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Home » Recipes » Cocktails

Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini

Published: Sep 23, 2022 by Lexi

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This Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini is a fun fall twist on one of our favorite classic cocktails. Homemade pumpkin spice simple syrup pairs perfectly with freshly brewed espresso, coffee liqueur and vanilla vodka. It's such a crowd pleaser and perfect for fall entertaining!

Finished espresso martinis in glasses with decor in background.
The perfect fall twist on everyone's favorite espresso martini!
Jump to:
  • Why We Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Instructions
  • Tips and FAQs
  • More Fall Cocktail Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Reviews

Why We Love This Recipe

  • Fun fall cocktail: This cocktail is a great way to spice up the classic espresso martini for all of your fall entertaining occasions. Perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any other fall event!
  • Vegan friendly: We made this pumpkin spice espresso martini vegan-friendly so everyone can enjoy! It can also be made with regular dairy, but we can confirm it's delicious either way.
  • Pumpkin spice everything: Yes, we know it's basic, but let's be honest, you can't beat pumpkin spice. This is a great way to add that warming fall flavor to your favorite drink!
  • Easy recipe: This cocktail requires only 5 ingredients, and if you have our pumpkin spice simple syrup stored in the fridge, it'll only take about 5 minutes.
  • Strong, but not too strong: We'll admit, this pumpkin spice espresso martini packs a punch. With coffee liqueur, freshly brewed espresso and vanilla vodka, it's not for the faint-hearted. But that said, creamy coconut milk and pumpkin spice simple syrup really balance out the strong flavors!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make these pumpkin spice espresso martinis:

Overhead of pumpkin spice espresso martini ingredients including espresso and vodka.
This espresso martini comes together with just 5 ingredients.

Ingredient Notes

  • Vanilla vodka: We're using vanilla-flavored vodka for this recipe to add a bit of extra sweetness. If you don't have this on hand, feel free to sub with regular vodka.
  • Espresso: We used freshly brewed espresso in this recipe, and we made sure to let it cool down to room temperature. You can also use cold brew or regular old coffee, but pure espresso will deliver the strongest coffee flavor.
  • Coffee liqueur: This ingredient 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!
  • Coconut milk: Coconut milk adds a rich creaminess to the cocktail. If you're not dairy free/vegan, you can substitute with heavy cream. We use full fat canned coconut milk in this recipe, not the stuff that comes in a carton.
  • Pumpkin spice simple syrup: This homemade syrup is perfect in cocktails or in your morning coffee, and it's critical to getting this cocktail to taste just right. Check out how to make it here. You can also sub with store-bought if preferred.

Instructions

(1) Brew espresso and let it cool to room temperature, then add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.

(2) Strain the chilled mixture into a martini glass and dust with a touch of pumpkin pie spice blend or cinnamon. Cheers!

Left: cocktail ingredients in a shaker. Right: finished cocktails poured into glasses.
Just add everything to a cocktail shaker, shake, and pour!

Tips and FAQs

  • Letting the espresso cool is essential for two reasons: It prevents the ice in the cocktail shaker from melting, which would water down your cocktail. It also ensures that the finished cocktail will actually be cold. To speed up the cooling process, pop it in the freezer directly after brewing. You can also use cold brew or cold brew concentrate as an alternative.
  • For an extra cold martini, chill your martini glasses in the freezer 10-15 minutes prior to making these.
  • If you don't have the time to make our pumpkin spice simple syrup, you can sub with store-bought. From late summer-winter, you should be able to easily find this in most grocery stores. It's may be located near the baking aisle, the coffee aisle, the alcoholic beverages section, or the condiment section.
  • If you're not dairy free: use regular heavy cream in place of coconut milk.
  • For an extra fall flourish, garnish with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and/or a few coffee beans for that classic espresso martini look.
  • Uses for leftover pumpkin spice simple syrup: If you're making our syrup from scratch, here are a few ways to use up the rest!
    • Topping for waffles, pancakes, french toast, etc
    • Stir into oatmeal, chia pudding, yogurt, overnights oats, etc
    • Add to your morning coffee (hello, homemade pumpkin spice latte!)
    • Add to other fall cocktails, like a white russian, cranberry orange mimosa, or pumpkin spice margarita
  • Make ahead: It's super easy to make the simple syrup ahead of time, as it last for several weeks in the fridge. If you're making this pumpkin spice espresso martini for entertaining, you can actually make a big batch ahead of time by multiplying the quantities below. Store (without ice) in a pitcher in the refrigerator, but be sure to stir/whisk well before serving to make sure all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
Overhead of finished espresso martinis in glasses with coffee beans on top.
Serve garnished with cinnamon and a few coffee beans.

