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Peppermint Espresso Martinis

By Reed Dunn

Dec 18, 2023, Updated May 11, 2025

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My obsession with finding the best Espresso Martini really has had a meteoric rise in the past year. There are so many great bars that offer this popular cocktail, but I haven’t yet seen a holiday version – so I decided to create my own.

These Peppermint Espresso Martinis first came to me after I was making a batch of holiday cookies with a similar flavor profile. Coffee, chocolate and peppermint go so well together in the cookies that I knew I wanted to recreate it in the form of my favorite adult beverage.

Simple Syrup for Peppermint Espresso Martinis

Make a batch of Peppermint Simple Syrup so you can surprise your friends and family with this cocktail throughout the remainder of the holiday season. Here’s how it’s done:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan on medium-high heat. Stir together until sugar dissolves and mixture just starts to simmer. Remove from heat and let sit 1 minute.

Stir in peppermint extract, and let cool to room temperature before storing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Once you have your festive simple syrup, it’s just a matter of grabbing the essentials for a classic Espresso Martini – I added some half and half to this version to make it a bit more creamy (and to cut down on the booziness just a tiny bit).

Making Chocolate Tree Garnish

To make the floating chocolate Christmas tree garnish, heat ½ cup chocolate chips until just melted and pour into a piping bag. Snip the end and drizzle into zig-zag tree shapes onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 10 minutes to set.

If you want to ensure your trees are the proper size, trace an outline of your glass onto the parchment paper and draw a triangle in the middle to guide the size you want to create. I use a black marker and then flip the paper over on the sheet pan.

For serving: Gently float the chocolate trees onto the drink and serve immediately. You also can rest the tree on the rim of the glass to give your Peppermint Espresso Martinis an extra festive pop.

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4.50 from 6 votes

Peppermint Espresso Martinis

Peppermint Simple Syrup brings a festive punch to this holiday take on a traditional Espresso Martini. Coffee liqueur and heavy cream add heft to this rich cocktail.

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Servings: 1

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 ounces vodka
• ▢ 1 ounce coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua
• ▢ 1 ounce espresso or cold brew concentrate
• ▢ 1 ounce half and half
• ▢ ¼ ounce peppermint simple syrup
• ▢ Ice
• ▢ Crushed peppermint candies and chocolate syrup for garnish

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Instructions 

• Add vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, half and half and peppermint simple syrup to a shaker filled with ice. Secure lid and shake until well chilled.
• Strain into a martini glass that has been garnished with a rim dipped in chocolate syrup then crushed peppermint candies. Serve.

Notes

To make the floating chocolate Christmas tree garnish, heat ½ cup chocolate chips until just melted and pour into a piping bag. Snip the end and drizzle into zig-zag tree shapes onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 10 minutes to set.

If you want to ensure your trees are the proper size, trace an outline of your glass onto the parchment paper and draw a triangle in the middle to guide the size you want to create. I use a black marker and then flip the paper over on the sheetpan.

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