Espresso Martini (low-calorie)
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 14.9% ABV ∙
This low-calorie Espresso Martini shakes vodka and hot espresso with a sugar-free sweetener syrup, keeping the coffee-and-vodka profile. Cold and velvety with a bitter espresso hit up front, a faint salt edge sharpening the coffee, and a clean finish without the usual syrupy weight.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Vodka 45 mlEspresso coffee 45 mlSugar-free sweetener syrup 10 mlSalt 1/2 pinch
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with three coffee beans floated in a petal formation in the center of the cocktail’s foamy head
Tips
- Brew the espresso just before shaking and let it stay hot, since hot coffee against ice builds the signature crema better than cooled coffee.
- Shake all ingredients hard for a full 15-18 seconds with fresh ice, then strain quickly, because the hot espresso melts cubes fast and can over-dilute the pale foam layer.
- Add the sea salt pinch directly into the shaker before shaking, not as a garnish, so it dissolves evenly and sharpens the coffee flavor without added sugar.
History
This drink is a variation on the Espresso Martini, generally credited to London bartender Dick Bradsell in the early 1980s. The most common account places its creation at the Soho Brasserie around 1983, when a young woman, sometimes said to be a model, asked Bradsell for a drink that would wake her up and then intoxicate her; Bradsell never named her, and later rumors have variously identified her as Marie Helvin, Naomi Campbell, or Kate Moss. The drink was first called the Vodka Espresso and was served on the rocks with vodka, fresh espresso, and sugar syrup, without coffee liqueur, before evolving through the late 1990s into the vodka-espresso-coffee liqueur "martini" served up that became the modern standard. This low-calorie version follows that same vodka-and-espresso formula but swaps in a sugar-free sweetener syrup for the traditional sugar syrup, cutting the drink's calorie content.
FAQ
How do you make a lower-calorie Espresso Martini?
This build swaps the usual coffee liqueur and sugar syrup for a sugar-free sweetener syrup, which is what keeps it to about 109 calories per serving. Vodka and freshly brewed hot espresso still form the base, shaken hard with a pinch of sea salt to round out the sweetener's flavor.
How many calories are in this Espresso Martini?
This recipe comes to about 109 kcal per serving. That is meaningfully lighter than a standard Espresso Martini, which typically layers in coffee liqueur and sugar syrup on top of the vodka and espresso.
Is this Espresso Martini keto-friendly or vegan?
Yes, this recipe is keto-friendly, vegan, vegetarian, and lactose-free. The sugar-free sweetener syrup replaces the sugar syrup that a classic build uses, which is what keeps the carb and calorie count down while the drink stays plant-based.
What is in an Espresso Martini?
Vodka, freshly brewed hot espresso, and a sugar-free sweetener syrup, shaken with a pinch of sea salt and fine-strained into a martini glass. The salt is a small addition that tempers the sweetener and sharpens the coffee note.
Is an Espresso Martini shaken or stirred?
Shaken, and hard. The hot espresso needs vigorous agitation with ice to chill quickly and whip up the foam cap that sits on top of the drink.
What glass is an Espresso Martini served in?
A martini glass, garnished with coffee beans on top of the foam.
