Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini – Made with Real Pumpkin

This pumpkin spice espresso martini recipe is a delightful fall inspired twist on a classic cocktail that we all know and love. Made with vodka, coffee liqueur, cold brew or espresso, REAL pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice. The perfect creamy pumpkin spice cocktail to enjoy all fall long! Easily made dairy free by opting for a dairy free creamer.

The best pumpkin spice espresso martini

I’m not really the type of gal that’s into pumpkin spice EVERYTHING, but I don’t think I’d ever say no to this drink!

Meet our new favorite cocktail – The Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini.

(We’re real big on espresso martinis here – this is our favorite classic espresso martini, and this eggnog espresso martini and peppermint mocha espresso martini always comes out once the first snow falls!)

This one is made with REAL pumpkin, just the right amount of pumpkin pie spice, your creamer of choice, espresso, vodka, and kahlua (or another coffee liqueur).

Ready in just minutes, perfectly sweet, and the seasonal YUM factor of this simple martini is just *chef’s kiss*. Which makes it absolutely perfect as an after dinner drink and all your fall entertaining plans!

Why you’ll love this espresso martini recipe

It is:

• Perfectly fall festive
• Super creamy
• Layered with warming flavors
• Easy to make yet impressive
• Absolutely luscious
• Irresistible
• Totally delicious!

Ingredients and substitutions

This fun and yummy espresso martini is made with just a handful of ingredients that you likely already have stocked in your fall pantry.

You’ll need all the basics of a classic espresso martini, plus a few extras for that pumpkin spice vibe.

Here’s exactly what you need:

• Vodka – Vodka is the traditional spirit used in espresso martinis. There are however variations that use rum, mezcal, tequila, or gin. But for this recipe I would stick with vodka or rum.
• Espresso – Real, hot espresso is the best coffee to use in espresso martinis. But if you don’t have access to an espresso machine there are other options! You can use extra strong hot coffee, cold brew concentrate, or even a high quality instant coffee. Some people might give me a hard time for giving you the green light on instant coffee, but we’ve done it many times and the result is still delicious! (& I doubt anyone would notice if you don’t tell them).
• Kahlua – Kahlua is our favorite coffee liqueur for making espresso martinis because of the density of the coffee flavor, and the sweetness. Other recipes for espresso martinis might call for less coffee liqueur and added simple syrup, but I like the simplicity and flavor of all the sweetness coming from the liqueur itself. Tia Maria and Mr Black are both slightly less sweet coffee liqueur alternatives to kahlua.
• Pumpkin puree & pumpkin pie spice – For that perfect pumpkin spice flavor. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice you can substitute with a tiny pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and dried ginger.
• Creamer of choice – Our personal favorite is Nutpods original unsweetened creamer (the vanilla flavor would also be lovely), but any type of creamer will work – dairy free or not.

Can you make an espresso martini without espresso?

I say yes!

There are many varied opinions on this question, but based on my experience you can totally make a DELICIOUS espresso martini without espresso. Extra strong coffee, cold brew concentrate, instant coffee, or instant espresso all work well.

We love this high quality organic brand of instant coffee if you’re curious about what we’d use.

Should you use hot or cold espresso?

Again, this is a topic with varied opinions, but based on my experience hot espresso or hot coffee produces the best espresso martini.

I think it has something to do with the oils that are in the coffee beans and the crema that you see in fresh espresso that helps create the foam on top of the martini.

But if all you have is cold brew or room temperature coffee it will also work, you may just end up with less foam than if you were using hot espresso.

If using hot esspresso, it is important to add it last, so it doesn’t melt all the ice in your shaker while you measure and pour the other ingredients.

What tools do I need to make an espresso martini?

You’ll need a few basic home bartending tools to make this pumpkin spice espresso martini. But if you don’t have all of them, don’t stress – there are workarounds that I’ll share below. 

These are the tools you’ll need:

• A cocktail shaker
• A strainer – if your shaker doesn’t have one built in
• Something to measure the spirits and other ingredients with – This could either be a jigger or standard measuring spoons.

If you don’t have a cocktail shaker or a strainer, this article has some awesome solutions for missing pieces for the home mixologist.

How to make a pumpkin spice espresso martini

Whipping up a pumpkin spice espresso martini is really no different than shaking up any other cocktail.

This recipe is for one cocktail, but some shakers will be able to fit a double batch.

Here’s the step-by-step

• Gather your ingredients. Prepare your espresso or coffee, measure out the vodka, kahlua, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice, and add plenty of ice to a cocktail shaker.
• Add ingredients to cocktail shaker. Add all ingredients to your cocktail shaker, making sure to add the hot espresso last so the ice doesn’t melt immediately
• Shake it up! Seal the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 15-30 seconds. Properly aerating the cocktail is what helps build the foam on your finished drink so don’t be afraid to use some muscle power!
• Strain into a glass. Strain into a glass (chilled if you’d like) and enjoy!

How to garnish an espresso martini

The classic garnish on an espresso martini is three coffee beans. It is said that they represent health, wealth, and happiness!

For this cocktail I like to add a dash of pumpkin pie spice as well.

When to serve this martini

This pumpkin spice cocktail is the perfect drink to enjoy around as soon as fall hits, and would be a delicious cocktail to serve for a Halloween party, an autumn dinner party, or a cozy night in with your boo!

Would also be lovely served as:

• A holiday cocktail for Halloween or Thanksgiving
• An after dinner drink
• Happy hour beverage
• A party starter
• Weekend brunch drink!

Love this espresso martini? Try these other NK cocktail recipes!

• Peppermint Mocha Espresso Martini
• Classic Espresso Martini Recipe
• Eggnog Espresso Martini
• Spiced Hibiscus Vodka Sour
• Spiced Apple and Tangerine Spritz
• Jungle Bird Cocktail
• Red Wine Tangerine Spritz

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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