This decadent Kahlua Espresso Martini recipe is our favourite coffee cocktail to make for chocolate lovers.
The creamy dessert drink is flavoured with coffee two ways, thanks to Mexican Kahlua liqueur and premium Nespresso espresso. The cocktail also features two infusions of chocolate via Creme de Cacao liqueur and dark chocolate shavings.
Our easy homemade Kahlua Martini recipe is shaken vigorously with ice, vodka, and milk until cooled and smooth.
We love serving this Kahlua Chocolate Martini as a boozy brunch cocktail, decadent adults-only after dinner mixed drink or at a festive holiday Christmas party.
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What Is A Kahlua Espresso Martini?
A Kahlua Espresso Martini is the perfect sweet mixed drink to serve chocolate and coffee lovers.
Kahlúa is a brand of coffee liqueur produced in Veracruz, Mexico. The drink contains rum, sugar, and quality arabica coffee.
Espresso is a coffee-brewing method of Italian origin, in which a small amount of nearly boiling water is forced under 9–10 bars of pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. Popular espresso beverages include the latte, americano, cappuccino, flat white, macchiato and cortado. For those who like making quality coffee at home, Nespresso machines offer a modern option.
The classic martini is a cocktail made with gin or vodka and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. In the early 2000s martini culture boomed thanks to the popularity of Sex and the City and the explosion of flavoured vodka products by the likes of Absolut and Smirnoff.
A Kahlua Espresso Martini combines these 3 ingredients into a cocktail shaker to create a decadent dessert drink.
Espresso Martini History
The Espresso Martini was originally created by Dick Bradsell in 1983 at Fred’s Club in London, England. He prepared it for a young lady who asked for a drink that would “wake up, and then fuck me up.”
Bradsell shared, “The espresso machine at the Soho Brasseries was right next to the station where I served drinks. It was a nightmare, as there were coffee grounds everywhere, so coffee was very much on my mind. And it was all about vodka back then – it was all people were drinking.”
Our twist on Bradsell’s tipple is best dubbed a Kahlua Chocolate Martini. We love the classic “mocha” flavour pairing of coffee and chocolate. By adding Creme de Cocoa and a garnish of shaved dark chocolate the drink truly is dessert in a glass!
Travel to Mexico by Making a Kahlua Martini at Home
I love traveling to Latin America.
As a professional food and travel journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy amazing meals in Central America, South America and the Caribbean, from traditional markets to award winning restaurants.
For over ten years, I’ve been on the hunt for the best Kahlua Martini recipe. I’ve embarked on culinary adventures at local restaurants in Cuba, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Curacao, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.
In Mexico, I’ve enjoyed sipping on Kahlua Espresso Martini’s at bars and restaurants in Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Mexico City, Merida, Chichen Itza and Playa del Carmen.
At home I like to recreate the cocktail by using Mexican espresso beans and the county’s most famous liqueur, Kahlua, which is flavoured with high quality roasted arabica from Veracruz.
Chocolate is also produced in Mexico so if you have a favourite chocolatier that produces bean-to-bar products try and purchase dark chocolate made with cocoa harvested in Mexico.
Kahlua Espresso Martini Cocktail Ingredients
Our creamy Kahlua Chocolate Martini cocktail recipe is made with fresh and premium ingredients.
- Vodka: we suggest using Grey Goose, Absolut or Smirnoff Vodka.
- Kahlua: the Mexican coffee liqueur is prepared with arabica coffee beans, rum and sweetened with sugar.
- Creme de Cacao: is a chocolate-flavored liqueur. It’s considered one of the first alcoholic beverages, made in the 1600’s by monks after cocoa beans were brought back to Europe from America.
- Espresso: we suggest using a Nespresso machine to pull two shots of espresso.
- Whole Milk: we suggest using whole milk as it adds richness to the creamy drink. You can also use half and half cream for a more decadent Kahlua Martini or 1% milk for a skinny low fat option.
- Chocolate Shavings: use a microplane or fine grater to garnish the drink with quality dark chocolate.
Kahlua Chocolate Martini Cocktail Recipe Tips
This Kahlua Martini Cocktail recipe is easy to make at home, ready to serve in under 10 minutes.
We love serving this Kahlua Espresso Martini during the Christmas season at cocktail parties featuring a table covered in holiday cookies, squares and cakes. You can make the martini extra festive by adding a splash of your favourite peppermint or mint liqueur.
Kahlua Martini’s can be served any time of the year as a dessert or brunch cocktail, perfect for coffee lovers craving a boozy chocolate infused drink.
We’ve used dairy milk in this recipe but you can substitue for a vegan option like almond milk, soy milk, cashew milk or oat milk.
This Kahlua Chocolate Martini recipe below is listed for one person. If you’re hosting a large gathering feel free to multiply the ingredients by the number of guests and muddle the drink in a punch bowl or jug rather than a cocktail shaker.
We like to garnish the drink with shaved dark chocolate but you can also top the cocktail with roasted coffee beans or chocolate covered espresso beans.
