‘Tis the season of colorful falling leaves, brisk air, and sunny skies! Autumn is here and so is Umamiology’s Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini. That’s right – it’s not a pumpkin spice latte, or a pumpkin spice martini. It’s an autumn must-drink pumpkin spice espresso martini. Indulge your senses today with our best pumpkin spice espresso martini recipe!
You’ve heard it – “pumpkin spice & everything nice!” Except, in today’s Umamiologist post, it’s more like “pumpkin spice & espresso martini!”
Ok, rhyming is not my strong suit. But espresso martinis sure are!
Today, we’re spicing up (see what I did there?) the traditional espresso martini with pumpkin spice… and everything nice – pumpkin spice infused coffee, pumpkin spice syrup, and pumpkin spice mix too.
The Birth of the Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
Are you one of those people who counts down the days until Starbucks announces their Pumpkin Spice Lattes each fall season? Well, did you know Nespresso also has a seasonal pumpkin spice coffee flavor? It’s the Pumpkin Spice Cake coffee for both the Original and the Vertuo line.
(Usually, I’m more of a Maple Pecan coffee gal, but thought I’d be adventurous this season.)
As I was savoring Nespresso’s Pumpkin Spice Cake coffee and enjoying its warm, sweet pumpkin and cinnamon notes, being reminded of the holidays, it hit me! With a bit of Kahlua coffee liqueur and vodka, this would make a great pumpkin spice espresso martini! And there you have it – the Umamiologist’s best pumpkin spice espresso martini was born.
What is Pumpkin Pie Spice?
Pumpkin pie spice, or pumpkin spice, actually doesn’t have any pumpkin in it. It has five spices that create its robustness – cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves. This spice blend is typically used to flavor, you guessed it, a pumpkin pie.
On a not-so-pumpkin-spice note, I’m usually a maple pecan pie kind of person. So I like my pumpkin pie spice notes subtle. You’ll see ways to tone down the pumpkin spice aroma and taste in the instructions further below.
Do I Need Espresso for Espresso Martini?
You may have already noticed… But we are skipping the espresso piece for this espresso martini recipe. Shocking?! It’s ok! As long as your coffee is chilled, you can use any coffee of your choice in an espresso martini – what matters most is that you like the flavor profile of the coffee you pick.
The Umamiologist has picked the Pumpkin Spice Cake coffee from Nespresso. These are larger pods, so they give you a larger, regular cup of coffee.
Key Elements Of This Recipe
- Pumpkin spice coffee: Various brands sell pumpkin spice coffee in the fall. Try to pick your favorite pumpkin spice coffee for this pumpkin spice espresso martini – it’ll make a difference!
- Kahlua coffee liqueur: This coffee liqueur is bold, dark, and has a bit of sweetness. It will pair well with the warm flavors of the other pumpkin spice ingredients in our pumpkin spice espresso martini recipe.
- Pumpkin spice syrup: We’ll use a pumpkin spice flavored syrup for our pumpkin spice espresso martini. The amount of sweetness can be adjusted to taste, of course!
The Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
- 1 oz Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz Ketel One vodka, (or other vodka)
- 1 oz Nespresso’s Pumpkin Spice Cake coffee, (or other Pumpkin Spice Coffee)
- 1/4 teaspoon Portland’s Syrup – Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon Frontier Pumpkin Pie Spice, (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)
- Small Strainer, (optional)
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
First, you’ll need coffee that has notes of pumpkin spice in it. This will enhance that cozy pumpkin pie aroma into your cocktail. I like my handy-dandy Nespresso machine, so will use the Pumpkin Spice Cake coffee pod. But there are other brands like Starbucks or Dunkin’ that have their own pumpkin spice coffee blend that you can use.
Once you’ve decided on your favorite pumpkin spice coffee, make sure you brew it to your liking!
Pro Tip: If you don’t have pumpkin spice coffee, it’s ok to skip this ingredient. Just note that you will probably have less of the pumpkin spice aroma in your cocktail.
