12 Tasty Ways To Upgrade Your Espresso Martinis

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There are a lot of variations on the espresso martini, but the classic recipe is simple: Vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup. This combination of caffeine and alcohol, served in a stemmed cocktail glass, provides drinkers with a unique and classy way to get a buzz on, in both senses of the word. No one knows exactly where and when it was created, but legend has it that it originated in a London bar in the 1980s at the behest of a famous supermodel who was too tired to continue partying. Whatever the true story, the cocktail has remained a favorite for decades, and espresso martinis have surged in popularity in recent years.

As mixology has evolved since the espresso martini's invention, new versions of the drink have popped up from bartenders around the world. As a bartender and a coffee fanatic myself, I'm always taking cracks at creating new twists on this drink that combines so many of my favorite things. I've found that taking any of the drink's four core elements and tweaking or upgrading it can elevate this drink to a new level without affecting its balance. Adding totally new ingredients can also be a fun way to breathe new life into this drink, from traditionally complementary coffee additions to wildly outlandish flavor components. Read on to find a dozen of my favorite ways to upgrade this beloved cocktail.

Of all the major ingredients in an espresso martini, you might think that vodka is the least crucial — after all, it's a neutral spirit, typically not meant to be tasted. That assumption is quite far from the truth. The differences in vodkas may be less detectable than, say, what sets apart gins made with different botanicals, or whiskies made with different grains, but there are still massive distinctions between various vodkas. In a cocktail, that matters.

A vodka that's been distilled and filtered over and over again until it's almost indistinguishable from water isn't going to bring much to your palate besides alcohol content, which is fine. If you want your espresso martinis to really sing, however, opt for a vodka that has a strong personality. My favorite vodka to use in espresso martinis, and any cocktail that can be considered dessert-style, is a brand from England called Black Cow. It's distilled from milk whey, and has a distinctively rich and creamy texture with a subtle sweetness. If you can't track down this gem, try a potato vodka like Boyd & Blair or Chopin. If you're in the mood to really splurge, Barr Hill vodka, which is made from fermented honey, is another exceptional choice.

Even if vodka's not your thing, or you're indifferent to it, you can still enjoy an espresso martini that's adjacent to the classic recipe. One of the easiest ways to amp up the drink's flavor is by splitting the base spirit. What this means is taking vodka, the typical base of the drink, and cutting the amount with something else. You're not changing the cocktail's balance or alcohol content, at least not by much, but you are adding another dimension of boozy flavor.

You can split a base spirit using whatever ratio you want, from replacing a teeny fraction of vodka with something different, to going half-and-half — or, of course, you can replace the vodka altogether if that's your preference. Most spirits work well in an espresso martini, so if you have a favorite, throw it in and see what you think. Aged rums with some tropical notes and spice are my personal favorite, but a rich, sweet bourbon works nicely too. If you're a fan of Irish coffee, grab your favorite Emerald Isle whiskey and go to town. Agave spirits like tequila and mezcal make natural partners with coffee. For the Italophiles out there, adding grappa into the mix creates a fun riff on the caffé corretto, a spiked espresso common in Italian coffee culture.

You'll find plenty of espresso martini recipes that include a creamy ingredient. Sometimes that's milk or cream, just as you'd add to a regular coffee, and sometimes it takes the form of a dairy-based liqueur. While this isn't part of the original iteration of the cocktail, it's fairly commonplace to see milky, light-brown espresso martinis at restaurants and bars. If you prefer your coffee to be on that end of the color spectrum, you'll probably enjoy adding a similar dimension to your espresso martini.

Rich cream and half-and-half go a long way, so if you're including these in your cocktail, don't overdo it or you'll overpower the drink's flavors. Dairy alternatives like coconut milk, horchata, and oat milk add subtle sweetness along with their creamy textures. If you're looking to ramp up the booze factor as well as the texture, reaching for liqueurs like Irish cream, bourbon cream, rum cream, or chocolate cream liqueurs will add just what you need.

