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This pumpkin spice espresso martini recipe is a delightful fall inspired twist on a classic co*cktail that we all know and love. Made with vodka, coffee liqueur, cold brew or espresso, REAL pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice. The perfect creamy pumpkin spice co*cktail to enjoy all fall long!Easily made dairy free by opting for a dairy free creamer.
The best pumpkin spice espresso martini
I’m not really the type of gal that’s into pumpkin spice EVERYTHING, but I don’t think I’d ever say no to this drink!
Meet our new favorite co*cktail – The Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini.
(We’re real big on espresso martinis here – this is our favorite classic espresso martini, and this eggnog espresso martini always comes out once the first snow falls!)
This one is made with REAL pumpkin, just the right amount of pumpkin pie spice, your creamer of choice, espresso, vodka, and kahlua (or another coffee liqueur).
Ready in just minutes, perfectly sweet, and the seasonal YUM factor of this simple martini is just *chef’s kiss*. Which makes it absolutely perfect as an after dinner drink and all your fall entertaining plans!
Why you’ll love this espresso martini recipe
It is:
- Perfectly fall festive
- Super creamy
- Layered with warming flavors
- Easy to make yet impressive
- Absolutely luscious
- Irresistible
- Totally delicious!
Ingredients and substitutions
This fun and yummy espresso martini is made with just a handful of real ingredients that you likely already have stocked in your fall pantry.
You’ll need all the basics of a classic espresso martini, plus a few extras for that pumpkin spice vibe.
Here’s exactly what you need:
- Vodka –Vodka is the traditional spirit used in espresso martinis. There are however variations that use rum, mezcal, tequila, or gin. But for this recipe I would stick with vodka or rum.
- Espresso –Real, hot espresso is the best coffee to use in espresso martinis. But if you don’t have access to an espresso machine there are other options! You can useextrastronghot coffee, cold brew concentrate, or even a high quality instant coffee. Some people might give me a hard time for giving you the green light on instant coffee, but we’ve done it many times and the result is still delicious! (& I doubt anyone would notice if you don’t tell them).
- Kahlua –Kahlua is our favorite coffee liqueur for making espresso martinis because of the density of the coffee flavor, and the sweetness. Other recipes for espresso martinis might call for less coffee liqueur and added simple syrup, but I like the simplicity and flavor of all the sweetness coming from the liqueur itself. Tia Maria and Mr Black are both slightly less sweet coffee liqueur alternatives to kahlua.
- Pumpkin puree & pumpkin pie spice – For that perfect pumpkin spice flavor. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice you can substitute with a tiny pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and dried ginger.
- Creamer of choice – Our personal favorite is Nutpods original unsweetened creamer (the vanilla flavor would also be lovely), but any type of creamer will work – dairy free or not.
Can you make an espresso martini without espresso?
I say yes!
There are many varied opinions on this question, but based on my experience you can totally make a DELICIOUS espresso martini without espresso. Extra strong coffee, cold brew concentrate, instant coffee, or instant espresso all work well.
We love this high quality organic brand of instant coffee if you’re curious about what we’d use.
Should you use hot or cold espresso?
Again, this is a topic with varied opinions, but based on my experiencehot espresso or hot coffee produces the best espresso martini.
I think it has something to do with the oils that are in the coffee beans and the crema that you see in fresh espresso that helps create the foam on top of the martini.
But if all you have is cold brew or room temperature coffee it will also work, you may just end up with less foam than if you were using hot espresso.
If using hot esspresso, it is important toadd it last, so it doesn’t melt all the ice in your shaker while you measure and pour the other ingredients.
What tools do I need to make an espresso martini?
You’ll need a few basic home bartending tools to make this pumpkin spice espresso martini. But if you don’t have all of them, don’t stress – there are workarounds that I’ll share below.
These are the tools you’ll need:
- A co*cktail shaker
- A strainer– if your shaker doesn’t have one built in
- Something to measure the spirits and other ingredients with– This could either be ajiggeror standardmeasuring spoons.
