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This chocolate espresso martini recipe is a chocolatey twist on the classic cocktail that has taken social media by storm. Whether you enjoy it as a dessert cocktail after dinner or at brunch, it’s a wonderful way to put a new spin on a drink that’s a favorite among coffee lovers!

three chocolate espresso martinis sit on a messy marble countertop, with ingredients in the background.

Growing up with a grandmother from southern Italy pretty much makes me an expert in many aspects of Italian culture, including espresso. I started drinking coffee at the age of 6. Okay…it was decaf, and yeah, sure, it was Santa’s White Christmas flavor. 😅 But I had my own personal mini espresso mug that I used on the regular.

why this chocolate espresso martini recipe works:

🍫 deep, chocolatey flavor. If you are a fan of mochas, you’ll love this libation! The chocolate flavor deepens the espresso, making it even more rich.

♻️ versatile. You can easily change this recipe up to fit your preferences, whether you prefer a sweeter cocktail or more coffee-forward with a hint of chocolate.

⏱️ quick & easy. This is an easy cocktail to make because it has straightforward ingredients and can be mixed up with just a cocktail shaker.

🛒 ingredients

  • espresso – the featured ingredient is, of course, espresso! You can make your own at home however you like. Just be sure to prepare a double shot of espresso for each cocktail.
  • vanilla vodka vodka is the standard liquor of choice in a classic espresso martini, but vanilla vodka plays so nicely with the chocolate flavors in this cocktail. Think of it like when you’re making chocolate chip cookies: you add vanilla extract. The same line of thought applies here!
  • Kahlua liqueur – Kahlua is a rum-based coffee liqueur that is a staple ingredient in many coffee cocktails like espresso martinis, white Russians, and mudslides.
  • creme de cacoa – creme de cacao is a chocolate-flavored liqueur, not to be confused with chocolate liqueur, which is creamy and opaque. Creme de cacao is transparent and comes in white chocolate flavor and dark chocolate flavors. Either will work for this recipe, but it is written using the white chocolate variety of the liqueur.
  • chocolate syrup– you can use store-bought chocolate syrup or homemade chocolate sauce in this cocktail. The syrup gives this drink a deep, rich flavor while giving a dash of sweetness.
  • chocolate, for garnish – every cocktail benefits from a great garnish, and a light dusting of chocolate shavings is the perfect finishing touch to this cocktail (alongside the espresso beans, of course).
  • chocolate bitters – bitters is an extraordinary “secret ingredient” to stock your home bar with, and chocolate bitters is definitely the secret weapon in this cocktail. It helps to balance out the sweeter chocolate flavors and adds a depth of flavor to the cocktail. In this recipe, I used Bitterman’s Xocolatl Mole bitters.

See the recipe card for the exact quantities.

🍳 instructions

Brew espresso & measure ingredients.

pouring espresso into a cocktail shaker to make a chocolate espresso martini.

Brew your espresso according to your espresso maker and allow it to cool slightly. Pour 2 ounces into your cocktail shaker, filled with ice.

measuring vanilla vodka into cocktail shaker for a chocolate espresso martini.

Measure the vanilla vodka into the cocktail shaker and add it to the espresso.

measuring Kahlua into a cocktail shaker.

Add in the Kahlua and the creme de cacoa liqueurs into the cocktail shaker.

adding chocolate syrup into the cocktail shaker for a chocolate espresso martini.

Drizzle your chocolate syrup into the cocktail shaker. If you like your cocktail sweeter, add in a little more chocolate!

Finishing touches, shake, & serve.

chocolate bitters into cocktail shaker.

Step 5: Add in a dash of chocolate bitters to the cocktail shaker. Shake well for 30-60 seconds to get a nice and frothy top to the cocktail.

Chocolate shavings garnishing a chocolate espresso martini.

Step 6: Top each chocolate espresso martini with three espresso beans and chocolate shavings.

💡tips & tricks for getting it right

🍽️ serving tips

  • liquid dessert – This drink is the perfect after-dinner drink or dessert cocktail!
  • seasonal brunch – Serve it at breakfast or brunch. You can set up a coffee bar and serve espresso martinis and other coffee drinks!

Choose your glass

  • coupe glass – Traditionally, espresso martinis are served in coupe glasses instead of standard martini glasses.
  • small capacity – You can serve in whichever glasses you have, but keep in mind that this cocktail is on the smaller side at only 6 fluid ounces.

Garnish

  • espresso beans – Make sure to garnish with three coffee beans and some finely grated chocolate shavings.
  • rim the glass – You can also garnish the rim of the glass. Dip the rim of the glass in simple syrup, then chocolate shavings for a fun garnish!
  • drizzle the glass – Before pouring in the drink, you can drizzle extra chocolate syrup into the martini glasses for a fun garnish!

ℹ️ troubleshooting tips

Flavor Tips:

  • taste for balance – Taste the drink before shaking and serving to make sure you like the balance of flavors.
  • too sweet – If it’s too sweet, you can add a little more espresso, vodka, or bitters.
  • not sweet enough – If it’s not sweet enough, you can add more creme de cacao or chocolate syrup!

Shaking Tips:

  • Shaking the cocktail for at least 30-60 seconds ensures you get a nice, frothy foam top to your cocktail, perfect for supporting the garnishes of this drink!
  • Make sure your cocktail shaker is filled with ice to help get a good, strong foam from your cocktail.
  • Use larger cubes of ice if you can. Smaller cubes of ice, like pebble ice, will dilute your drink too fast as you shake it, giving you a weaker foam.

