My friend wouldn't stop talking about this salted caramel espresso martini at book club. She'd had one at brunch the weekend before and kept saying "you have to try this - it's like dessert and coffee had a baby with tequila, but it's vodka." I was half-listening until she mentioned the salted rim, and suddenly I was paying attention. Salt with caramel and coffee? That sounded either genius or weird.The next Saturday night, Emma was sleeping over at his friend's house, and I had the kitchen to myself. Instead of pouring my usual glass of wine, I thought why not try making that cocktail.
Why You'll Love This Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Back making this for girls' nights, dinner parties, and even a few random Tuesday evenings when I needed something special, here's why it keeps getting requested: The flavor combination is ridiculously good - you get that coffee kick without it tasting like you dumped espresso into vodka and called it a day. The caramel adds this smooth sweetness that rounds everything out, and the salt? It's not just for show. That little bit on the rim makes each sip taste more balanced, less like straight sugar. It's the difference between drinking liquid dessert and drinking a real cocktail that happens to be sweet.
What really gets me is how easy it is to make. You don't need bartender skills or fancy equipment - just a shaker, some ice, and five ingredients. Takes maybe three minutes start to finish, and people always think you worked way harder than you did. It's strong enough to feel like a real drink but smooth enough that you're not making faces after each sip. Plus, it looks impressive in a glass with that caramel drizzle, which doesn't hurt when you're trying to show off a little.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
- Ingredients for Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
- How To Make Salted Caramel Espresso Martini Step By Step
- How to Serve Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
- Salted Caramel Espresso Martini Variations
- Equipment For Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
- Smart Swaps for Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
- Caramel Choices:
- The Secret My Cousin Won't Share
- Top Tip
- What to Serve with Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
- FAQ
- Time to Mix One Up!
- Related
- Pairing
- Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Ingredients for Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
The Base:
- Vodka
- Fresh brewed espresso
- Coffee liqueur
- Caramel syrup
- Heavy cream
The Extras:
- Sea salt
- Caramel sauce
- Ice cubes
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Salted Caramel Espresso Martini Step By Step
Prep Your Glass First
- Pour caramel sauce onto small plate in thin layer
- Pour sea salt onto separate plate
- Dip rim of martini glass in caramel then right into salt
- Drizzle extra caramel inside the glass in swirls
- Salt rim should be even but not so thick it falls off
Build Your Cocktail
- Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes
- Pour in vodka, coffee liqueur, and fresh espresso
- Add caramel syrup and splash of cream if using
- Cap the shaker tight and shake hard for 15-20 seconds
- Shake until your hands hurt from the cold shaker
Strain and Serve
- Drink it right away while it's cold
- Strain cocktail into your prepped glass
- Watch that foam layer form on top
- Add final caramel drizzle across the foam
How to Serve Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Best Timing:
- Make it right before serving (foam disappears quick)
- After-dinner drink
- Dessert replacement
- Late afternoon pick-me-up
Presentation:
- Chill glasses in freezer first
- Extra caramel drizzle looks nice
- Coffee beans on foam for garnish
- Serve on small napkin
What Goes With It:
- Chocolate truffles
- Biscotti for dipping
- Salted caramels
- Cheese and crackers
- Small desserts
Party Prep:
- Have ice ready
- Pre-salt the rims
- Brew espresso ahead (keep warm)
- Set up ingredients on tray
Salted Caramel Espresso Martini Variations
Chocolate Caramel:
- Add chocolate syrup
- Use chocolate liqueur
- Drizzle chocolate on rim
- Shaved chocolate on top
Vanilla Bean:
- Vanilla vodka base
- Add vanilla extract
- Vanilla bean paste swirl
- Vanilla cream drizzle
Spiced Version:
- Add cinnamon to salt rim
- Dash of nutmeg
- Pinch of cardamom
- Cinnamon stick garnish
Frozen Style:
- Blend with ice instead
- Add ice cream
- Frozen caramel chunks
- Whipped cream top
Extra Strong:
- Double the espresso
- Add amaretto
- Splash of Irish cream
- Extra shot of vodka
Equipment For Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
- Cocktail shaker
- Martini or coupe glass
- Shot glass (for measuring)
- Small plates (for rim prep)
- Strainer (usually comes with shaker)
Smart Swaps for Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Coffee Options:
- Fresh espresso → Strong brewed coffee
- Hot espresso → Cold brew concentrate
- Regular coffee → Instant espresso powder
- Espresso → Double shot from coffee shop
Liqueur Switches:
- Kahlúa → Tia Maria
- Coffee liqueur → Baileys (creamier)
- Regular → Mr. Black (more coffee taste)
- Store brand → Homemade coffee syrup
Caramel Choices:
- Caramel syrup → Caramel sauce (thicker)
- Store bought → Homemade caramel
- Regular → Salted caramel sauce
- Syrup → Dulce de leche
Vodka Alternatives:
- Standard → Whipped cream vodka
- Regular vodka → Vanilla vodka
- Plain → Caramel vodka (skip the syrup)
- Vodka → White rum
The Secret My Cousin Won't Share
My cousin makes the best Salted Caramel Espresso Martini I've ever had, and she's been holding out on the recipe for two years. Every family gathering, someone asks her to make them, and she acts all mysterious about it. Last Thanksgiving, I watched her like a hawk while she was making a batch in the kitchen. She thought I was just hanging out, but I was taking notes in my head.
