Espresso Martini recipe: the exact measures
The espresso martini recipe is three liquids and nothing else: 45 ml vodka, 30 ml coffee liqueur and 30 ml freshly pulled espresso, shaken hard with ice and strained into a chilled martini glass, finished with three coffee beans on the foam. That is 105 ml in the glass. The calculator above scales every measure — vodka, liqueur, espresso, shaker ice and beans — to as many glasses as you need, up to twelve, and shows the shake and the pour so you can see where the ice goes (into the shaker, never into the glass). The thick tan crema on top is not an ingredient: it is the espresso's own oils whipped into foam by the shake.
The original espresso martini recipe
The drink was invented in 1983 by London bartender Dick Bradsell, at the Soho Brasserie on Old Compton Street, for a customer who asked for something that would wake her up and then knock her out. Bradsell's original espresso martini recipe used vodka, a shot of fresh espresso, coffee liqueur and a little sugar syrup, garnished with coffee beans — and he originally called it the Vodka Espresso. The version served today is essentially unchanged; many bars still add 5–10 ml of sugar syrup, which is worth doing if your coffee liqueur is on the dry side or your espresso pulls bitter.
Espresso martini ingredients: the full list
For one glass you need exactly this: 45 ml vodka, 30 ml coffee liqueur (Kahlúa is the standard, but any coffee liqueur works), 30 ml espresso — one fresh single shot, cooled — ice for the shaker (about five cubes) and 3 coffee beans to garnish. Optionally, 5–10 ml of simple syrup. Two things matter more than the brand of anything: the espresso must be freshly pulled, because the crema disappears within minutes, and everything must be cold — a warm shot melts the shaker ice and leaves you with a watery drink and no foam.
Espresso martini preparation, step by step
Chill the glass first: fill it with ice and water while you work. Pull the espresso and let it cool for a minute — it should not be hot when it hits the shaker. Add the vodka, the coffee liqueur, the espresso and the syrup (if using) to a shaker filled with ice. Now the part that makes or breaks it: shake hard for 15–20 seconds, much harder and longer than feels necessary. That violent shake is what aerates the coffee oils into the crema. Double-strain into the chilled glass, float three coffee beans on the foam and serve immediately — the foam starts to collapse after a couple of minutes.
On the rocks, and other ways to serve it
The classic serve is straight up, strained into a martini or coupe glass. But an on the rocks espresso martini — poured over fresh cubed ice in a rocks glass instead of being strained — is increasingly common: it dilutes more slowly, stays cold much longer and is far more forgiving at a party, though you sacrifice some of the crema. Same recipe, same shake; you just pour instead of straining. The drink is also known as a coffee martini, and you will see both names on menus — they refer to the same cocktail.
Please drink responsibly. Alcohol and caffeine figures are approximations based on standard vodka (40% ABV), coffee liqueur (about 20% ABV) and a single espresso shot.
Frequently asked questions
What are the ingredients of an espresso martini?
45 ml vodka, 30 ml coffee liqueur and 30 ml freshly pulled espresso, shaken with ice and strained into a chilled glass, garnished with 3 coffee beans. Optionally 5–10 ml of simple syrup. That is the whole list.
How much caffeine is in an espresso martini?
Roughly 60–100 mg — about the same as a regular cup of coffee. Almost all of it comes from the single espresso shot (around 60–65 mg), with a small extra amount from the coffee liqueur. It is enough to keep you up: worth remembering if you are drinking it late.
Can you make an espresso martini with instant coffee?
Yes, and it works better than you would expect. Dissolve 1 heaped teaspoon of instant coffee (ideally instant espresso) in 30 ml of hot water, then let it cool completely before shaking. Instant coffee actually foams well, so you still get a crema. What you cannot do is skip the cooling step — hot coffee melts the shaker ice and ruins the texture.
What is the difference between a coffee martini and an espresso martini?
None — they are two names for the same drink. "Coffee martini" is simply the more generic name, and some bars use it when they are building the cocktail with brewed coffee or cold brew rather than a true espresso shot. The recipe, the shake and the serve are identical.
How do you get the foam on an espresso martini?
By shaking hard, for 15–20 seconds, with fresh espresso. The foam is the coffee's natural oils aerated by the shake — it is not cream and there is no cream in the drink. Old or stale espresso will not foam, and neither will a gentle shake.
Can you make an espresso martini on the rocks?
Yes. Shake it exactly the same way, then pour it over fresh cubed ice in a rocks glass instead of straining it into a martini glass. It stays cold much longer and is easier to serve at a party; the trade-off is a thinner crema.
How strong is an espresso martini?
Around 18–20% ABV after the shake dilutes it — the vodka (40% ABV) and the coffee liqueur (about 20%) in 105 ml of liquid. Stronger than a glass of wine, and the caffeine masks how strong it feels.
Can you make an espresso martini without alcohol?
Yes. Use a zero-proof vodka alternative and swap the coffee liqueur for cold espresso plus a little sugar syrup (or a non-alcoholic coffee liqueur, now widely available). Keep the espresso and the hard shake — the crema comes from the coffee, not the alcohol, so the drink still looks right.