A classic espresso martini is made with coffee liqueur, simple syrup, and vodka, and it's often served chilled and garnished with coffee beans or a chocolate drizzle. In this frozen espresso martini, we've put a frosty twist on the traditional by swapping the brewed espresso for cold brew ice cubes. Blending in the coffee ice cubes helps keep the drink frozen without diluting the flavor. Our Test Kitchen sweetened the drink with a tablespoon of sugar, but you could easily add more or less to your taste. A pinch of flaky sea salt is an unexpected but totally welcome finish—it helps balance the bitter flavor of the coffee in the cocktail. The finished drink should be smooth, slightly bitter, and subtly sweet with flavors of caramel and vanilla.
How to Make Frozen Espresso Martinis for a Crowd
Our recipe makes two frozen espresso martinis but can easily be scaled to serve a crowd at a party. Simply stash a large batch of the cold brew concentrate ice cubes in the freezer and your prep work is done. When guests arrive, blend them up with vodka and coffee liqueur. Pour a little bottled chocolate syrup on a small plate and dip the rims of the martini glasses until coated. If desired, dip the chocolate-coated rims in finely chopped dark chocolate or finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies. Drizzle the inside of the martini glasses with additional chocolate syrup, then pour the frozen espresso martini blend to fill a glass for each guest.
Ingredients
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2/3 cup cold brew concentrate
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1/3 cup water
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1 tablespoon sugar
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2 fluid ounces vodka
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1 fluid ounce coffee liqueur
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6 whole coffee beans
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Flaky sea salt
Directions
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Make Cold Brew Ice Cubes
Combine the cold brew concentrate, water, and granulated sugar in a measuring cup. Stir the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour into an ice cube tray and freeze for 4 hours or until completely solid.
Test Kitchen Tip: You can make cold brew concentrate at home using your favorite type of coffee beans. It's as easy as soaking coffee grounds in water and straining. Our easy step-by-step directions will walk you through how to make homemade cold brew.
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Blend Frozen Espresso Martini Ingredients
In a blender, combine the cold brew ice cubes, vodka, and coffee liqueur. Cover and blend until smooth. Add additional coffee liqueur or a splash of water if the mixture is too thick.
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Garnish and Serve
Divide the mixture between two chilled cocktail glasses. Garnish each glass with three coffee beans and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 143 | Calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 12g | Carbs |
| 0g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 2 | |
| Calories 143 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 0.1g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 295.6mg | 13% |
| Total Carbohydrate 11.9g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 11.9g | |
| Protein 0.1g | 0% |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 3.2mg | 0% |
| Iron 0mg | 0% |
| Potassium 44.6mg | 1% |
| Fatty acids, total trans 0g | |
| Vitamin D 0IU | |
| Alanine 0g | |
| Arginine 0g | |
| Ash 1.1g | |
| Aspartic acid 0g | |
| Caffeine 36.3mg | |
| Carotene, alpha 0mcg | |
| Choline, total 2.1mg | |
| Copper, Cu 0mg | |
| Cystine 0g | |
| Energy 596.8kJ | |
| Fluoride, F 99.8mcg | |
| Folate, total 1.6mcg | |
| Glutamic acid 0g | |
| Glycine 0g | |
| Histidine 0g | |
| Isoleucine 0g | |
| Leucine 0g | |
| Lysine 0g | |
| Methionine 0g | |
| Magnesium, Mg 3.3mg | |
| Manganese, Mn 0mg | |
| Niacin 0.2mg | |
| Phosphorus, P 4.8mg | |
| Pantothenic acid 0.2mg | |
| Phenylalanine 0g | |
| Phytosterols 0mg | |
| Proline 0g | |
| Retinol 0mcg | |
| Selenium, Se 0.1mcg | |
| Serine 0g | |
| Theobromine 0mg | |
| Threonine 0g | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 0mg | |
| Tryptophan 0g | |
| Tyrosine 0g | |
| Valine 0g | |
| Vitamin A, IU 0IU | |
| Vitamin A, RAE 0mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 0mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0mg | |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 0.1mcg | |
| Water 143.7g | |
| Zinc, Zn 0mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.