Her secret? She adds a tiny splash of maple syrup with the caramel. Not enough that you taste maple - maybe a teaspoon - but it does something to the caramel that makes it deeper, almost smoky. And she uses flaky sea salt instead of regular salt on the rim. Those big flakes hit your tongue different, give you little bursts of salt instead of just coating your whole mouth.
Top Tip
- My friend and I stumbled on something that makes this salted caramel espresso martini way better than the version we tried at brunch. One night I ran out of regular caramel syrup halfway through making drinks. I panicked and grabbed this jar of homemade salted caramel sauce I'd made for ice cream the week before. Threw it in the shaker anyway, figuring it couldn't hurt.
- Turns out, using thick salted caramel sauce instead of thin syrup changes everything. The sauce doesn't just flavor the drink - it creates these little pockets of caramel that stick to the ice and make it almost creamy. You get surprise bursts of intense caramel instead of just sweet background taste. Now I always use sauce instead of syrup, and I warm it up for about 10 seconds first so it mixes easier.
- The other trick? Don't throw out that first shot of espresso from your machine. Most people toss it because it's too strong or bitter, but that intense coffee flavor is exactly what you want here. It stands up to all the sweetness without disappearing. Save your smooth, perfect shots for drinking straight - use the harsh ones for cocktails.
What to Serve with Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
From making these for different get-togethers, here's what goes well: Dark chocolate anything works - truffles, brownies, or just good chocolate bars broken into pieces. Biscotti is great for dipping if you want that Italian coffee vibe. Salted caramel brownies match the flavors in the drink. Tiramisu makes sense since it's already coffee-based. Or go savory with a cheese board - aged cheddar, brie, some salted nuts, and crackers. The salty cheese cuts through the sweetness.
Honestly though, this salted caramel espresso martini is sweet enough to be dessert by itself. If you just finished a big dinner, skip heavy desserts and put out some dark chocolate squares or salted caramels. For parties, it goes with light appetizers like bacon-wrapped dates, mini quiches, or shrimp cocktail. The drink is rich, so you want snacks that won't compete with it or make people too full.
FAQ
How to make salted caramel Espresso Martini?
Brew fresh espresso and let it cool a bit. Salt the rim of a martini glass with caramel and sea salt. Fill a shaker with ice, add vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and caramel syrup. Shake hard for 15-20 seconds until foam forms. Strain into your glass and drizzle with caramel.
What is the golden rule Espresso Martini?
The golden rule is always shake with fresh espresso, not old or reheated coffee. Fresh espresso makes that foam layer on top. Also, shake harder and longer than you think - weak shaking means no foam and a flat drink.
What is an interesting fact about Espresso Martini?
The espresso martini was invented in the 1980s by a London bartender when a model asked for a drink that would "wake me up and mess me up." The salted caramel version came later, adding sweet and salty to balance the coffee's bitterness.
How to serve Salted Caramel Espresso Martini liqueur?
Salted Caramel Espresso Martini works great in this martini, but you can also serve it over ice, drizzled on ice cream, mixed with hot coffee, or in hot chocolate. For cocktails, it goes well with vodka, rum, or cream-based drinks.
Time to Mix One Up!
You've got everything you need to make this salted caramel espresso martini - from the basic recipe to my cousin's sneaky maple syrup trick. This drink proves that sometimes the best cocktails come from trying to recreate something you can't stop thinking about after one sip at brunch. Don't stress about making it perfect the first time - my first two attempts were disasters, and now I make these all the time. Just shake it hard, use fresh espresso, and don't skip the salt rim.
Want more treats to go with your drinks? Try our Delicious Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe that goes great with coffee cocktails. Our Easy Homemade Pecan Tassies Recipe makes perfect bite-sized desserts for cocktail hour. Or check out our 10 Delicious Elvis Presley Cake Recipes for something really special when you're having people over! Share your cocktail creations we love seeing what you make.
Rate this Salted Caramel Espresso Martini and join us!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail shaker (With built-in strainer or use a fine mesh)
- 1 Martini or coupe glass (Chill for best results)
- 1 Shot glass or jigger (For measuring liquids)
- 1 Small plates (For rim prep (caramel & salt))
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Vodka - Regular or try vanilla/caramel flavored
- 1 oz Coffee liqueur - Kahlúa or any preferred brand
- 1 oz Fresh espresso - Or strong brewed coffee cooled slightly
- 0.5 oz Caramel syrup - Or warmed caramel sauce for richer flavor
- 0.5 oz Heavy cream - Optional makes it creamier
- 1 teaspoon Maple syrup - Optional for depth (secret ingredient!)
- — — Sea salt - For rimming glass use flaky salt if possible
- — — Caramel sauce - For rimming and drizzling
- — — Ice cubes - For shaking
Instructions
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Rim the martini glass with caramel and sea salt, then drizzle caramel inside.
-
Fill the cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
-
Add vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, caramel syrup (or sauce), and cream.
-
Shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds until chilled and foamy.
-
Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with caramel drizzle or coffee beans.
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