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Perk up with this creamy coffee martini! It’s the ideal after dinner drink: coffee, Kahlua and Irish cream with a crunchy coffee bean rim.
Calling all coffee lovers! Here’s the caffeinated coffee cocktail for you: the Coffee Martini! It’s smooth, frothy and creamy: and the best part? A crunchy coffee bean rim. Watch out: these go down easy!
Each sip is a burst of flavor, pairing bitter coffee with sweet vanilla, creamy chocolate and the fruity finish of Irish whiskey. It’s the ideal after dinner drink for coffee addicts (like us). Here’s how to make it!
What’s in a coffee martini?
The Coffee Martini is a vodka martini made with coffee: and it’s different from the Espresso Martini. The Espresso Martini is a classic cocktail invented in the 1980’s made with espresso, vodka, and Kahlua. This coffee martini is a little more free-form: there’s not an exact definition like there is with an espresso martini. So we took the ideas and ran with them to create our own version!
This Coffee Martini pairs the rich creaminess of Irish cream with the traditional vodka and Kahlua combination. Here’s what you’ll need:
Coffee making methods
Use whatever coffee method you like for this Coffee Martini! You may want to use decaf coffee if you’re serving this as an after dinner drink and don’t want to stay up all night. But if you love an after dinner coffee, full strength (and we do), go for it! Here are some of our favorite methods for brewing:
- Pour over: We used a Chemex to make pour over coffee for this cocktails, which we use every morning.
- Cold brew concentrate: It’s simple to use cold brew concentrate in a martini! You can buy a bottle or make homemade cold brew coffee.
- French press: This coffee martini is great with French Press coffee or French Press espresso.
- Espresso maker: You can also make an Americano for this coffee if you have an espresso maker.
- Coffee maker: Any coffee maker you have will do.
How to make a coffee rim
The best part about this Coffee Martini? The crunchy coffee rim! Coating the rim in coffee beans and sugar intensifies the bitter coffee and sweetness in every sip. There’s something about the sensory experience that makes this drink even more fun (also true for the salt rim in a classic margarita). Here’s more about how to make this coffee rim:
- Grind the coffee beans very finely. You’ll only need a handful of beans.
- Place it in a flat layer on a plate with the same amount of sugar.
- Wet the glass rim. We actually used the wet coffee filter from our coffee to rim it!
- Dip the outer edge of the rim into the glass, gently turning the rim. All you need is the outside of the glass to be covered, not the inside.
The rim really steps up this drink. Let us know what you think of it in the comments below!
All about Kahlua
Kahlua is a type of coffee liqueur: the most popular brand in the world, in fact! Here’s what to know about this popular liqueur:
- Kahlua is a coffee liqueur made in Mexico with rum, sugar and coffee. Contrary to what you might think, there’s no dairy at all! Kahlua is naturally dark brown in color and tastes like sweetened coffee. Kahlua has caffeine, but only about 25% as much as the same volume of coffee.
- How much does Kahlua cost? Kahlua is mid-priced: it costs about $15 to $20 for a large 750 ml bottle.
- What other cocktails can you make with it? So many! Try popular Kahlua drinks like the White Russian, Mudslide, B-52, Mind Eraser, Colorado Bulldog, Bushwacker and more.
Use any Irish cream (Baileys or other)
The other required element in a Coffee Martini is the Irish cream, which adds a rich and creamy body. Irish cream is a liqueur made with Irish whiskey, cream, and surprisingly: chocolate! The most popular Irish cream is Baileys, but there are other brands, too. When we made this drink, we used an Irish cream called Five Farms.
Related drinks: more coffee cocktails
The Coffee Martini is the perfect dessert drink for after dinner, or just anytime you need a sweet treat in cocktail form! There are lots of riffs similar to this Coffee Martini that pair the flavors of coffee, chocolate, and cream—or that classic combination of Kahlua and Irish cream. Here are a few more to try:
- Try a Classic Mudslide with Kahlua and Irish cream
- Make an Espresso Martini or Frozen Espresso Martini
- Go for a classic White Russian
- Opt for spiked coffee: Classic Irish Coffee, Kahlua Coffee, Mexican Coffee, Baileys Coffee, Carajillo or Spanish Coffee
- Try an icy Bushwacker
Frequently asked questions
Yes! While freshly brewed espresso is ideal for the most authentic flavor, you can use strong brewed coffee or even cold brew concentrate as a substitute. Just make sure it’s chilled before adding it to the cocktail shaker.
Any good quality vodka will work for a coffee martini. Avoid using flavored vodkas, as they can clash with the coffee flavors.
You can use decaf coffee if you prefer, though the flavor profile may be slightly different. Decaf espresso is a good option that still brings intense coffee flavor to the drink.
Coffee Martini
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Description
Perk up with this creamy Coffee Martini! It’s the ideal after dinner drink: coffee, Kahlua and Irish cream with a crunchy coffee bean rim.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces* coffee, slightly cooled (pour over, cold brew, espresso, or French press espresso, decaf if desired)
- 1 ounces vodka
- ½ ounce Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur like Tia Maria or Sheridan’s)
- ½ ounce Irish cream (Bailey’s or other)
- For the rim: equal parts finely ground coffee beans and granulated sugar, for the garnish
Instructions
- Make the coffee, using your favorite method (pour over, cold brew concentrate, French Press espresso, or other).
- Wet the rim of the cocktail glass. Place the finely ground coffee beans and sugar on a plate, and tilt the outside rim of the glass into the mixture so that it coats the outer rim.
- Place the coffee, vodka, Kahlua, and Irish cream in a cocktail shaker. Add 2 handfuls ice and shake until cold. Strain into the prepared cocktail glass.
Notes
*For converting to tablespoons: 2 ounces = 4 tablespoons or ¼ cup.
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegetarian
Used cold brewed coffee and left out the beans on the rim. Delicious!