The espresso martini is a coffee drink first and a cocktail second, which is exactly why so many home versions go wrong. People fuss over which vodka to buy and then pour in stale, lukewarm coffee and wonder why the drink comes out flat, thin and a little sad.
Get the coffee right and the rest is easy. That is good news if you do not own an espresso machine, because the coffee only needs to be strong, fresh and cold. An AeroPress, a moka pot or a jar of cold brew concentrate can all get you there.
Below is the classic recipe, the ratios that make it work, how to get that thick foam on top, and how to make a good one with or without a machine — plus a few variations and an alcohol-free version.
Classic espresso martini recipe
Espresso martini (one drink)
An espresso martini is vodka, coffee liqueur and a fresh shot of espresso, shaken hard with ice and strained into a chilled glass so a creamy layer of foam forms on top. It takes about five minutes.
- Chill a coupe or martini glass in the freezer while you make the coffee.
- Brew 1 oz (30 ml) of espresso or very strong coffee and let it cool for a minute or two.
- Add 1¾ oz (50 ml) vodka, 1 oz (30 ml) coffee liqueur and the coffee to a shaker. Add ¼ oz (7 ml) simple syrup if you like it sweeter.
- Fill the shaker to the top with ice and shake as hard as you can for 15–20 seconds.
- Double strain into the chilled glass, let the foam settle for a few seconds, and garnish with three coffee beans.
That is very close to the standard bar spec: vodka, coffee liqueur and one strong espresso, shaken and served straight up. The simple syrup is optional. Most coffee liqueurs are already sweet, so taste one without it first and adjust from there.
Where the espresso martini came from
The drink is generally credited to Dick Bradsell, a London bartender who was working at the Soho Brasserie on Old Compton Street. As the story goes, a customer asked him for something that would wake her up and knock her sideways at the same time. He put vodka and fresh espresso together, sweetened it with a little sugar syrup, and served it over ice.
It was first known simply as the Vodka Espresso. Coffee liqueur, the straight-up martini glass and the Espresso Martini name all came later as the drink spread from bar to bar. The three coffee beans on top stuck around from the start.
If you like coffee cocktails with a real history, the espresso martini has two older cousins worth knowing: the Spanish carajillo, which is just espresso and a spirit or liqueur, and the hot, cream-topped Irish coffee.
The ratio that makes it work
Think of the espresso martini as three parts with three jobs. Once you see it that way, you can swap ingredients without losing the drink.
Air whipped in by a hard shake, held in place by compounds from fresh coffee. This is what makes it look finished.
1 oz strong coffee and 1 oz coffee liqueur. The coffee brings bitterness and aroma; the liqueur rounds it off.
About 1¾ oz. Neutral, so it carries the coffee without competing with it.
A useful way to remember it is roughly 2 : 1 : 1 — two parts vodka to one part coffee liqueur to one part coffee. If the drink tastes boozy and thin, add a little more coffee. If it tastes harsh and bitter, add a touch of simple syrup or a little more liqueur. If it tastes like dessert, cut the liqueur back and let the coffee lead.
Pick a plain, clean vodka. This is not the drink for anything flavored or expensive; the coffee is going to dominate. Your coffee liqueur matters more. Some are syrupy and very sweet, while craft versions tend to be drier and more coffee-forward, so expect to tweak the syrup depending on the bottle.
How to get the foam on top
That creamy crown is the signature of a good espresso martini, and it is not an extra ingredient. It comes from two things working together: air you force into the drink, and the coffee itself helping to hold that air in place.
Use fresh coffee. Freshly brewed espresso carries the same compounds that give a shot its crema, and they help stabilize the bubbles you create in the shaker. Coffee that has been sitting in the pot for an hour has lost most of that. Brew it right before you make the drink.
Use more ice than you think. Fill the shaker all the way. Every cube is a surface for the liquid to crash against, and more crashing means more air whipped in. A half-full shaker also melts faster and waters the drink down.
Shake hard. You want the ice slamming from one end of the shaker to the other. A gentle wiggle chills the drink but will not build much of a head.
Cool the coffee a little first. Piping-hot espresso melts the ice on contact, which dilutes the drink and leaves the foam weak and bubbly. A minute or two on the counter is enough. You still want it fresh, just not scalding.
Double strain. Pour through the shaker’s strainer and a small fine-mesh sieve. It catches ice shards, so the foam settles into a smooth, even layer rather than a broken one.
How to make an espresso martini without an espresso machine
A real espresso machine forces water through coffee at around 9 bar of pressure. You do not need that for this drink. What you need is about an ounce of coffee that is strong enough to stand up to vodka, liqueur and the dilution from all that ice. Here are three ways to get it.
