“One espresso martini, please!” As I put in my drink order with the server, I see my girlfriends’ head turn through the corner of my eye. “What is an espresso martini and why does it sound so yummy?” they ask. And there you have it, the beginning of our search for the best espresso martinis.
I’ve had my fair share of espresso martinis now – thanks to my girlfriends who have joined this adventure to find deliciously creamy espresso martinis. We’ve had ones with too much coffee, too much vodka, too little coffee, too little vodka – you name it, we’ve had it (unfortunately)!
As a cocktail with just a few key ingredients, you’d think that it would have a pretty consistent taste. Now we know that we couldn’t have been more wrong! Finally, in steps the Umamiologist to take matters into her own hands.
What Is An Espresso Martini?
This delicious concoction originated from Great Britain around the 1980s. Unlike actual martinis, it doesn’t have any gin or vermouth. And it’s definitely not garnished with olives! Rather, an espresso martini recipe calls for vodka and is garnished with three whole coffee beans.
So why is it called a martini? It’s because of the glass it’s served in. This fancy cocktail is served in a V-shaped martini glass. Since the 1990s, cocktails served in these martini glasses were also called martinis.
Plus, it had a better ring to it. “Espresso martini” makes it seem more sophisticated and piques curiosity to the occasional eavesdropper, don’t you think?
What Is IN An Espresso Martini?
The espresso martini is a cocktail made with vodka, espresso coffee, and coffee liqueur.
As with any espresso coffee, everyone has their own amount of the perfect amount of sweetness to balance out the bitterness in the coffee. This is typically the case for espresso martinis too.
We will use Kahlua coffee liqueur in our recipe. Kahlua is already slightly sweet, so our recipe does not call for added sweetness.
Optionally, however, simple syrup can be added to the cocktail to balance out the bitterness of the espresso coffee. The amount of sweetness would depend on the person drinking the cocktail and how bitter your coffee is, so adjust accordingly.
Do Espresso Martinis Have Caffeine?
You bet it does! However, if you want to savor the delicious coffee flavors of this creamy cocktail with less caffeine, I suggest using a decaf coffee as part of your perfect recipe.
I have a handy-dandy Nespresso machine and have chosen the Altissio Nespresso Vertuo pod. Its full-bodied and creamy cereal flavor profile adds the perfect coffee taste to our recipe.
If you want to be extra fancy, try the limited edition Unforgettable Double Espresso Nespresso Vertuo pod. This one’s a delight too, with notes of cereal and nuttiness.
Meaning of the Three Coffee Beans In An Espresso Martini
Typically, you’ll see espresso martinis topped with three whole coffee beans. This tradition comes from an Italian saying of “con las mosca” – literally, “with the fly.” This is probably because of the way you could mistake a coffee bean for an actual fly in your drink!
In all seriousness, though, the three coffee beans symbolize health, wealth, and happiness. Something I wish to all who drink this fancy cocktail!
Key Elements Of This Recipe
- Kahlua coffee liqueur: A rich, velvety coffee liqueur made of Arabica coffee beans and rum. This liqueur also brings the sweetness into our espresso martini.
- Espresso shot: Umamiology’s go-to is the Altissio Nespresso Vertuo pod. Its full-bodied and creamy cereal flavor profile adds the perfect coffee taste to this espresso martini recipe.
- Vodka: The main liquor in our cocktail! You can choose your favorite vodka for this one.
The Ingredients for Espresso Martini
- 1 oz Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz Ketel One Vodka, (or other Vodka)
- 1 oz Nespresso’s Altissio Espresso Coffee, (or other Espresso Coffee, such as, the Unforgettable Double Espresso Coffee)
- 1/4 teaspoon of Simple Syrup (optional)
- 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)
Can You Make Espresso Martini Without Kahlua?
Kahlua is a coffee liqueur from Mexico made of Arabica coffee beans and rum. It has notes of sweetness and adds to the smooth and creamy texture of the best espresso martini.
But, I have to admit, you don’t need Kahlua. You can substitute the coffee liqueur with other alternatives – my personal favorite is the Baileys Original Irish Cream. You can check out how I make one with Baileys if you’re thinking of swapping out the Kahlua with Baileys.
How to Make Espresso Martini
Espresso martinis are one of the simplest cocktails to make!
