Espresso Martini
This is the only Espresso Martini recipe you’ll ever need. It’s tasty, edgy and sophisticated – three awesome reasons why it’s the most popular coffee cocktail in the world.
Jump to recipe ↓Ingredients
- 90 ml GRADA Specialty Coffee Liqueur
- Shaker
- Ice Cubes
- 3 Whole Coffee Beans
How to make
- Pour your 90ml of GRADA Specialty Coffee Liqueur and ice into a shaker.
- Shake hard for 15-20 seconds until the shaker feels chilled. This is the secret to creating that velvety foamy head.
- Pour the mixture into a martini or cocktail glass.
- Garnish with 3 coffee beans, and viola... enjoy! Your Espresso Martini is ready in seconds.
Made with
GRADA 01 Single Origin — 700mlSpecialty coffee liqueur. Hot extracted in Melbourne. The single-ingredient espresso martini. GRADA 01 Single...
$52.99
Pro tips
1. Use Quality Espresso
We love to use freshly brewed espresso made from high-quality, dark roast coffee beans. But as always, use the espresso that tastes best to you. Hot tip: make sure it cools down before adding it, otherwise it will melt the ice and make the cocktail watery.
2. Shake Hard Until Cold and Frothy
To achieve that signature frothy top, shake your cocktail shaker half-filled with ice vigorously until the outside feels freezing cold. This not only chills the drink but also blends the ingredients perfectly to create a creamy texture.
3. Garnish Like a Pro
Our tip is to get creative. Try chocolate shavings or cocoa powder for a sweet and indulgent finish, chocolate covered coffee beans work too. A pinch of instant coffee adds a lovely aroma. Or our personal favourite, a dusting of cinnamon for a cozier feel.
4. Experiment with Variations
Our favourite variation is the Mexican Espresso Martini with tequila instead of vodka. We also love trying our other Kahlúa flavours like Salted Caramel or Mint Mocha. If you can’t get your hands on those, try adding a splash of flavoured syrups like hazelnut or vanilla, or try another favourite, the Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini. Get some inspiration from our Espresso Martini Variations page.
5. Adjust the Sweetness
If you prefer a sweeter cocktail, we suggest adding a splash of simple syrup to your mix. It enhances the sweetness without overpowering the rich coffee flavours, giving you a balanced cocktail. For our favourite recipe with simple syrup, check out the Vodka Espresso.
Tools you'll need
Cocktail Shaker
We use a professional one, but you can also use a mason jar or blender bottle, or pretty much any container with a tight-fitting lid you can shake without spilling.
Fine Strainer
This removes the ice shards, any coffee grounds and helps create the froth on top of the drink. You can also use a fine-mesh sieve or something similar from your kitchen cupboards instead.
Coffee Machine or Espresso Maker
You can use a high-end machine, a pod system or a stovetop percolator, any sort works as long as it can produce a creamy espresso. Don’t have an espresso machine? You can also use instant coffee or cold brew or concentrate, but just remember it won’t give you that signature frothy finish.
Jigger or Measuring Instrument
You’ll need something to measure the right amounts of ingredients. If you don’t have a jigger, our pro tip is to use a 30 ml or 1 ounce shot glass to measure instead.
Martini Glass
We suggest using a martini glass to showcase the rich colour and creamy froth. If you don’t have one, any similar-shaped glass you have at home will do. Our favourite tip: place the glass in the freezer for 5 mins before serving for a frosty cocktail.
About the Espresso Martini
The Espresso Martini is a cold coffee cocktail made by shaking espresso, vodka and coffee liqueur hard over ice, then straining it into a chilled glass to create its signature velvety crema. Invented in 1980s London, it's now the world's most-ordered coffee cocktail, but the gap between a good one and a great one almost always comes down to the coffee liqueur. That's where this Espresso Martini recipe departs from the classic: it's built on Grada, a specialty coffee liqueur made in Melbourne, from just three ingredients (single-origin coffee, neutral grain spirit and sugar) using a hot-extraction method instead of the cold brew most bottled liqueurs rely on. Roasting and brewing the coffee hot captures the body, depth and natural crema a cold-brew base can't, so your martini pours with a fuller mouthfeel and a proper foam head.
The coffee comes from a single farm, Fazenda Progresso, at 1,150 metres in Brazil's Chapada Diamantina mountains, giving Grada its tasting notes of dark chocolate, brown sugar and stone fruit with a long, clean finish. Dialled to just 200g of sugar per litre, it's noticeably less sweet than the category, so your Espresso Martini tastes of real coffee rather than dessert, with more body than cold brew and far more balance than the sugary versions most bars still serve. With a good bottle of Grada, fresh ice and a hard shake, this recipe delivers a smooth, bar-quality Espresso Martini at home every time.
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The single-ingredient espresso martini. One pour, one shake, no machine.
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