Hi friends, happy Friday! (Quick heads up that today’s post is for readers who are 21 & up.) St. Patrick’s Day celebrations will be taking place in Chicago this weekend & it’s also actually “Espresso Martini Day” today. That said, I thought I’d share one of my favorite caffeinated cocktails to make at home & add to my Bowtiful Bartender series.
I’m a big espresso martini fan, but I’ve found that they can vary significantly depending on where and how you order them! I tend to order mine on the sweeter side, but some places make them way too sweet, some are too watery & taste like drip coffee, some have almost no coffee taste & are all foam, and others taste just right!
One of the other key differences that I’ve noticed is that when espresso martinis are made with actual espresso I tend to like them way more than ones made with mixes, cold brew, etc. In fact, at one of my favorite bars I always make a point of ordering from the main/front bar vs. the back bar for this reason. After a lot of trial and error, I finally landed on my *ideal* at-home espresso martini recipe. After getting rave reviews from friends, it felt like an appropriate time to share it with all of you as well!
Ingredients
2 oz. Kahlúa
2 oz. Vodka – usually Tito’s
2 pushes/cycles of one Nespresso espresso pod – best one is Altissio
a splash of cream, oat milk, or half & half – I love using the Trader Joe’s pumpkin oat milk in the fall for a fun, seasonal twist
a cocktail shaker (You can use a water bottle if you don’t own one!)
ice
a glass
coffee beans (optional)
How-To
- Measure out your ingredients. Combine in a cocktail shaker & add ice
- Shake until icy. If you’re using a metal shaker, it should almost hurt to hold the shaker due to the cold when you’re done shaking.
- Strain the mixture into your glass of choice.
- Optional: Top with three espresso beans
- Enjoy!
I hope that you all enjoyed this installment of Bowtiful Bartender! Let me know what you think if you try this espresso martini out for yourself! As always, please drink responsibly.
