to jump on it and create this recipe!
Key Elements Of This Recipe
- Baileys Chocolate Liqueur: Chocolate liqueur made with Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur and Belgian chocolate. This is the key to our chocolate espresso martini.
- Espresso shot: Our fancy espresso for this recipe is the limited edition Unforgettable Double Espresso Nespresso Vertuo coffee pod. Its nuttiness adds that extra umami flavor to this espresso martini recipe.
How Do You Make Espresso Martini with Chocolate Baileys?
Simple! We’ll use Baileys Chocolate Liqueur instead of a different type of liqueur in our chocolate espresso martini.
I like Kahlua coffee liqueur for an original espresso martini taste or Baileys Original Irish Cream for the added creaminess in my espresso martini. But today’s a day worth bringing more holiday cheer – with chocolate liqueur!
What to Serve with Chocolate Espresso Martini
Serve your chocolate espresso martini immediately to enjoy the cold frothy goodness.
I’m serving mine with some delicious Cream Cheese Brownies this season (if we have guests over) or simply a few dark chocolate truffles if I’m keeping things lowkey-fancy. I’d also go for dark chocolate covered almonds to bring out the chocolatey perfection from the chocolate espresso martini.
Most importantly, serve chocolate espresso martinis with health, wealth, and happiness for the holidays! That’s what each of the espresso beans on top stand for – it’s an Italian thing.
The Ingredients for Chocolate Espresso Martini
- 1.5 oz Baileys Chocolate Liqueur
- 0.5 oz Ketel One Vodka, (or other Vodka)
- 1 oz Unforgettable Double Espresso Coffee, (or other Espresso Coffee, such as, the Nespresso’s Altissio Espresso Coffee)
- 1/4 teaspoon of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (optional for garnish)
- 3 beans Stumptown Holler Mountain Whole Bean Coffee, (or other Coffee Beans)
- 1 cup Ice Cubes
Pro Tip: If you have a bigger martini glass, double each ingredient (minus the coffee beans and ice, of course)!
The Equipment Needed
- Nespresso Machine, (or other Espresso Maker)
- Mixer Cup
- Martini Glass, (chilled)
- Small Strainer, (optional)
How to Get Started With Chocolate Espresso Martinis
Making Baileys Chocolate Espresso Martini is simple! If you’ve created any of my other espresso martinis, you can even call yourself a pro – at least pro enough to impress all your friends and family.
First, brew your espresso coffee. I like to use my handy-dandy Nespresso machine, so will pop in one of my espresso pods, like the Altissio coffee pod. However! I felt extra fancy for this chocolate espresso martini, so using the limited edition Unforgettable Double Espresso Nespresso Vertuo pod. This one’s a delight too, with notes of cereal and nuttiness.
Can I Use Hot Coffee for Espresso Martini?
Remember to let your coffee cool down and chill. This is important because hot coffee will melt the ice in your cocktail shaker and create a less robust flavor in your cocktail.
Pro Tip: Ensure your coffee is chilled before adding it to the cocktail shaker. Otherwise, the warm coffee will melt the ice and change the flavors of your cocktail.
Also chill your fancy martini glass in the fridge! You’ll thank me later for this.
Pro Tip: If you forget to chill your martini glass, no worries! Just put a few ice cubes into your martini glass as you make your cocktail and discard them before pouring in your lovely concoction.
How to Make Chocolate Espresso Martini
Once your coffee is chilled, you’re ready for the next steps.
Pour a cup of ice into your cocktail mixer cup and add the coffee, vodka, and chocolate Baileys in your cocktail mixer cup.
The Baileys chocolate liqueur already has sweetness, so we are not adding extra sweeteners to our cocktail.
Now shake! It’s important to shake for at least 15 seconds for that velvety foam then pour into your martini glass.
Pro Tip: Use a small strainer to catch any ice pieces from your shaker as you pour your delicious cocktail into your martini glass.
How to Garnish Chocolate Espresso Martini
Once you have your cocktail in your martini glass, garnish your chocolate espresso martini with a dusting of the unsweetened cocoa powder and three whole coffee beans. Serve immediately and drink!
If you liked this recipe, you’ll love these too:
Equipment
- Nespresso machine, (or other Espresso Maker)
- Martini glass, (chilled)
- Small strainer, (optional)
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Baileys Chocolate Liqueur
- 0.5 oz Ketel One Vodka, (or other Vodka)
- 1 oz Nespresso's Unforgettable Double Espresso Coffee, (or other Espresso Coffee)
- 1/4 tsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, (optional for garnish)
- 3 beans Stumptown Holler Mountain Whole Bean Coffee, (or other Coffee Beans)
- 1 cup Ice Cubes
Instructions
How to Get Started With Chocolate Espresso Martinis
- Making Baileys Chocolate Espresso Martini is simple! If you've created any of my other espresso martinis, you can even call yourself a pro – at least pro enough to impress all your friends and family.
- First, brew your espresso coffee. I like to use my handy-dandy Nespresso machine, so will pop in one of my espresso pods – the limited edition Unforgettable Double Espresso Nespresso Vertuo pod.
Can I Use Hot Coffee for Espresso Martini?
- Let your coffee cool down and chill. This is important because hot coffee will melt the ice in your cocktail shaker and create a less robust flavor in your cocktail.
- Also chill your fancy martini glass in the fridge! You'll thank me later for this.
- Pro Tip: If you forget to chill your martini glass, no worries! Just put a few ice cubes into your martini glass as you make your cocktail and discard them before pouring in your lovely concoction.
How to Make Chocolate Espresso Martini
- Once your coffee is chilled, you're ready for the next steps.
- Pour a cup of ice into your cocktail mixer cup and add the coffee, vodka, and chocolate Baileys in your cocktail mixer cup.
- Now shake! It's important to shake for at least 15 seconds for that velvety foam then pour into your martini glass.
- Pro Tip: Use a small strainer to catch any ice pieces from your shaker as you pour your delicious cocktail into your martini glass.
How to Garnish Chocolate Espresso Martini
- Once you have your cocktail in your martini glass, garnish your chocolate espresso martini with a dusting of the unsweetened cocoa powder and three whole coffee beans.
- Serve immediately and drink!
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is just an estimate derived by an online calculation tool.
FAQ
What’s the best liqueur for espresso martini?
That depends! If you’re looking for a festive holiday espresso martini, I’d go for Baileys Chocolate Liqueur. When looking for the original espresso martini taste, I recommend Kahlua coffee liqueur. Last, but not least, for a creamy latte-like espresso martini, go for Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur.
How can I make espresso martini without espresso?
The most important element in an espresso martini is the coffee flavor. So it’s important to choose the perfect coffee that you enjoy, whether that’s espresso, cold brew, or even instant coffee! Take any favorite coffee you have and use that as your special coffee ingredient in your espresso martini.
What is an espresso martini?
An espresso martini is a cocktail that contains coffee liqueur, espresso coffee, and vodka. There are many different ways espresso martinis are made these days and today’s recipe calls for chocolate liqueur and vodka!
Carrie
So glad I found this – going to keep making this for my holidays too! So rich and creamy -Thanks!
Juliana
I already tried the pumpkin spice espresso martini – this one’s next! Thanks!
Umamiologist
Go for it! I hope you enjoy this one just as much!