- How
- A double dose of fine coffee with a small splash of hot water, pressed slowly
- Foam
- Good — fresh and concentrated, so it shakes up well
- Best for
- One or two drinks, fast cleanup
- How
- Brew a full pot and measure off 1 oz per drink
- Foam
- Good — the closest thing to espresso on a stovetop
- Best for
- A round of drinks for friends
- How
- Use 1 oz of concentrate straight from the fridge
- Foam
- Softer, but still a solid head if you shake hard
- Best for
- Zero brewing on the night, smoothest flavor
With an AeroPress
The AeroPress is my favorite no-machine option for this drink. Use a heavy dose of finely ground coffee — around 15 to 18 grams — and only enough hot water to wet it and give you a little over an ounce of liquid. Stir, wait about a minute, then press slowly. You get a thick, concentrated shot that is not technically espresso but behaves a lot like it in a shaker. Our AeroPress guide covers the espresso-style method step by step.
With a moka pot
A moka pot brews with steam pressure of roughly 1 to 2 bar, far less than an espresso machine, but the coffee comes out strong and rich enough to do the job. Take it off the heat as soon as it starts to sputter so it does not turn bitter, then measure out 1 oz per drink. If you are new to it, here is how to use a moka pot without scorching the coffee.
With cold brew concentrate
This is the easiest route and the smoothest-tasting one. Cold brew concentrate is already cold, so there is no ice-melting problem, and it is low in sharp acidity. The trade-off is a slightly softer foam, since cold-brewed coffee never formed crema in the first place. Shake extra hard and it will still give you a respectable head. Make sure it is concentrate, not ready-to-drink cold brew, or the drink will taste watery. Our cold brew guide explains how to make a batch strong enough.
In a pinch, instant espresso powder works too. Dissolve a heaped teaspoon in about an ounce of hot water, let it cool, and use it like a shot. It will not taste as good as fresh-brewed, but it foams better than you might expect.
Why the drink comes out flat (and other fixes)
Almost always old coffee, too little ice or a lazy shake. Brew fresh, fill the shaker and shake like you mean it.
The coffee was too hot or too dilute. Let espresso cool for a minute, and use concentrate rather than regular drip coffee or ready-to-drink cold brew.
Your liqueur is doing more than you think. Drop the simple syrup entirely, or cut the liqueur to ¾ oz.
Over-extracted coffee or a scorched moka pot. Pull the pot off the heat earlier, or add a little syrup to round the edges.
One more thing worth knowing: caffeine can make you feel less drunk than you actually are, without changing how much alcohol is in your system. Espresso martinis go down easily, so pace yourself.
Espresso martini variations
Once you have the base ratio down, swapping one ingredient at a time is the easiest way to play.
- Tequila espresso martini. Replace the vodka with reposado tequila. It adds a soft, caramel-and-agave note that works surprisingly well with coffee.
- Vanilla espresso martini. Swap the simple syrup for vanilla syrup, or use a splash of a vanilla liqueur such as Licor 43 — the same pairing behind the Mexican-style carajillo.
- Creamy espresso martini. Add ½ oz of Irish cream liqueur and reduce the coffee liqueur a little. Richer, sweeter and very dessert-like.
- Chocolate espresso martini. Replace half of the coffee liqueur with crème de cacao for a mocha-style drink.
- Salted caramel. Use caramel syrup in place of simple syrup and add a tiny pinch of salt to the shaker. The salt also takes the edge off the coffee’s bitterness.
Non-alcoholic espresso martini (mocktail)
Because the foam comes from the coffee and the shake rather than the alcohol, a zero-proof version works better than most mocktails. Shake 2 oz (60 ml) of fresh espresso or strong AeroPress coffee with ½ to ¾ oz (15–20 ml) of simple syrup or coffee syrup and a full shaker of ice. Strain into a chilled glass and top with three beans.
If you want more body, add an ounce of a non-alcoholic spirit or a splash of cold milk or oat milk. Keep in mind this is basically a double shot of espresso, so it is not a late-night drink if you want to sleep.
Espresso martini FAQ
Why are there three coffee beans on top?
They are traditionally said to stand for health, wealth and happiness. The idea is usually traced to the Italian custom of serving sambuca con la mosca — “with the fly” — which means with three coffee beans floating in the glass.
Can I use regular brewed coffee?
You can, but standard drip coffee is too weak and will make a thin, watery drink with little foam. If drip is all you have, brew it at roughly double strength.
Can I make espresso martinis ahead of time?
You can pre-mix the vodka, liqueur and syrup and keep it in the fridge, but brew and add the coffee just before shaking. Fresh coffee is what gives you the foam.
Do I need a cocktail shaker?
No. A large jar with a tight lid works fine. Fill it with ice, shake hard, and strain through a small sieve into your glass.
How much caffeine is in an espresso martini?
Roughly what you would get from a single shot of espresso, plus a small amount from the coffee liqueur. The exact figure depends on your coffee and the brand of liqueur.
Former roastery owner and coffee tour operator. Steve spent five years roasting coffee for his own shop and wholesale customers. More about Steve