Easy Frozen Espresso Martini Recipe

This frozen espresso martini recipe comes together in just a few minutes. Made with strong coffee, coffee liqueur, vodka, simple syrup, and vanilla extract it’s a refreshing spin on classic espresso martinis perfect for summer!

If you’re unfamiliar, a classic espresso martini is an alcoholic beverage featuring a base of vodka, coffee liquor, espresso, and simple syrup. A unique combination of flavors, it's sweet with lots of depth and a bit of a kick thanks to the alcohol.  

Frozen espresso martinis feature all the same ingredients but are blended up with ice for a refreshing twist. As a result, they’re the perfect refreshing beverage for summer! 

If you’re looking for more fun summer martini recipes try our Strawberry Martini, Easy Watermelon Martini, and Cucumber Martini, too! 

Jump to:

• Easy Frozen Espresso Martini Recipe Ingredients
• How to Make this Easy Frozen Espresso Martini Recipe
• Substitutions and Variations
• What to Serve with Easy Frozen Espresso Martini Recipe
• Equipment
• Tips and FAQ
• Top tip
• More martini recipes
• Reviews

Easy Frozen Espresso Martini Recipe Ingredients

• Freshly brewed espresso: you can also use strong coffee, but fresh espresso will have the strongest flavor. Freeze it into ice cubes to contribute to the slushy consistency without watering down the drink. 
• Coffee liqueur: adds to the rich coffee flavor that we get from the fresh espresso. We love using Kahlúa but any coffee liqueur will work just fine!
• Vodka: we use vanilla vodka to add a bit of extra sweetness. However, regular vodka will work just as well. 
• Simple syrup: use regular simple syrup to sweeten the drink. Or, experiment with options like brown sugar simple syrup or cinnamon simple syrup to add extra depth and a unique taste to your frozen espresso martini. 
• Vanilla extract: pure vanilla extract enhances the rest of the ingredients and adds sweet vanilla flavor. 
• Ice: this combines with the espresso ice cubes to add more volume and creates the perfect slushy consistency. 
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: this is optional but delicious and really enhances the coffee flavor.

Optional toppings: don’t get us wrong. This drink is incredible on its own, but it’s even better topped with whipped cream, cocoa powder, or a few coffee beans! You can even add a pinch of cacao powder to the whipped cream for a dessert-inspired drink.

How to Make this Easy Frozen Espresso Martini Recipe

PREP: Prepare the frozen espresso ahead of time. You'll need to prepare a few hours (or preferably one day) ahead of time to make these frozen espresso cubes.

STEP 1: Make the expresso cubes. Brew the espresso, let it cool slightly, and pour it into ice cube trays. Then, freeze for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight. 

STEP 2: Add everything to a blender. Add the espresso cubes, coffee liqueur, vodka, simple syrup, and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender. Let the ingredients sit for 5 minutes to chill the liquid mixture.

STEP 3: Blend the espresso cubes. Blend on high speed for about 15 seconds or until the espresso cubes are mostly broken down. If adding cocoa powder, add it now.

STEP 4: Add in ice cubes and keep blending. Add 1 ½ cups of regular ice cubes (not espresso ice cubes) to the blender, and blend on high speed for 25-30 seconds or until the ice is broken up and the mixture is slushy. Be careful not to over blend, or the mixture will melt and become runny!

STEP 5: Serve immediately with a light dusting of cocoa powder, shaved chocolate, or coffee beans for garnish. If you’re feeling really fancy, top your cocktails with chocolate covered espresso beans, or serve them on the side!

Substitutions and Variations

• Make it a mocktail - Just leave out the vodka and the coffee liqueur. Replace the liqueur with cold coffee for an alcohol-free treat.
• Chocolate espresso martini - Add in 1.5 teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. Coffee and chocolate go really well together, so this is an awesome optional addition.

What to Serve with Easy Frozen Espresso Martini Recipe

You can top your cocktails with our chocolate covered espresso beans, or serve them on the side!

Equipment

Blender: You will need a blender for this recipe – this is the one we use.

Tips and FAQ

More tips

• For an extra cold frozen espresso martini that stays slushy, chill your martini glasses in the freezer for 10-15 minutes prior to making your drinks. 
• If you don’t want to brew your own espresso or coffee, use cold store-bought coffee instead. Just note that the flavor probably won’t be as strong.

More martini recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

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