Simple syrup is just what it sounds like: Simple. A mix of granulated sugar and water, simple syrup is one of the most basic and versatile ingredients you can have for your bar. A little bit of this staple adds sweetness to a cocktail as well as body and balance. In a well-made drink, simple syrup is like the glue that ties everything else together, mellowing alcohol's burn and sanding off the harsher edges of citrus. The thing is, simple syrup doesn't have to emulate its name. It's one of the easiest and cheapest elements of a cocktail to experiment with to punch up your drinks' flavors.

All it takes is sugar, water, heat, and whatever flavoring agent you fancy. Whole spices, sprigs of herbs, and fresh fruit, when left in contact with simple syrup for a little bit of time, will infuse it with intensity. Once you strain out the solids, treat it like plain syrup in your espresso martini. Some of my favorite infusions for this cocktail include vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, and other baking spices, and the ultimate — for the real caffeine fiends — coffee. Infuse your simple syrup with cracked coffee beans and you can make an espresso martini for a true coffee lover.

If you can imagine any flavor — herb, spice, fruit, nut, flower, bean, vegetable, or some combination thereof — there's probably a liqueur of it. Espresso martinis are typically made with coffee liqueur, but coffee has a complex enough range of flavors that you can go wild experimenting with other styles, and there's a good chance a lot of them will work. 

If you've ever dabbled in formal wine tasting, you've likely seen a flavor wheel, which categorizes and identifies all of the aromas and flavors you might find in the beverage. Coffee has a flavor wheel, too — and it's just as in-depth and vast as anything from the wine world. If your espresso is particularly nutty, try amaretto or nocino liqueurs to enhance those flavors. Some coffees are brightly aromatic and floral, so you might go for an elderflower or hibiscus liqueur. Peppery, fruity, and herbal liqueurs can also elevate those flavors that are present in certain coffees. It's all a matter of which flavors you want to intensify to best suit your personal palate.

I have enormous respect for simple syrup. There's always a bottle of it in the door of my fridge. I use it in iced coffee and cocktails, or to make an impromptu glass of fresh lemonade. It's the best. Sometimes, though, when you're in the mood for something with a little more character, there are more interesting liquid sweeteners you can reach for. Whatever you like to sweeten your coffee with, you can use it in your espresso martini in place of simple syrup.

Margarita enthusiasts probably already have some agave syrup on hand — perhaps from Costco, which makes a great affordable option — and this can add a deeply concentrated sweetness that's more complex than syrup made from processed sugar. Honey can be used on its own, although its texture is so thick it's hard to mix with as-is. Thinning it out with some hot water turns honey into a simple syrup-like liquid which is much easier to use in cocktails. Maple syrup is similar, depending on what type you get — the best stuff can be intensely viscous and require watering down, while some less concentrated grades can be used in cocktails without adulteration. All of these alternatives to simple syrup complement coffee flavors in their own way while adding the same sweetness.

One major advantage to making your own espresso martinis over ordering them at a bar is that you have complete control over the coffee element of the drink. Bartenders typically batch their espresso so that it's ready to go — if you're making a dozen or more espresso martinis in an hour, there's not enough time to brew a fresh shot each time. But freshly brewed espresso will give you the most flavor, not to mention it foams up better when shaken. Think about the difference between a freshly pulled espresso with its delicate crown of crema, and one that's been sitting around for a while and has gone limp and watery. The same principle applies to cocktails made with that espresso.

Now, of course, not everyone has their own state-of-the-art espresso machine in their home kitchen. If you're one of these lucky few, take advantage of it by making your espresso martinis with the freshest brews you can produce. The flavor, intensity, and texture can never be duplicated by older batches of coffee.

We're not all lucky enough to have a Starbucks in our home capable of brewing fresh, just-pulled espresso shots at will. Luckily, there is a comparable alternative for those who want to get the most out of the espresso portion of their espresso martini, and you can buy it at the grocery store. Cold brew coffee concentrate is a fantastic ingredient for espresso martinis — by its very nature, it's concentrated, which is exactly what you want from an ingredient destined for a cocktail, because even after diluting it with ice it will maintain a robust flavor.

There are lots of cold brew concentrates out there on the market, from household names like Starbucks and Dunkin' to cold brew specialist brands such as Chameleon and Stumptown. These store-bought brands make espresso martinis easy, especially if you're making multiple drinks for a group. Coffee concentrate can also be made at home if you prefer to choose your own beans and control the strength of the brew. Just make sure to use it up, in espresso martinis or otherwise, before it loses flavor.

