Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini

When fall rolls around, this drink is my perfect pick-me-up! The Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini is a delicious vodka cocktail with the perfect mix of coffee and pumpkin spice flavors. It's so tasty and a great cocktail for PSL lovers!

Looking for some more great Espresso Martinis? Try out the tasty Tequila Espresso martini, or the Gingerbread Espresso Martini, my Christmas favorite.

For some more delicious fall themed recipes, definitely try out the Rumchata & Coffee, the creamy Maple Caramel White Russian, or the super easy Fireball Apple Cider.

Ingredients

You'll only need four ingredients to make this drink!

First, the vodka. I used vanilla vodka for this, but you can use plain vodka too.

Next, the coffee liqueur. Although both would work well, I chose to use Mr Black cold brew liqueur here instead of the traditional Kahlua coffee liqueur. It has a deeper coffee flavor and is less sweet than the Kahlua.

Then, the Pumpkin Spice Syrup, which brings all the fall flavor. I used my homemade recipe with real pumpkin and brown sugar, but you can choose to buy it too (I like the Hipstirs pumpkin spice syrup).

Finally, the espresso itself. If you want to get the foam layer, the key is using a freshly made and cooled espresso. I used my Nespresso Vertuo machine for this recipe.

For the garnish, three coffee beans and a whole star anise make a simple and beautiful addition to the cocktail.

Substitutions & Variations

If you don't have Pumpkin Spice Syrup and can't purchase it, you can use Cinnamon Syrup instead. It won't have the same body but will still have that great cinnamon spice.

If you don't have an espresso maker, you can use a cold brew concentrate, or you can use instant espresso powder. You probably won't get the foam on top, but it will still taste delicious.

Want to make a lower sugar version of this drink? Try substituting in Jordan's Skinny Mixes pumpkin spice syrup instead of the full-sugar kind. Or, you can make the Pumpkin Spice Syrup with allulose instead of the brown sugar.

Note: For the low sugar version, keep in mind that the liqueur has sugar too. You might want to switch it out for some plain cold brew concentrate, or omit it.

Equipment

There are just a few basic bar tools you'll need to make this drink (and some extra nice-to-haves).

Most importantly, you'll need a cocktail shaker, strainer and a jigger to measure the ingredients.

For the serving glass, a coupe glass or a martini glass both work perfectly.

As for the nice-to-have extras, I love using a fine mesh strainer for this drink. It makes the bubbles finer when you're straining, plus it catches any stray pieces of pumpkin from the syrup.

The other extra is a pair of kitchen tweezers to add on the coffee bean garnish. They're fun to use and place the beans perfectly!

Note: If you need any new bar equipment, I really love the products from A Bar Above! Grab 10% off of any of their products or courses using my discount code, LKDrinks.

Instructions

Start off by adding the syrup and liqueur to your cocktail shaker.

Then, add in the vodka and espresso.

Fill the shaker with ice and shake well.

Then, strain the drink into the glass. As pictured below, I use both a regular strainer and a fine mesh strainer at the same time. This is called double straining.

Once the foam has collected at the top of the cocktail, it's time to garnish. Place three espresso beans so they float on top of the foam, and then balance a star anise on the rim of the glass.

Finally, serve and enjoy!

Hint: If you are making your own fresh expresso but still not getting a good foam on your drink, you might need to use freshly ground beans.

Top tip

Don't forget to chill your cocktail glass before making the drink! Ideally, chill it for about 30 minutes in the fridge or freezer. This will help keep the drink colder longer!