How to make a pumpkin spice espresso martini
Whipping up a pumpkin spice espresso martini is really no different than shaking up any other co*cktail.
This recipe is for one co*cktail, but some shakers will be able to fit a double batch.
Here’s the step-by-step
- Gather your ingredients.Prepare your espresso or coffee, measure out the vodka, kahlua, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice, and add plenty of ice to aco*cktail shaker.
- Add ingredients toco*cktail shaker. Add all ingredients to your co*cktail shaker, making sure to add the hot espresso last so the ice doesn’t melt immediately
- Shake it up!Seal theco*cktail shakerand shake vigorously for 15-30 seconds. Properly aerating the co*cktail is what helps build the foam on your finished drink so don’t be afraid to use some muscle power!
- Strain into a glass.Strain into a glass (chilled if you’d like) and enjoy!
How to garnish an espresso martini
The classic garnish on an espresso martini is three coffee beans. It is said that they represent health, wealth, and happiness!
For this co*cktail I like to add a dash of pumpkin pie spice as well.
Which type of coffee liqueur is best for espresso martinis?
There are a ton of options available on the shelf when it comes to coffee liqueurs.
So which one is best?
The answer is really that it depends on your personal taste / preferences.
We typically reach for kahlua (a rum based coffee liqueur) when making espresso martinis because it has the perfect amount of sweetness, which means no additional sweetener is needed in the co*cktail.
Mr Black is another popular option that is about 50% less sweet than kahlua and vodka based. If you use this brand you may want to sweeten your co*cktail up with a small amount of maple syrup or simple syrup.
Tia Maria is a second rum based option that’s quite common, boasting strong notes of vanilla and genuine coffee flavor.
When to serve this martini
This pumpkin spice co*cktail is the perfect drink to enjoy around as soon as fall hits, and would be a delicious co*cktail to serve for a Halloween party, an autumn dinner party, or a cozy night in with your boo!
Would also be lovely served as:
- A holiday co*cktail for Halloween or Thanksgiving
- An after dinner drink
- Happy hour beverage
- A party starter
- Weekend brunch drink!
Love this espresso martini? Try these other NK co*cktail recipes!
- Peppermint Mocha Espresso Martini
- Classic Espresso Martini Recipe
- Eggnog Espresso Martini
- Spiced Hibiscus Vodka Sour
- Spiced Apple and Tangerine Spritz
- Jungle Bird co*cktail
- Red Wine Tangerine Spritz
If you enjoyed this recipe we’d love it if you take 5 seconds to rate and review it below.It’s also super helpful to me and other readers if youshare any changes you made to the recipe. Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We are so grateful you’re here!
Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
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5 from 1 review
- Author: Nyssa Tanner
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 co*cktial 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This pumpkin spice espresso martini recipe is a delightful fall inspired twist on a classic co*cktail that we all know and love. Made with vodka, coffee liqueur, cold brew or espresso, REAL pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice. The perfect creamy pumpkin spice co*cktail to enjoy all fall long! Easily made dairy free by opting for a dairy free creamer.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin puree
- 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) vodka
- 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) kahlua or another coffee liqueur
- 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) hot espresso, strong coffee, or prepared instant coffee
- 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) creamer of choice, dairy free or regular both work well
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.Prepare your espresso or coffee, measure out the vodka, kahlua, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice, and add plenty of ice to aco*cktail shaker.
- Add ingredients toco*cktail shaker. Add all ingredients to your co*cktail shaker, making sure to add the hot espresso last so the ice doesn’t melt immediately
- Shake it up!Seal theco*cktail shaker and shake vigorously for 15-30 seconds. Properly aerating the co*cktail is what helps build the foam on your finished drink so don’t be afraid to use some muscle power!
- Strain into a glass. Strain into a glass (chilled if you’d like) and enjoy!
Notes
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice you can substitute with a tiny pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and dried ginger;
This recipe is for one co*cktail, but some co*cktail shakers will be able to fit a double batch and make co*cktails for two!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: co*cktail
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: American
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