The Espresso Martini recipe
for your table
Pull a fresh espresso and let it cool for a moment.
Shake vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and optional sugar syrup extremely hard with plenty of ice for 15 seconds. This is where the foam layer comes from.
Double-strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
Place three coffee beans on the foam: happiness, health, and prosperity.
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The story
London, the 1980s. A young model asked star bartender Dick Bradsell for a drink that would 'wake her up and then knock her out'. The legend has been told in several ways, but the outcome has not: Bradsell shook vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso into the 'Vodka Espresso', later renamed the Espresso Martini. For decades it remained an insider tip, until social media discovered the photogenic foam layer with three coffee beans. Today, according to virtually every industry survey, it is one of the most ordered cocktails in the Netherlands.
The right glass
The Espresso Martini owes half of its charm to its presentation: a deep brown cocktail with a smooth cream-colored foam layer in a stemmed glass. A coupe or martini glass of 19 to 26 cl is ideal. The wide opening allows the coffee aroma to unfold and keeps the foam layer intact. Choose crystal-clear glassware, because with this cocktail, the contrast between dark and light is exactly what you want to show. If you prefer to serve it in a wider coupe, take a look at our champagne coupe glasses.
Bormioli Rocco America'20S Champagne Glass / Coupe 22 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Aria Champagne Glass / Coupe 33 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 81,90.
The right tools
For an Espresso Martini, besides the glass, you need a Boston shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a cocktail strainer and a fine strainer for double straining. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools together € 94,75.
Variations & twists
Replacing part of the liqueur with Baileys makes it creamier; with tequila (and coffee liqueur), it becomes a Mexican Espresso Martini. Using cold brew instead of espresso makes it smoother and less bitter. A little vanilla or caramel syrup is fine, as long as the coffee is fresh. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Use espresso from a good roastery and shake really hard: without force, there is no crema. For a dessert version, partially replace the vodka with Baileys or Licor 43.
Good to know
How to get the foam layer reliably
The crema comes not from the recipe but from the technique. Fresh espresso contains the oils and fine coffee particles that form the foam layer; coffee that is half an hour old produces barely any foam. So let the espresso cool briefly until lukewarm, but no longer than a few minutes. Then shake really hard for fifteen seconds with plenty of large ice cubes, because force and cold determine how much air gets incorporated. Double-strain afterward so shards do not puncture the layer. Finally, let the glass stand for thirty seconds before placing the coffee beans on top; the foam will then expand.
Which coffee liqueur should you choose
Kahlúa is the standard and the most widely used: sweet, with distinct vanilla and rum underneath. Tia Maria is drier and more coffee-forward and makes a crisper cocktail, for which you’ll usually need the optional sugar syrup. Those who take it seriously should look at Mr Black or another cold brew liqueur; they are much less sweet and far more intense in coffee flavor, so stick to 2 cl and leave out the syrup. Replacing it with coffee syrup alone doesn’t work, because the liqueur also contributes body and alcohol, which support the texture.
Espresso, cold brew, or instant coffee
Freshly pulled espresso is the first choice, and that’s not snobbery. Pressure-brewed coffee contains the emulsifying oils that create the foam layer. Cold brew is the second option: smoother, less bitter, and less acidic, but also with noticeably less foam, so shake it for a few seconds longer. Instant coffee is an emergency solution that turns out surprisingly acceptable if you make it strong, about two teaspoons in 4 cl hot water, and then let it cool completely. Filter coffee is the weakest choice because it is too thin and produces a watery cocktail.
Alcohol-free espresso martini
A good 0.0 version is achievable, although it requires a little more structure. Use 4 cl fresh espresso, 2 cl coffee syrup or an alcohol-free coffee liqueur, and 4 cl alcohol-free distilled base. Since alcohol normally provides body, an extra half centiliter of syrup or a bar spoonful of aquafaba helps give the foam more stability. Shake hard for fifteen seconds and double-strain. Keep in mind that the caffeine remains: a double espresso contains around 120 milligrams, so late in the evening this is not a gentle nightcap for many people.
Esma: the same cocktail, a shorter name
Behind the bar, you rarely hear him order it by its full name: there, it’s simply called an esma. If you search for an esma recipe, this is exactly the recipe you’ll find. Vodka, coffee liqueur, and fresh espresso in a 4-2-4 ratio. The abbreviation says nothing about the preparation: an esma cocktail is an espresso martini, just ordered more briefly. Useful to know when you’re reading a menu that only lists the abbreviation.
Espresso martini ingredients
What is in an espresso martini? Four things: 4 cl vodka, 2 cl coffee liqueur, 4 cl fresh espresso and optionally 1 cl sugar syrup. How do you make an espresso martini with exactly that ratio? Shake everything vigorously for fifteen seconds with plenty of large ice cubes and double strain. No espresso machine at home? Strong moka pot or French press coffee works too, although the foam layer will be thinner.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make an Espresso Martini?
Brew a fresh espresso and let it cool briefly. Then shake 4 cl vodka, 2 cl coffee liqueur, 4 cl espresso and, optionally, 1 cl sugar syrup extremely vigorously with plenty of ice for fifteen seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe and finish with three coffee beans on the foam.
What is in an Espresso Martini?
Vodka, coffee liqueur such as Kahlúa and fresh espresso, optionally with some sugar syrup and three coffee beans as a garnish. In this recipe, that is 4 cl vodka, 2 cl liqueur and 4 cl espresso. So there is no cream in it, despite the creamy-looking foam layer on top.
How do you get foam on an Espresso Martini?
The foam comes from the oils in fresh espresso, released by vigorous shaking. Use freshly brewed coffee, shake for at least fifteen seconds with plenty of ice, and double strain. Cold coffee from the refrigerator or instant coffee almost never produces a firm crema layer.
What glass do you serve an Espresso Martini in?
In a coupe or martini glass with a capacity of 19 to 26 cl. The wide opening gives the coffee aroma room to develop and keeps the foam layer intact, while the stem keeps the cocktail cold. Clear glass shows the contrast between dark and crema: see our espresso martini glasses.
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