Then, let your coffee cool down and chill. This is important because hot coffee will melt the ice and create a different taste 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.
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 Kahlua in your cocktail mixer cup. Also add the pumpkin spice syrup at this point. Feel free to adjust the amount of syrup to your taste. If you want to tone down the pumpkin spice notes, you can substitute the pumpkin spice syrup with maple syrup or agave nectar – I’d go for dark colored syrups.
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.
Once you have your cocktail in your martini glass, garnish your pumpkin spice espresso martini with a dusting of the pumpkin pie spice and three whole coffee beans. Serve immediately and drink!
Why Do I Need 3 Whole Coffee Beans?
Great question! I dive into this a bit in the Espresso Martini with Baileys post, but it’s mainly an Italian tradition! Each of the beans symbolize health, wealth, and happiness. And how can we exclude a simple, but well-wishing garnish this holiday season?
So, as with traditional espresso martinis, we top our pumpkin spice espresso martini with three whole coffee beans. Cheers!
If you liked this recipe, you’ll love these too:
Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
Equipment
- Nespresso machine, (or other espresso maker)
- Martini glass, (chilled)
- Small strainer, (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 oz Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz Ketel One Vodka, (or other vodka)
- 1 oz Nespresso's Pumpkin Spice Cake Coffee Pod, (or other Pumpkin Spice Coffee)
- 1/4 tsp Portland's Syrup – Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- 1/4 tsp Frontier Pumpkin Pie Spice, (optional)
- 3 beans Stumptown Holler Mountain Whole Bean Coffee, (or other Coffee Beans)
- 1 cup Ice Cubes
Instructions
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
- Once you've decided on your favorite pumpkin spice coffee, make sure you brew it to your liking!
- Pro Tip: If you don't have pumpkin spice coffee, it's ok to skip this ingredient. Just note that you will probably have less of the pumpkin spice aroma in your cocktail.
- Then, let your coffee cool down and chill. This is important because hot coffee will melt the ice and create a different taste 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!
- 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.
- Once your coffee is chilled, pour a cup of ice into your cocktail mixer cup and add the coffee, vodka, and Kahlua in your cocktail mixer cup.
- Also add the pumpkin spice syrup at this point. Feel free to adjust the amount of syrup to your taste. If you want to tone down the pumpkin spice notes, you can substitute the pumpkin spice syrup with maple syrup or agave nectar – I'd go for dark colored syrups.
- 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.
- Once you have your cocktail in your martini glass, garnish your pumpkin spice espresso martini with a dusting of the pumpkin pie spice and three whole coffee beans.
- Serve immediately and drink!
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is just an estimate derived by an online calculation tool.
FAQ
Can I make espresso martini without expresso coffee?
You sure can! This recipe actually calls for any coffee with pumpkin spice notes blended in, so it doesn’t have to be espresso coffee. 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!
What if I don’t have anything pumpkin spice?
That’s ok! If you still want the pumpkin spice notes, feel free to use a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves. In a pinch, you can also just use ground cinnamon. When all else fails, enjoy a regular espresso martini – check out one of my other espresso martini recipes!
Can I use hot coffee for espresso martinis?
Cold coffee is best for this recipe. If you use hot coffee, it will melt the ice and create a watered-down taste. Cold coffee helps preserve the robust flavor profiles of your ingredients.
Brooke
I had never heard of a pumpkin spice espresso martini, but after trying this drink, I am a HUGE fan. The pumpkin spice is not overpowering at all. Love this!
Jenny
This is so delicious! I’m stocking up on pumpkin spice coffee to make more of this!
Umamiologist
I’m so glad! Pumpkin spice is definitely in right now!
Geegee
How can pumpkin spice martini be this good???!!!! wow!
Umamiologist
I know, right? It goes so well as a pumpkin spice espresso martini!
Juliana
I was super curious how this would turn out and was amazed at the final product. The flavor is subtle, yet sooo good.
Umamiologist
Isn’t it? I’m enjoying one myself tonight!