Think you need Kahlua to make an espresso martini? You don't. This Espresso Martini Without Kahlua gets its coffee kick from espresso, with Tia Maria as an easy swap or extra sugar and a few drops of vanilla if you're skipping the liqueur.
Freshly brewed espresso, left to cool, turns a few simple ingredients into an ice-cold cocktail with a little sweetness and plenty of coffee flavor. Give it a hard shake and watch that frothy layer settle on top as you pour.
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Why make this?
I like my espresso martini to really taste of coffee. This version has plenty of espresso, and I add a little sugar to soften its bitter edge. Tia Maria is my favorite, so that's what I reach for when I make it for a special occasion. And if there's tiramisu for dessert, I'm very happy to serve the two together. Coffee in the glass and coffee on the plate might sound like a lot, but that's exactly how I like it.
The Best Kahlua Substitutes for an Espresso Martini
Any of these swap 1:1 for Kahlua in this recipe:
- Tia Maria: my favorite. Darker roast flavor and less sweet than Kahlua. You can even make it yourself - my copycat Tia Maria recipe costs a fraction of a bottle.
- Mr. Black cold brew liqueur: the bartender favorite. Much less sweet, very intense coffee. If you use it, keep the confectioner's sugar in the recipe.
- Frangelico: technically a hazelnut liqueur, but with the espresso it tastes like a hazelnut latte in cocktail form. Wonderful.
- Crème de cacao, Baileys, or Licor 43 Chocolate: these turn it into a creamier, dessert-style martini. Delicious, but no longer dairy-free with Baileys.
- No coffee liqueur at all? Also possible! Jump to the no-liqueur version below for the amounts and how to still keep the foam.
Whatever you choose, keep the coffee fresh - the liqueur is the accent, the espresso the main flavor.
Espresso Martini Without Any Coffee Liqueur
Leave the liqueur out and use the same amounts of vodka and espresso as in the recipe card, with 2 teaspoons of sugar instead of 1 (or a splash of simple syrup) and a few drops of vanilla extract. Dissolve the sugar in the espresso while it's still hot, then let it cool.
The drink comes out drier and more coffee-forward, which is closer to how some accounts say the very first version tasted: just vodka, espresso and a little sugar.
How Strong Is This Espresso Martini
One cocktail made with the recipe card amounts holds about as much alcohol as a glass of wine. That's lighter than most bar versions, because I use more espresso and less vodka.
The coffee hides the alcohol well, which makes it easy to drink a second one faster than you planned. My grandmother had a rule for that: eat well, never too much. The only "too much" that's allowed is being too happy at the table. For a stronger, classic-style drink, double the vodka and halve the espresso.
Origin
The espresso martini comes from 1980s London, where bartender Dick Bradsell made it for a customer who wanted a drink that would wake her up. Accounts of the first recipe differ.
Some say it had no coffee liqueur at all and was simply called a Vodka Espresso; others say it used both Kahlua and Tia Maria. Either way, Kahlua was never the only option and this version without it isn't a shortcut.
Ingredients You Need
You require the following simple ingredients to prepare this Espresso Martini without Kahlua Recipe. You can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog:
- Espresso: brewed with an espresso machine, or as strong as you can make it with a moka pot or instant espresso powder. Fresh espresso has crema, the light-brown foam on top, and that crema is where the cocktail's foam comes from.
- Vodka: any plain vodka will do. It adds strength without adding flavor, so there's no need for an expensive bottle.
- Confectioner's sugar: a teaspoon takes the edge off the bitterness. Using regular or brown sugar? Stir it into the espresso while it's hot, so it dissolves before the espresso cools.
How to Make It
You can find a printable recipe with a step-by-step guide to preparing this coffee-flavored cocktail at the bottom of this blog.
- Put ice cubes, confectioner's sugar, and vodka at the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add the cold, fresh espresso.
- Finally, add the coffee liqueur.
- Shake hard for 15-20 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is frosty and almost too cold to hold. Keep a finger on the cap - it can jump off (experience expert 😉).
If you want to serve the espresso martini nicely, add a glass rim, as I did here, with some gold powder. Dip the glass first in a water bowl and then in the gold powder. It's also nice to use some coffee beans as decoration, but then mention in front you can't eat them!
What to Serve With an Espresso Martini
An espresso martini is dessert and after-dinner coffee in one glass, so it wants something sweet and rich next to it. My first pick is a chocolate tiramisu. Coffee next to coffee sounds like too much, but the mascarpone softens the bitterness of the espresso. After a big dinner, a small glass of chocolate mousse with cream is lighter and dark chocolate and espresso are an old combination anyway.
Serving drinks without a plated dessert? Pass around salted caramel chocolate truffles, which need only 4 ingredients. And if you're making espresso martinis for a crowd, make a bottle of homemade Tia Maria ahead of time. It costs a fraction of a store-bought bottle.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I make espresso martinis ahead for a party? Mix the vodka, liqueur, sugar, and cooled espresso in a bottle and refrigerate up to a day ahead. Shake each drink with ice to order, the foam only comes from a fresh shake.
- Why three coffee beans on top? Tradition says they represent health, wealth, and happiness. Tell guests they're decoration, not a snack!
- No espresso machine? Use instant espresso powder or very strong moka pot coffee. Cool it fully before shaking.
- Is this dairy-free? Yes - with Tia Maria, Mr. Black, or Frangelico. It stops being dairy-free if you use Baileys or another cream liqueur.
- Can I make it without any coffee liqueur? Yes. The section "Espresso Martini Without Any Coffee Liqueur" above has the amounts. The drink tastes drier and more coffee-forward, so shake it extra hard to keep the foam.
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Recipe Help
Two easy tools to make cooking even easier. Cooking mode keeps the screen on. The easy-step recipe displays the recipe step by step, including the ingredients needed. And you can adjust servings easily
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon edible gold, powder, optional
- 1 handful ice cubes
- ⅓ cup Vodka
- ¼ cup coffee liqueur
- 1 cup espresso, cooled
- 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- If you like it, dab the glass rim of the martini glasses (or cocktail glass) in advance in some water and then press it into gold powder.1 teaspoon edible gold
- Put all ingredients in the cocktail shaker and shake hard for 15-20 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is frosty and almost too cold to hold. Keep a finger on the cap - it can jump off (experience expert 😉).1 handful ice cubes, ⅓ cup Vodka, ¼ cup coffee liqueur, 1 cup espresso, 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar
- Leave the strainer on the shaker and pour the espresso martini into the glasses.
Notes
- See the substitutes block in the blog above for great ideas.
- Using a chocolate liqueur such as crème de cacao, Bailey's Irish cream, or licor 43 chocolate is also a great idea instead of a coffee liqueur. This gives a creamy espresso martini. The creamy cocktail isn't dairy free when using one of these.
- Or mix a touch of cinnamon with this cocktail (also delicious).
Nutrition
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