Ingredients
- 45 ml Vodka
- 30 ml Coffee liqueur (Kahlua or Mr Black)
- 30 ml Fresh espresso (chilled)
- 15 ml Simple syrup
- 180 ml Ice about 1 cup
- 3 Coffee beans for garnish
Instructions
- Brew a double espresso. Cool to room temp or refrigerate (hot espresso melts the ice too fast).
- Add vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, simple syrup, and 1 cup of ice to a high-power blender.
- Blend on high for 15-20 seconds until smooth and frothy.
- Pour into a chilled hurricane glass.
- Garnish with three coffee beans floating on the foam (the foam holds them).
Notes
Where it came from
The Frozen Espresso Martini emerged from Australian beach bars in the early 2020s, when Espresso Martinis got so popular that bartenders started looking for ways to make them work in summer. The blender version retains the coffee-vodka-foam character but turns the drink into a slushy that doesn’t melt.
It travelled to the US and UK quickly. Mr Black (the Australian cold-brew liqueur) markets it heavily because the recipe makes their bottles disappear faster than the original.
What it tastes like
Same as a shaken Espresso Martini — coffee, vodka, sweet — but with the texture of a frozen daiquiri. Colder, more dilute, easier to drink fast. The blended ice traps air, so the foam is naturally part of the drink rather than a top layer.
It’s a porch drink, not a dinner-party drink. Drink it in 5 minutes before it separates. Make a second one if you want to keep going.
Drink Buddy Exclusive
Tell us what's in your cabinet.
Our Cocktail Builder takes whatever bottles you've got and hands you every drink you can actually make tonight.
Get the Drink Buddy newsletter
One drink, one tip, one Tuesday a month.
Plus the recipes we drop before they hit the site. Zero spam.
Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The vodka
- Use
- Smirnoff, Absolut, or any 80-proof vodka
- Skip
- Flavoured vodkas (compete with the coffee)
- Why
- Neutral vodka is here for alcohol; the coffee provides the flavour.
The coffee liqueur
- Use
- Mr Black (Australian, less sweet) or Kahlua (sweeter, classic)
- Skip
- Generic coffee liqueurs from supermarkets
- Why
- Mr Black tastes more like real cold brew. Kahlua is the classic.
The espresso
- Use
- Fresh-pulled double espresso, chilled
- Skip
- Cold brew (different concentration), instant coffee (powdery)
- Why
- Espresso has the right strength and crema. Other coffee is meaningfully worse.
Variations
Other Espresso Martini variations and frozen cocktails.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Strong cold brew (60ml instead of 30ml) or 1 packet of instant espresso powder mixed with 30ml of warm water (then chilled).
Skip it and add an extra 15ml of espresso and 7ml of simple syrup. Less complex but still works.
Sugar (15g) or maple syrup (works surprisingly well).
You can shake hard for 30 seconds with crushed ice, but it won’t be as frothy.
Add 30ml of cream or oat milk before blending. It becomes a Frozen Espresso Mudslide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is a Frozen Espresso Martini?
A Frozen Espresso Martini is the classic Espresso Martini (vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, simple syrup) blended with ice instead of shaken. Same flavours, slushy texture, served in a hurricane glass.
How do you make a Frozen Espresso Martini?
Add 45ml vodka, 30ml coffee liqueur, 30ml chilled espresso, 15ml simple syrup, and a cup of ice to a high-powered blender. Blend on high for 15-20 seconds. Pour into a chilled hurricane glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.
Is a Frozen Espresso Martini stronger than a regular one?
Slightly weaker — the blended ice dilutes more than the small amount of melt from a shaker. About 14-16% ABV vs 18-20% for a shaken Espresso Martini.
Why does my Frozen Espresso Martini separate?
Either you used hot espresso (melted the ice too fast), or didn’t blend long enough. Espresso must be chilled before blending. Blend for at least 15 seconds for proper froth.
Can I make a Frozen Espresso Martini ahead of time?
Not blended — it separates in 10-15 minutes. You can pre-batch the liquids (vodka + coffee liqueur + espresso + simple syrup) in a bottle and blend with ice on demand.
What’s the best coffee liqueur?
Mr Black (Australian) for a less sweet, more cold-brew character. Kahlua for the classic sweet version. Borghetti for a more Italian espresso character. Avoid generic supermarket coffee liqueurs — they taste artificial.
How do you get the foam?
Blending introduces air into the mix, creating natural foam. The foam holds the three coffee beans on top. If your drink doesn’t foam, you under-blended or used flat coffee instead of espresso.
Is it the same as a Frappuccino?
No. A Frappuccino is coffee, milk, sugar, and ice blended. A Frozen Espresso Martini has vodka, coffee liqueur, and espresso instead. The Espresso Martini version has more alcohol and less dairy.
More Like This
More coffee cocktails worth pulling out the blender for.
