Why You’ll Love This Peppermint Espresso Martini

This shaken peppermint espresso martini easily goes from party-of-one to holiday gathering.

Party of one. This recipe makes a single serving, which is perfect if you just want to have one drink.
Beginner-friendly. Rim the glasses, shake the cocktail, serve, and garnish!
Great for the holidays. Baileys, peppermint oil, and crushed peppermint candies is an under-rated flavor profile.
Prep ahead. You don’t need to be busting out cocktails once your guests arrive. Prep lots in advance and serve it in a pitcher.

Labeled ingredients for making a peppermint espresso martini.

What You’ll Need

Mellow peppermint oil rounds out the coffee’s bittersweetness and the vodka’s sharpness. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.

For the Espresso Martini

Espresso – Add your favorite.
Baileys Irish cream – It adds creamy richness.
Vodka – Use plain vodka, not a flavored one.
Coffee liquor – I added Caffe del Fuego, but Kahlua is another very popular brand.
Simple syrup – You can also use honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup.
Peppermint oil – Feel free to use extract. Make sure it’s food-grade.
Ice – I prefer smaller ice cubes.
Coffee beans – These are an optional garnish that add aroma and a subtle bitterness.

For the Rims

Dark chocolate chips – Go for semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
Peppermint candies – The red and green ones also have an amazing Christmas vibe.

How to Make a Peppermint Espresso Martini

The minty rims add a colorful and spicy holiday wow-factor to this simple cocktail. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.

Dipping the chocolate rimmed glass into crushed peppermint candies. — You can can finely crush the peppermint candies or leave them slightly chunky.

Pouring the cocktail into the rimmed glass. — You can can finely crush the peppermint candies or leave them slightly chunky.

Prep the rims. Add the peppermint candies to a plate. Set it aside. In a separate bowl, microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals until melted. Dip the rims of the cocktail glasses in melted chocolate and then in peppermint candies. Flip the glasses right-side up and chill the glasses in the fridge until set.
Shake it. Pour espresso, Baileys, vodka, coffee liquor, simple syrup, peppermint oil, and ice into the cocktail shaker. Secure the lid and shake until the cocktail shaker is frosted.
Serve. Strain the cocktail into coupe glasses. Garnish with coffee beans. Enjoy!

Overhead photo of two creamy cocktails garnished with coffee beans.

Tips & Variations

Turn this peppermint espresso martini into a party by serving it in a pitcher, with cinnamon sticks and crushed cookies for garnishing.

More toppings. Candied orange peels, finely chopped chocolate, and crushed gingerbread cookies are great topping options if you want to add more flavor.
Make it frosty. Add all of the cocktail ingredients to the blender. Process until nice and frosty, like a slushy. Serve and enjoy.
Dust it. Once served, dust the cocktails with a bit of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin spice for the perfect sip.
Use a pitcher. This is perfect if you’ve got large gatherings. Rim the glasses as usual and set them on the table. Make as many batches of the recipe as needed and pour them into a pitcher. Let everyone pour their own drinks.
Skip the shaker. If you don’t have a shaker, pour the ingredients into a large serving glass and use a stirrer or spoon to gently mix them together until well combined.
Use stirrers. A cinnamon stick or small candy cane can make the cocktails look extra pretty when used as stirrers.