⚖️ scaling tips

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you have a big gathering coming up!

You can pre-mix all the ingredients and keep the batched drink in a pitcher in the fridge. Once your guests arrive, you can shake the cocktail in batches and serve.

🔆 top tip

Want a booze-free option? Try using alcohol alternative spirits and make this martini into a mocktail version.

hand from out of frame grabs a chocolate espresso martini.

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♻️ substitutions & variations

Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!

🧰 equipment needed & storage tips

  • cocktail shaker– my favorite cocktail shaker is made by Elevated Craft. It’s insulated, so your hands don’t get cold while shaking cocktails, and it has measurements clearly marked in the lid of the shaker.
  • Microplane grater – a microplane zester grater is perfect for adding chocolate shavings to your cocktails as a garnish.
  • coupe glasses – traditionally, this cocktail is served in coupe glasses or smaller sized martini glasses.
  • espresso machine – You’ll need a way to make espresso for this beverage, but that doesn’t mean you have to go out and spend $1,000 on an espresso machine. You can buy espresso from your local coffee shop, or you can use strongly brewed drip coffee or cold brew in a pinch.
  • measuring beakers – If your cocktail shaker doesn’t have a built-in measuring cap, you’ll need a way to measure out your liquid ingredients. I love using OXO nesting measuring beakers because you can use them for so many more recipes besides cocktails.

🫙 storage tips

While you can mix the cocktails in advance in a large batch, it’s best to serve them immediately after shaking so that they foam up nicely. It’s all about the presentation!

With that said, you can premake them and shake them again just before serving if you are preparing them in advance for a party.

You can store your beverage if you can’t finish it, but it doesn’t hold up well after 48 hours.

💬 q+a

What if I can’t find chocolate bitters near me?

If you can’t locate chocolate bitters near you, you can order some online or you can skip the addition. While it does deepen the flavor and balance out the sweetness to this cocktail, it isn’t worth stressing over!

Why doesn’t my chocolate espresso martini have foam on top?

Make sure you use larger ice cubes instead of smaller ones, like pebble ice, so that your drink doesn’t dilute too much while shaking it. Shake your drink for at least 30 seconds to get the foam to be thicker and more stable.

If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
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three chocolate espresso martinis sit on a messy marble countertop, with ingredients in the background.

chocolate espresso martini (chocolate-espresso cocktail)

This chocolate espresso martini recipe is a chocolatey twist on the classic cocktail that has taken social media by storm. It's made using chocolate syrup, chocolate liqueur, and chocolate bitters for a triple chocolate twist!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: chocolate, chocolate syrup, espresso, espresso martini, kahlua, martini, vodka
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Calories: 322kcal
Author: Lindsey Neumayer

Equipment

  • 1 coupe glass a coupe glass is the traditional espresso martini glass
  • 1 microplane grater for chocolate shavings
  • 1 espresso machine

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces espresso substitute 3 ounces of cold brew
  • 2 ounces vanilla vodka Absolut Vanilla recommended
  • 1 ounce Kahlua liqueur
  • .5 ounce creme de cacao liqueur
  • .5 ounce chocolate syrup
  • dash chocolate bitters
  • chocolate bar for garnish
  • 3 whole espresso beans for garnish

Instructions

  • Prepare the Shaker. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Use larger cubes to keep the cocktail from being diluted.
  • Brew & add espresso. Brew a double shot of espresso. Add 2 ounces of espresso to the shaker.
  • Add vodka. Add 2 ounces of vanilla vodka to the cocktail shaker.
  • Add coffee liqueur. Add 1 ounce of Kahlua to the mix.
  • Add liqueur. Add 0.5 ounces of creme de cacao to the shaker.
  • Add Syrup. Drizzle in 0.5 ounces of chocolate syrup.
  • Dash in bitters. Add a dash of chocolate bitters to the cocktail shaker.
  • Shake. Shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds.
  • Strain. Strain into a coupe glass.
  • Garnish & serve. Garnish with chocolate shavings and three espresso beans before serving.

Notes

substitutions & variations

  • melted chocolate– If you don’t have chocolate syrup on hand, you can melt about an ounce of chocolate into your espresso instead. You may want to add a dash of sugar or simple syrup to balance the chocolate, depending on the cocoa content.
  • no bitters – skip the chocolate bitters if you don’t have it, or can’t find it. Your cocktail will be a bit sweeter, so keep that in mind.
  • use another coffee – you can use cold brew coffee, extra strong coffee brewed in a drip coffee maker, or even instant coffee in a pinch!
  • white chocolate – you can use white chocolate liqueur instead of creme de cacao, and you can use white chocolate shavings instead of dark chocolate or milk chocolate.
  • frozen– freeze your espresso into espresso ice cubes, then combine the ice cubes and remaining ingredients in a blender. Blend it up for a frozen chocolate espresso martini!
  • spicy – if you are a fan of Mexican hot chocolate, try adding a dash of cayenne pepper into this cocktail for a sweet and spicy twist!
  • sweet – If you like a sweeter cocktail, you can add up to 1 ounce of chocolate syrup.

Nutrition Information

Servings: 1 cocktail
Calories: 21mg
Total Fat: 21mg
Saturated Fat: 21mg
Trans Fat: 21mg
Cholesterol: 21mg
Sodium: 21mg
Carbohydrates: 21mg
Fiber: 21mg
Sugar: 21mg
Protein: 21mg

The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.

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