Espresso Martini Recipe: 5 Coffee Cocktails for Bars and Bartenders
The espresso martini is one of the most searched cocktails on the internet and one of the highest margin drinks you can put on a bar menu. These five coffee cocktail recipes are built for real bar service. They use accessible ingredients, have clear builds, and can be executed cleanly when the bar is full.
Use them as signature menu items, seasonal features, or training recipes for your bar team.
1. Classic Espresso Martini
Glass: Martini or coupe Garnish: Three coffee beans
Ingredients
1 oz coffee liqueur
1 oz fresh espresso (or cold brew concentrate)
½ oz simple syrup
Ice
Method Add vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and simple syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds until the outside of the shaker frosts over. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.
Service notes: Fresh espresso produces the best foam. If you are using cold brew concentrate, shake harder and longer to build the crema on top.
Pricing this cocktail is approximately $11.50 for restaurant menus
2. Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Glass: Martini or coupe
Garnish: Caramel drizzle on the inside of the glass + pinch of flaky sea salt
Ingredients
2 oz vodka
1 oz coffee liqueur
1 oz fresh espresso
½ oz caramel syrup
Pinch of sea salt
Ice
Method Drizzle caramel sauce inside a chilled martini glass and set aside. Add vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, caramel syrup, and a small pinch of sea salt to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds. Double strain into the prepared glass. Top with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Service notes: The salt cuts the sweetness and makes this drink more complex than it looks. Prep the caramel drizzle on glasses before service starts.
3. Espresso Old Fashioned
Glass: Rocks Garnish: Orange twist + coffee beans
Ingredients
2 oz bourbon
½ oz Simple Syrup or Agave
1 oz fresh espresso (chilled)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice
Method Add bourbon, demerara syrup, chilled espresso, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 20 to 25 seconds until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist and a few coffee beans.
Service notes: This captures the whiskey drinker who wants a coffee cocktail without the sweetness of a traditional espresso martini. Keep the espresso chilled so it does not melt the ice too fast.
4. Irish Coffee
Glass: Irish coffee mug or heat safe glass Garnish: Freshly whipped cream
Ingredients
1½ oz Irish whiskey
5 oz hot brewed coffee
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Fresh whipped cream (lightly whipped, pourable)
Method Warm the glass with hot water, then discard. Add brown sugar and hot coffee, stir until dissolved. Add Irish whiskey and stir gently. Float lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon so it sits on top.
Service notes: The cream should be just barely whipped so it floats and the guest drinks the coffee through it. Do not use aerosol whipped cream. This is one of the simplest builds on the menu but the presentation makes it feel special.
5. Tiramisu Martini
Glass: Martini or coupe
Garnish: Cocoa powder dusting + coffee bean
Ingredients
1½ oz vanilla vodka
1 oz coffee liqueur
½ oz creme de cacao (chocolate cocktails)
1 oz fresh espresso
½ oz cream
Ice
Method Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Dust the top lightly with cocoa powder and place a single coffee bean in the center.
Service notes: Position this as a dessert replacement on the menu. The margin on this drink is significantly higher than any dessert you could sell, and it moves well after dinner service.
Method Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds until well combined and cold. Strain into a hurricane or rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and cherry.
Service notes: This is a creamy, dessert leaning cocktail. Shake thoroughly so the cream of coconut fully incorporates. It works well as a higher priced feature drink.
Bar Team Tips
Standardize fruit purees and spice levels so every bartender is pouring the same drink.
Fresh citrus still makes a noticeable difference in high volume.
These builds are fast enough for service once the prep is handled.
Bacardi Superior’s clean profile makes it forgiving when fruit quality varies slightly.
Cost These Drinks and Train Your Team
Know exactly what each cocktail costs to make and what you need to charge to hit your target margin. Use our Liquor Cost Calculator and cocktail pricing tools to run the numbers quickly.
Want your staff sharper on builds, timing, and recipe recall? Put them in the Bartender Training Game. It is built for working bars, not home enthusiasts.
Both tools are free and designed for bar managers and bartenders who care about consistency and cost control.