If you’re serving the drink as an adult dessert and love ice cream we suggest serving it with a scoop of Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.
Best Selling Vodka
In the 90’s vodka was all the rage, as martini bars sprung up in cocktail-loving North American cities like Toronto and New York.
Vodka is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavourings. Traditionally, it is made by distilling liquid from fermented cereal grains.
Here are some of the world’s best selling vodka brands and our local small batch favourites:
- Grey Goose: the world’s top selling premium vodka has been produced in France since the 1990s.
- Belvedere: is a close second for world’s favourite premium vodka brand. The Polish rye vodka is named after Belweder, the Polish presidential palace in Warsaw.
- Stolichnaya: also known as Stoli, is produced in Riga, Latvia. The brand produces a wide variety of flavoured vodkas, perfect for seasonal cocktail parties.
- Titos: began as a small-batch vodka brand distilled in Texas. Today, it’s recognized as the best selling vodka in America. Titos is made from corn, making it a gluten-free friendly spirit.
- Ketel One: is a Dutch premium vodka brand with a flavour palette offering hints of honey and citrus.
- Absolut: is an iconic Swedish distiller and was the top selling vodka brand globally for decades. The brand offers a colourful collection of flavoured vodka bottles.
- Smirnoff: this Russian brand was founded in Moscow and today sells 39 different vodka flavours.
- Iceberg Vodka: the top selling vodka in Canada is made from icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland.
- Dillon’s Distillery: This Beamsville, Ontario producer makes 2 small batch vodkas near Niagara.
Best Bartender Tools & Cocktail Equipment
Before hosting a Kahlua Chocolate Martini cocktail party you’ll need to ensure you have the best bartender tools and cocktail equipment.
- Cocktail Kit: cocktail kits are the perfect gift for newbie mixology fans as they include basic bartender tools like a jigger, shaker and spoon.
- Cocktail Shaker: a bartender’s best friend. Purchase a premium cocktail shaker to muddle or shake up your favourite pink gin cocktails.
- Cocktail Glassware: make sure your bar is stocked with a selection of unique glassware to show off your favourite cocktail creations.
- Hawthorne Strainer: this unique strainer features tightly wound coils and perforated holes. It keeps ice and other large ingredients like lime wedges in your cocktail shaker rather than in the glass.
- Bar Spoons: slender and long bar spoons are a must-have when stirring drinks.
- Bottle Opener: easily open bottles of beer or cider with the flick of your wrist or purchase a corkscrew for fine wine.
- Pouring Spout: once you’ve opened a new bottle of gin insert these affordable pourers to make cocktail assembly a breeze.
- Cutting Board: purchase a petite cutting board for your bar to slice garnishes or citrus wedges like lime, orange, lemon or grapefruit.
- Ice Bucket: chill bottles of gin quickly in an ice bucket or keep by the bar when muddling gin mixers into cool creations.
- Ice Crusher: fans of the Mint Julep love an ice crusher.
- Ice Cube Kit: we suggest purchasing a selection of ice cube trays. Silicone styles are our favourite as they’re easy to clean and are available in various shapes and sizes.
- Jigger: use a jigger to accurately measure spirits, juices, syrups and shrubs.
- Juicer: invest in an electronic juicer or buy an affordable hand-held to easily juice fresh citrus like lemons and limes.
- Muddler: fans of the Mojito love a sturdy muddler to mix mint and lime. Muddler’s are handy for any cocktail featuring ingredients that need a pounding like fresh herbs or citrus wedges.
- Citrus Peeler & Zester: adorn your craft cocktails with a thick citrus peel or finer ribbons of lime or lemon zest.
- Rimmer: Bloody Mary and Caesar lovers should outfit their bar with a handy rimmer for salting and sugaring glassware.
You May Also Enjoy These Vodka Cocktails…
- Easy Vodka and Coke Cocktail
- White Russian Amarula Cocktail
- Vodka Blood Orange Cocktail
- Mint Lime Vodka Mojito Cocktail
- Mint Chocolate After Eight Cocktail
- How To Make A Smirnoff Rocket
- Easy Vodka Alcohol Gummy Bears
- Best Homemade Craft Cocktail Recipes
How To Make A Kahlua Espresso Martini
Chocolate Kahlua Espresso Martini Cocktail
Equipment
- Nespresso / Espresso Maker
- Cocktail Shaker
- Shot Glass
- Microplane / Grater
- Cocktail Glass
Ingredients
- 1 oz Creme de Cacao
- 1/2 oz Vodka
- 1 1/2 oz Kahlua
- 2 oz Milk
- 1 shot Espresso
- Dark chocolate Shavings garnish
Instructions
- Prepare a shot of espresso with a stovetop espresso maker or Nespresso machine. Let cool to room temperature.
- Place Creme de Cacao, Vodka, Kahlua, milk and espresso in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously to mix and cool ingredients.
- Strain mixture into a cocktail glass and serve garnished with shaved dark chocolate.
Nutrition
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