Start by brewing your perfect cup of espresso coffee. I’m making mine with my trusted Nespresso machine – I’m using the Altissio Nespresso pod this time. Be sure to do this first because you want your espresso coffee to cool down before mixing in the rest of the ingredients.
Pro Tip: You can also cool your freshly brewed espresso coffee in the refrigerator to speed things along.
Next, prepare your mixer cup with a cup of regular or large ice cubes – these bigger ice cubes generally melt less than the tiny ice cubes.
When you’re ready, pour in your chilled espresso coffee, Kahlua, and vodka into the mixer cup.
We won’t add any additional sweetener in our cocktail today, but if you are adding a bit more sweetness, this is also when you’ll add the simple syrup to taste. I suggest using simple syrup so it doesn’t add any other flavor profiles to the cocktail that other flavored syrups might bring (like maple syrup, for example).
Next, shake your mixer cup with your cocktail mix for a good 15 seconds. This is how you get that delectable, white cream on your delicious, creamy espresso martini!
Pro Tip: Be sure to shake your cocktail for at least 15 seconds to get that cream or crema on top!
Once shaken, pour the cocktail mixture into your chilled martini glass. Take a pause here to enjoy (with your eyes) that smooth creamy texture! Are you ready to take a sip of this creamy delight? Wait! Not yet!
Garnish the drink with three whole coffee beans – they’ll float right on top of the espresso cream you’ve created.
Now, you can indulge in your creamy espresso martini! Here’s to health, wealth, and happiness!
If you liked this recipe, you’ll love these too:
Espresso Martini
Equipment
- Nespresso machine, (or other Espresso Maker)
- Martini glass, (chilled)
Ingredients
- 1 oz Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz Ketel One Vodka, (or other Vodka)
- 1 oz Nespresso's Altissio Espresso Coffee, (or other Espresso Coffee)
- 1/4 tsp Simple Syrup, (optional)
- 3 beans Stumptown Holler Mountain Whole Bean Coffee, (or other Coffee Beans)
- 1 cup Ice Cubes
Instructions
How to Make Espresso Martini
- Start by brewing your perfect cup of espresso coffee. I'm making mine with my trusted Nespresso machine – I'm using the Altissio Nespresso pod this time. Be sure to do this first because you want your espresso coffee to cool down before mixing in the rest of the ingredients.
- Pro Tip: You can also cool your freshly brewed espresso coffee in the refrigerator to speed things along.
- Next, prepare your mixer cup with a cup of regular or large ice cubes – these bigger ice cubes generally melt less than the tiny ice cubes.
- When you're ready, pour in your chilled espresso coffee, Kahlua, and vodka into the mixer cup.
- We won't add any additional sweetener in ours today, but if you are adding a bit more sweetness, this is also when you'll add the simple syrup to taste. I suggest using simple syrup so it doesn't add any other flavor profiles to the cocktail that other flavored syrups might bring (like maple syrup, for example).
- Next, shake your mixer cup with your cocktail mix for a good 15 seconds. This is how you get that delectable, white cream on your delicious, creamy espresso martini!
- Once shaken, pour the espresso martini cocktail into your chilled martini glass.
- Garnish the drink with three whole coffee beans – they'll float right on top of the espresso cream you've created.
- Serve immediately – Here's to health, wealth, and happiness!
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is just an estimate derived by an online calculation tool.
FAQ
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 we have a good flight of espresso martini recipes for you here at Umamiology!
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.
Is Baileys or Kahlua better for espresso martini?
It’s personal preference! Baileys adds more of the creaminess in a creamy espresso martini. Kahlua adds more of the coffee flavor into a strong pick-me-up kind of espresso martini. Think more like… Do you like your coffee black or with cream?
Jim
I like that you give the option of not using additional sweeteners. Really liked this recipe because it’s so simple.
Aidan
The recipe is missing one key ingredient.
Brown sugar
Wet the rim of the glass with lime juice and the add the brown sugar to the rim of the glass
This will elevate the cocktail 🍸 too a whole new level.
Umamiologist
Amazing suggestion, Aidan!
Giangi Townsend
This is the first time I’ve tried espresso in a martini. It tastes interesting. I’ll have my husband give it a try tomorrow.