Creamy Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

Salted caramel espresso martinis are perfectly rich, sweet, and creamy vodka cocktails. This easy recipe for vodka, coffee, and Kahlua is the mixed drink that will be your new to-die-for alcohol indulgence.  Think of this as a combination of a Starbucks Salted Caramel Macchiato and a Kahlua White Russian.  Heaven!

This is the best salted caramel cocktail using Kahlua liqueur. Like my Tootsie Roll shot recipe, the Kahlua shines & is so good. This recipe is so quick and easy and results in a delicious fancy coffee-flavored vodka martini. Plus it is creamy & decadent like my recipe for an Eggnog Martini.

Jump to:

• Best Vodka for Espresso Martini
• Ingredients for the Best Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
• Prepare the Martini Glasses
• Shake Up the Kahlua & Vodka Espresso Martini
• Pour the Creamy Espresso Martini
• Espresso Martini Recipe Variations
• What to Love about this Recipe
• Creamy Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

Best Vodka for Espresso Martini

Using a good quality vodka that you love is important for making a good classic martini. I like to use a top-shelf brand such as Belvedere when I shake up a dirty martini at home.

However, when mixing an espresso martini you do not need to use top-shelf vodka. The intense flavors of coffee and the sweetness of the caramel in this recipe are what will shine. When mixing a martini with a bunch of other ingredients, like in my sweet Candy Corn Martini, using a low-shelf vodka is perfectly acceptable.

I am using a great generic brand from Costco, Kirkland. I have a ton of friends that sweat by its quality at a great low price. This vodka or other inexpensive but popular brands like Pinnacle, Skyy & Smirnoff are just fine when making an espresso martini.

Ingredients for the Best Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

For those that want a cappuccino or latte martini, this is the best real espresso martini recipe. You can use espresso, cold brew, instant coffee, decaf coffee, or regular brew for this Kahlua vodka espresso martini recipe. When I have this as a dessert martini, I make it with instant decaf coffee so I am not up all night from the caffeine that an espresso martini would have.

The cream, Torani caramel syrup, Kahlua, vodka, and coffee are what are important in this recipe. Vodka in coffee for me is two of my favorite drinks in one and results in a fancy kind of martini.

You can make this creamy espresso martini without coffee liqueur but it will not be the same and I highly recommend making sure you use the Kahlua.  If you have Baileys you can substitute and try that out on this salted caramel martini. A slight variation of this martini cocktail recipe would be to use the Pinnacle whipped vodka for some extra sweetness mimicking the whipped cream on your favorite latte.

Recipe Variations

For a vegan or dairy-free espresso martini, you can substitute the cream with coconut, oat, or almond milk. All these milk substitutes will make this creamy espresso cocktail fantastic.

Prepare the Martini Glasses

To set this espresso martini recipe over the top, dressing up the glasses is key.  I highly recommend that you coat the rim of the martini glasses with caramel sauce and then sprinkle on the sea salt flakes. The taste of the salted caramel as you sip this coffee cocktail really makes this special.

Shake Up the Kahlua & Vodka Espresso Martini

Here is how to make the salted caramel espresso martini with Kahlua & vodka. When making this espresso martini at home, you simply add all the ingredients to a martini shaker with some ice. 

The coffee-flavored Kahlua along with espresso, cream, caramel syrup, and vodka make the ultimate martini. It includes a pinch of sea salt at the end to give this a real sweet and salty combo that makes salted caramel a favorite.

Pour the Creamy Espresso Martini

Once all the ingredients are chilled and mixed together, pour the espresso martini into the two prepared glasses.

This will be a sweet and velvety martini that is a wonderful after-dinner drink. It is like a dessert on its own and will be the perfect ending to a fancy or special dinner at home.   

Again, if you want to enjoy this late at night, you can still enjoy this salted caramel vodka cocktail with decaf coffee instead of espresso for a martini that won't keep you up at night.

Espresso Martini Recipe Variations

For more fun and tasty espresso martini recipes, try any of these variations or additions.

• FRANGELICO ESPRESSO MARTINI - use Frangelico instead of Kahlua for a hazelnut espresso martini with caramel.
• MOCHA ESPRESSO MARTINI - use a mocha-flavored coffee instead of espresso for a mocha martini with caramel and chocolate flavors.
• KETO SALTED-CARAMEL ESPRESSO MARTINI - use sugar-free Torani caramel syrup and a sugar-free caramel sauce for a sweet but low-carb & keto-friendly espresso martini.

There are 312 calories in this sweet Salted-Caramel Espresso Martini with 25 carbs.   For the keto espresso martini, it is 265 calories and 10 carbs.

What to Love about this Recipe

This simple espresso martini recipe makes for a great after-dinner dessert beverage that satisfies your sweet tooth. If you like other coffee mixed drinks, you will love this salted caramel espresso martini too. So if you are an Irish coffee fan, give this vodka martini recipe a try for another coffee-flavored cocktail.

If you love caramel coffee drinks, salted caramel, or creamy cocktails like a White Russian, this is seriously a drink made for you.  I love both and this is why I decided to try to make a recipe that combines all those flavors into a cocktail that is amazing.

PIN FOR SAFEKEEPING & SHARING!

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