Espresso Martini

Joe Reider, Austin Realtor
Aug 21
3 min read

Updated: Oct 12

Espresso We Go Difficulty: ★★★★★ Required Patience: ★★★★★

Move over, Bloody Mary. There's a new kid in town - the espresso martini - and it's a great way to jumpstart your morning, brunchfest, or "just because" you love espresso. There are a few stories about the origin of this concoction, but rumors suggest it likely hailed from the 1980s in a West End London bar, the Soho Brasserie. This recipe presumes you will enjoy it from the bottle, which is my recommended way to best experience this delicious beverage (plus it's convenient).

Time To Prepare:

<30 minutes

Foodie Tips:

You can use your favorite espresso to bring this drink to life. My go-to coffee is the New Mexico Pińon Coffee dark roast - it's nutty, bold, and smells amazing in addition to its taste.
I make these martinis ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator, in a 1-liter bottle. The martinis will keep for about a month, although they don't typically last that long. You know I'm serious about these when the martinis get their own handmade labeled bottle!
Fan of espresso? Don't miss out on an affogato, a delicious treat consisting of gelato "drowned" by a shot of espresso. There are so many ways to enjoy an affogato - I prefer mine made with vanilla or nutty-flavored gelato (think hazelnut or pistachio). Rumor has it that I successfully encouraged Mandola's to add it to their menu after a few words about enjoying affogato during my trips to Italy.

Ingredients: 1 Cup | Homemade Espresso 2 Cups | Blanco Tequila or Vodka 1 Cup | Kamora Liqueur or Kahlúa To Fill | Water (If Making in a 1-liter bottle)

Garnish | Heavy Cream Garnish | Cinnamon Garnish | Cayenne

What To Do: 1. Chill your coupe or martini glass in the freezer. 2. While things are chilling, make your espresso. Set the espresso aside to cool. 3. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine the vodka, coffee liqueur, and espresso. Carefully seal the cocktail shaker topper. Shake away for a few seconds, until the martini is quite cold. If you're storing the martini in a 1-liter bottle, transfer the martini mixture into the bottle and add filtered water to fill it (a funnel works great. Otherwise, pour the martini into your chilled coupe or martini glass).

4. If you'd like a pretty white-cream topping: in a small shaker, pour heavy cream over a few ice cubes and shake for a 10-20 seconds. My shaker "burped" from the air-infused cream, so I removed the shaker top after shaking. 5. To serve: If you like it cold, you can add ice to your glass (optional). Pour the martini and add your hand-shaken cream, if using. Then top with a few shakes of some cinnamon and cayenne which will amp up the flavor profile in a great way. Top with the signature 3 coffee beans if you'd like, for full effect. 6. Store the martini bottle in the fridge for up to a month (if it lasts that long).