An espresso martini made using the traditional four-ingredient recipe makes its own foam cap, just like a perfectly poured cup of espresso is topped with a white crown of crema. However, if your coffee is too old, you haven't shaken hard enough, or you've used too little ice, your foam cap might look more like a soap scum ring. That's a less-than-appealing quality when it comes to espresso martinis, but luckily, there are multiple bartending tricks you can use to always ensure your foam is the crème de la crème.

As I mentioned, the fresher the espresso, the better it'll foam up with you shake it, but that's not the only route to a good top layer. If you've ever had a pisco sour, you've likely enjoyed a cocktail made with egg white, which froths up and creates a dense foam atop a drink when prepared the right way — alternatively, aquafaba can accomplish the same effect to give a vegan cocktail. This technique is known as the dry shake, which means you mix the ingredients first without ice, to let the egg whites emulsify, then you mix them again with ice to create a foam-topped cocktail (personally I prefer the reverse dry shake, which is done in the opposite order). For the ultimate cocktail topper, get your hands on a whipped cream dispenser to give yourself a smooth, silky foam that's light as air. An Octandra Professional Whipped Cream Dispenser will work nicely.

The story behind the espresso martini's traditional three-bean garnish is steeped in mystery. In my early bartending days, I heard a story that it was a relic from World War II, as certain numbers of coffee beans were placed in people's drinks as a code to let soldiers know who was friend or foe. Of course, there was no espresso martini in that era, and I've since found no evidence that this is the case. The overwhelming consensus seems to be that the beans represent health, wealth, and happiness, and that three of them just looked good floating on top of the drink.

Just because the three beans are traditional, whatever their origin, doesn't mean that's the best garnish for this cocktail. In fact, you could make a good argument — and many bartenders I know have — that it's a pointless garnish at best, and an annoying one at worst. No one wants random solid things floating in their drink, and when you get to the bottom of the glass you end up having to spit them out. They add very little, possibly nothing, in the way of aroma or flavor. A garnish as simple as a zest of lemon, traditional with espresso, brings much more vibrancy out of the drink. Orange zest works well, too, adding a touch more sweetness. Mint leaves make a refreshing aromatic topper. Rimming the glass with sugar (or salt!) and ground spices is another creative way to add flavor.

If you're a regular on cocktail social media, you've probably seen the parmesan espresso martini. This viral sensation took the traditional cocktail and topped it with a dusting of grated Parmesan cheese, and people went wild. Love or hate the Parmesan espresso martini, it opened up a whole new world of possibilities for drinkers who like espresso but don't enjoy sweet cocktails. Pushing this recipe into the savory realm isn't such a far-fetched idea — coffee isn't inherently sweet, and is often used in savory beverages and dishes.

Parmesan cheese's salty, umami-laden flavor profile, and its creaminess that comes from simply being cheese, add levels of complexity and dimension that enhance and contrast with the drink's other elements. This may not be everyone's cup of tea (or espresso, to be more precise), but you can't argue that it's a truly unique cocktail experience. Cheese isn't the only savory ingredient that you can add to this drink — try a dash of soy sauce or some muddled herbs to bring out the earthier flavors of the espresso.

Spicy cocktails aren't that out of the ordinary. Who doesn't love an extra-hot bloody mary, or a margarita with muddled jalapeños? Spicy heat and the espresso martini may not be the first combination that comes to mind, but coffee and chiles are a lovely match, in both culinary and cocktail preparations. The rich, roasted flavor of espresso paired with a zesty, piquant, peppery flair makes both ingredients sing, and turns a simple espresso martini into a flavor bomb.

Adding spicy heat to an espresso martini can be done in many different ways. Infuse simple syrup with fresh or dried chiles of your choice to add sweetness and spice at the same time. There are some great spicy liqueurs on the market, like Ancho Reyes, which can be used instead of or in addition to coffee liqueur to add an extra kick. You can also rim the glass with spices like cayenne, chili powder, or ground wasabi mixed with sugar or salt to give every sip a spicy boost. The potent combination of alcohol, coffee, and spicy heat creates an invigorating espresso martini experience that's hard to match.