More Fall Cocktail Recipes

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    Apple Cider Margarita
  • close up view of a passion fruit martini in a glass with dark backdrop.
    Passion Fruit Martini
  • Hot Apple Cider Cocktail
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Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

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📖 Recipe

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Close up of finished espresso martinis with pumpkins in background.

Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cocktail
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini is a fun fall twist on one of our favorite classic cocktails. Homemade pumpkin spice simple syrup pairs perfectly with freshly brewed espresso, coffee liqueur and vanilla vodka. It's such a crowd pleaser and perfect for fall entertaining! 


Ingredients

Martini:

  • 2 fl oz freshly brewed espresso
  • 1 ½ fl oz vanilla vodka (or regular vodka)
  • ½ fl oz coffee liqueur (Kahlúa)
  • 1 fl oz coconut milk or heavy cream
  • 1 fl oz pumpkin spice simple syrup (store bought or use recipe below)

Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup:

  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • 4 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
  • 1 5 inch vanilla bean, (use the seeds and pod)
  • 1 heaping teaspoon of whole cloves


Instructions

Martini:

  1. Brew espresso and let it cool to room temperature, then add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.

  2. Strain the chilled mixture into a martini glass and dust with a touch of pumpkin pie spice blend or cinnamon. Cheers!

Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup (if not using store-bought):

  1. Add maple syrup, water, and pumpkin pureé to a small saucepan and whisk together over medium-high heat.
  2. Using a small paring knife, carefully cut a slit in the vanilla bean from the top to the bottom. Using the edge of the knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean pod. You may need to scrape more than once to make sure you get everything. 
  3. Add cinnamon sticks, ginger, vanilla bean seeds (as well as the leftover pod) and cloves to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and let the mixture sit for 15-30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean pod with tongs, then strain the simple syrup through a fine mesh sieve. You'll have to use a spatula to push the liquid through, since the pumpkin puree residue makes it thick
  5. Get as much liquid out as you possibly can, then transfer to a mason jar or other sealed container for storage.

Notes

For an extra cold martini, chill your martini glasses in the freezer 10-15 minutes prior to making these. 

If you don't have the time to make our pumpkin spice simple syrup, you can sub with store-bought. From late summer-winter, you should be able to easily find this in most grocery stores. It's may be located near the baking aisle, the coffee aisle, the alcoholic beverages section, or the condiment section.

If you're not dairy free: use regular heavy cream in place of coconut milk.

Vanilla vodka: We're using vanilla-flavored vodka for this recipe to add a bit of extra sweetness. If you don't have this on hand, feel free to sub with regular vodka. 

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Cocktails
  • Method: Shaker
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cocktail
  • Calories: 133
  • Sugar: 10.3 g
  • Sodium: 6.9 mg
  • Fat: 3.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 12 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0.3 g

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Comments

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  1. Andrea says

    September 24, 2022 at 3:47 pm

    This Fall flavored martini truly packs a delicious punch. Will be making these often.

    Reply
    • Lexi says

      September 24, 2022 at 4:04 pm

      Thanks so much, Andrea!

      Reply
  2. Emily says

    September 24, 2022 at 3:47 pm

    Our guests loved this fun cocktail I served at last night's dinner party. Everyone was delighted by it; it is perfect for the fall season!

    Reply
    • Lexi says

      September 24, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      Aw thank you, so glad to hear that!

      Reply
  3. Dana says

    September 24, 2022 at 3:25 pm

    This is such a nice seasonal martini! I've always been a dirty martini kind of gal but I'm always willing to try pumpkin spice anything and I'm glad I gave this a go.

    Reply
    • Lexi says

      September 24, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      Love to hear that!

      Reply
  4. Jamie says

    September 24, 2022 at 2:46 pm

    This looks perfect for fall! My guests will love this for the next cocktail party!

    Reply
  5. kushigalu says

    September 24, 2022 at 1:33 pm

    WOW! I Totally love the presentation and perfect fall recipe. Thanks

    Reply
    • Lexi says

      September 24, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
Lexi and Beth toasting with wine.

Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

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