Name: Espresso Martini
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: ½ cup ice cubes; 6 ounces freshly brewed espresso ( or strong coffee (chilled)); 2 ounces Bailey's Irish cream liqueur; 1 ounce Kahlua (similar to Kahlua); 1 ounce simple syrup (or to taste)

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This creamy espresso martini is the perfect cocktail for a romantic date night or to unwind at the end of the day. It’s rich, sweet, creamy, has just the right amount of coffee flavor, and can be whipped up in under 5 minutes!

Martini glass filled with an espresso martini.

Easy and Delicious Espresso Martini Recipe

This espresso martini is the best nightcap and dessert all in one!

It comes together in just a few minutes, is made with the sweetest ingredients, and is the perfect balance of creamy, rich, sweet, espresso-y deliciousness.

It’s perfect on its own or paired with chocolate cake, chocolate mint cookies, English toffee, or your favorite sweet treat.

How to Make an Espresso Martini

This sweet espresso martini comes together in a total of 5 minutes!

Scroll to the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.

In a cocktail shaker, combine ice, espresso, Bailey’s, kahlua, and simple syrup.
Shake until the mixture starts to foam up, then strain into a martini glass, and top with some of the foam.

Espresso being poured into a martini glass.

Tips for Success

Shake it well! I recommend giving the ingredients a good shake for 20 to 30 seconds so it can get nice and foamy. That foam is part of what makes it so creamy.
Don’t forget to strain out the ice. You shake the cocktail with ice to chill it, but leaving the ice in there will water it down and dilute the delicious flavor.
To keep your martini colder longer, place your serving glasses in the freezer to chill before mixing up your drink.

Variations

Make it extra creamy. Try adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the shaker with the other ingredients. If you do this, you can leave out the ice. It will get plenty cold!
Add whip. Top it off with a dollop of whipped cream for a sweet, creamy finish.
Make it festive. Add a splash of peppermint schnapps for the perfect Christmas cocktail.
Want the coffee flavor without the buzz? Swap the espresso or coffee out for your favorite decaf variety.
No coffee liqueur? Sub it out for an additional espresso shot. It will be less alcoholic, but more caffeinated!
No Irish cream? Make our Homemade Bailey’s recipe with just 6 simple ingredients!
Make it a margarita! Instead of an espresso martini, try our espresso margarita.

Storage

Refrigerator: A single martini is best served right away, but if you are making a large batch, store it in an airtight jar or pitcher in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 days. Just give it a good mix before serving!

Freezer: To freeze your espresso martini, you can just pour it into an ice cube tray and store it in the freezer. To use them, either add them to fresh martinis to keep them cool or blend them up with milk to make a frozen espresso martini.

What Liquor is Best for an Espresso Martini?

An espresso martini uses a combination of Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur and a coffee liqueur such as Kahlua.

Bailey’s Irish cream adds a rich creaminess with both chocolate and vanilla flavors while Kahlua adds to the coffee flavor.

Three coffee beans on top of an espresso martini.

Can You Pre-Batch an Espresso Martini?

Yes! You can totally make this into a large batch espresso martini recipe by simply doubling or tripling the ingredients, mixing them up in a pitcher without ice, and storing that in the fridge.

When you’re ready to serve, just pour into your serving glasses and enjoy!

Do Espresso Martinis Have a Lot of Caffeine?

Espresso martinis have as much caffeine as is in a regular espresso shot or coffee. If you prefer to avoid caffeine, feel free to use decaf espresso or coffee instead.

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