Super Easy Espresso Martini

If you’re a coffee aficionado then you must try this super easy espresso martini. This cocktail is so easy to make and is full of strong, sweet coffee flavor.

What is a Espresso Martini?

An espresso martini is made of vodka, Kahlua and espresso. This cocktail tastes like a sweet and smooth iced coffee. Though the bite from the vodka is there it is almost not noticeable.

This cocktail, while called a martini, does not have traditional martini ingredients. However, there are a whole slew of cocktails that are served in martini glasses and get the martini name and this is one of them.

Kahlua is a dark and rich colored liqueur that originated in Mexico. It is made from rum, arabica coffee beans and sugar. It has around 20% alcohol by volume and actually does have some caffeine content as well. It has a very sweet and strong coffee flavor.

Vodka is a clear liquor. It typically has a rather neutral taste, but often times you can taste a bit of the alcohol bite from it in a cocktail. It contributes a lot of the alcohol content in this drink.

Espresso is made by using a very small amount of water and a high pressure. This results in a very strong caffeinated beverage that is slightly thicker than coffee.

When to Make This Drink:

This drink is super easy to make and can be served at a multitude of different times such as:

• afternoon sipping
• after dinner drinks
• celebrations
• brunch

Variations:

Whether you’re looking to vary the flavor a little, or need to substitute an ingredient there are a few different ways you can change this drink up including:

• Substitute the Kahlua. Kahlua is one of the more popular coffee liqueurs. However, it isn’t the only one available. You can substitute it for another coffee liqueur such as Tia Maria.
• Use coffee flavored vodka. Want a triple down on the coffee flavor? Use a coffee flavored vodka instead of plain vodka.
• Add simple syrup. If you want to add a little sweetness to this cocktail, you can add a little splash of simple syrup to your drink.
• Make your own espresso. We prefer to use a pre-made espresso cold brew for ease of making the drink. However, if you want to make your own espresso you certainly can. Make sure to cool it down before starting your cocktail.
• Add a garnish. You can add a couple coffee beans and or a lemon twist to add a little color to your drink.

Other coffee flavored martinis are: peppermint espresso martini, cold brew martini, tequila espresso martini and hazelnut espresso martini.

How to make this drink:

The most time-consuming part of this drink is making the espresso if you choose to make it on your own. However, once that is done it really only takes about 3 minutes to shake this drink up.

Equipment:

• Martini glasses
• jigger
• cocktail shaker
• Hawthorne strainer

Ingredients:

• .5 oz Kahlua
• 1.5 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Espresso coffee
• Ice

Instructions:

Step one

Make sure you got all the necessary ingredients and equipment for this cocktail gathered together. This should include martini glass, jigger, Hawthorne strainer, cocktail shaker, Kahlua, vodka, espresso and ice.

Step two

Place the Martini glass in the freezer to chill.

If you’re brewing your own espresso, go ahead and get that made as well.

Step three

Grab your cocktail shaker and ice. Toss a couple handfuls of ice in the shaker. It should be almost full to the top.

Step four

Take your vodka and measure out 1.5 oz using the jigger. Then, toss the vodka into the shaker.

Step Five

Take the espresso and measure out 1 oz using jigger. Then, toss the espresso into the shaker with the vodka.

Step six

Take Kahlua and measure out 0.5 oz using the jigger. Then, toss that into the shaker as well.

Step seven

Take the lid to the shaker and cover the shaker with it. Shake well until the outside of the shaker has become icy and cold to the touch. This will take around 20 seconds.

Step eight

Remove the martini glass from the freezer.

Replace the shaker lid with the Hawthorne strainer. Then, strain your espresso martini from the shaker into your martini glass.

Recipe