Chai Espresso Martini

This Chai Espresso Martini is a spiced-up holiday espresso martini with a twist. End the night with this perfect cocktail made with spicy chai concentrate, vodka, Kahlúa, a shot of espresso, and a touch of creamer.

This chai espresso martini is a delightful fusion of bold espresso and warm chai spices, resulting in a rich and aromatic cocktail. This drink offers a creamy, spiced experience, making it an elegant and exotic twist on the classic espresso martini.

If you’re in the mood for festive martinis, consider Baileys Mint Martini, Peppermint Espresso Martini, Baileys Smores Martini, Salted Caramel Martini, or Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini.

For more cocktail options, try this White Russian with Kahlua, Gin Espresso Martini, Baileys Espresso Martini, Godiva Chocolate Martini, or Raspberry Chocolate Martini.

Why You’ll Love This Martini

• Perfect for holidays: This martini is perfect for colder winter months and holiday season.
• Easy to make: Like all the other martini recipes I share, this one is also very easy to make. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker or a jar with ice and shake until incorporated.
• Customizable: This cocktail is easily customizable. For specific suggestions, please refer to the substitutions and variations section.
• You need basic bar tools: For this recipe, you need some basic bar tools, like a cocktail shaker or a mason jar, something to measure the liqueur, and a strainer.

Ingredients

• Kahlua: For this recipe, I used my favorite coffee liqueur. It adds a beautiful aroma to this martini. Feel free to use any coffee liqueur you prefer.
• Chai Concentrate: I used Tazo Chai Latte concentrate. It adds sweetness and a warm spice aroma to this martini.
• Vodka: We need just a bit of vodka for this recipe. Some of my favorites are Absolut and Tito’s vodka.
• Espresso: I used the Nespresso Vertuo espresso pod – Voltesso. These coffee beans have a mild bitterness and light vanilla aroma. Feel free to use your favorite coffee beans, which might alter the martini flavor. You might need to add some sweetener if you use a strong espresso.
• Creamer: To make a creamy espresso martini, we need a creamer, like half and half or heavy whipping cream.

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

• Use different spirits: If you are not a vodka fan or don’t have it on hand, feel free to use a different spirit, like gin.
• Add a sweetener: I like this martini without any additional sweetener, but if you use a stronger espresso, you might need to add a little bit of simple syrup or another sweetener.
• Make it dairy-free: To make it dairy-free, use oat milk. Please note that it might affect the martini’s creaminess and frothiness.
• Add additional spices: To kick it up a notch, add some additional spices, like cardamon, cinnamon, and cloves, to a cocktail shaker when mixing this martini.
• Add different garnishes: Garnishes are optional but can create a beautiful presentation when hosting a holiday gathering. Add whipping cream, dust some cinnamon sugar, rim the glass with sugar, star anise, a little cocoa powder, grated nutmeg, etc.
• Make it decaf: To make it decaf, use decaf coffee beans, and decaf chai concentrate. Please note that Kahlua has a tiny bit of caffeine but is almost nondetectable.

How to Make Chai Espresso Martini

Step 1: Brew the espresso and let it cool slightly in the freezer before mixing with other ingredients. Also, place the glass in a freezer while preparing the cocktail.

Step 2: Add crushed ice to a cocktail shaker, filling halfway.

Step 3: Add Kahlua to a cocktail shaker.

Step 4: Add Chai concentrate to a cocktail shaker.

Step 5: Add vodka to a cocktail shaker.

Step 6: Add creamer to a cocktail shaker.

Step 7: Add cooled espresso to a cocktail shaker.

Step 8: Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled glass.

Step 9: Add optional garnishes, like cinnamon sugar, star anise, or grated nutmeg, and serve immediately.

Pro Tip: Use a mason jar if you don’t have a cocktail shaker.

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Brew espresso and let it cool slightly: When you prepare the espresso, you need to let it cool slightly before adding it to other ingredients. Otherwise, it will melt the ice and water down the martini.
• Chill the glass: To keep the martini cold longer, I recommend chilling the glass in a freezer for 5-10 minutes.
• Shake vigorously: To make a frothy espresso martini, shake the cocktail shaker vigorously. This is a crucial step.
• Double the recipe: If you are preparing this recipe for a crowd, you can always double the recipe if you have a large cocktail shaker.
• Use a large martini or coupe glass: Make sure to use a large one since there are many ingredients.

Recipe FAQs