Gingerbread Espresso Martini

Name: Gingerbread Espresso Martini
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Ingredients: ½ cup brown sugar (packed); ¼ cup molasses; 1 cup water; 2 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; Pinch of nutmeg; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 oz vodka; 2 oz espresso (cooled); 1 oz gingerbread syrup (homemade or storebought); 1 oz milk or cream; 3 coffee beans & a gingerbread cookie (for garnish)

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Spice up a classic espresso martini with the cozy flavors of a gingerbread cookie! Think of a boozy gingerbread latte with vodka, espresso, a splash of milk, and spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses. Enjoy this festive cocktail during the holiday season as a delicious Christmas pick me up.

This Gingerbread Espresso Martini is the perfect Christmas cocktail for holiday season. A traditional espresso martini is given a festive twist with the warm & cozy flavors of a gingerbread cookie!

It's basically a boozy gingerbread latte, so if you like those then you're in for a treat! The classic espresso martini recipe is also shaken with the addition of gingerbread syrup and a dash of milk for a seasonal spin. It has a creamy texture and a frothy top. I even include a recipe for a quick 5 minute homemade gingerbread syrup made from pantry staples, or you can use store-bought.

Prepared in 3 minutes from 4 ingredients, this delicious gingerbread martini is the perfect drink for when you need a holiday pick-me-up during the winter season! It is easily made gluten-free and dairy-free, so it's perfect to share with all of your coffee lovers. Enjoy for Christmas and holiday celebrations during this time of year.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Substitutions
Step-by-Step Instructions
What to Serve with a Gingerbread Espresso Martini
Make Ahead & Storage
Batching
Expert Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
More Drinks
Recipe
Reviews

Why You'll Love This Recipe

A delicious Christmas drink. Perfect for the holiday season!
So much gingerbread flavour! Tastes like a boozy gingerbread latte. You'll be warm & cozy from the inside, out!
Uses common bar ingredients. The espresso martini is a classic cocktail. If you like them already, you definitely have most of the ingredients.
Option for a homemade gingerbread syrup. Control the sweet taste and the ingredients when you make it at home. Or go for convenience and buy one!
Made in 3 minutes. Just shake and enjoy!
This recipe is easily made gluten-free and dairy-free by making a few simple swaps.

Want more Christmas recipes? Try my sugar cookie martini, gluten free shortbread cookies, chai espresso martini, butter pecan cookies, matcha shortbread cookies, or a winter aperol spritz.

Ingredient Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this gingerbread espresso martini:

ingredients to make gingerbread syrup. — Gingerbread Syrup Ingredients

ingredients to make a gingerbread martini. — Gingerbread Syrup Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Syrup

Brown sugar
Molasses: Important for the gingerbread flavor!
Water
Ground ginger, cinnamon & a pinch of nutmeg: Or use a gingerbread spice blend if you have it.
Vanilla extract: Stir this in after cooking to preserve the flavor.

This homemade gingerbread syrup is delicious and easily made in 5 minutes. If you want a simpler approach, you can buy a gingerbread syrup at most grocery stores or online retailers.

For the Espresso Martini

Vodka: This is the perfect neutral flavour for an espresso martini. Try vanilla vodka if you have it!
Espresso: It must be a fresh, yet cooled shot of espresso to achieve the nice foam on top!
Gingerbread syrup: Use the homemade recipe above or a store bought syrup.
Milk or cream: While not a traditional ingredient, I like the creamy latte taste a little milk gives this espresso martini. Ideally use whole milk or 2%. Use coconut cream or another dairy-free alternative if preferred.
Ice: For shaking. Larger ice is better than smaller ice because it won't melt as much.
Coffee beans & a gingerbread cookie for garnish

Substitutions

There are several ways to change up this cocktail. Here are some substitution suggestions:

Change the spirit. Try whiskey, bourbon, gin, tequila, or your favourite spirit.
For gluten-free. Ensure you use gluten-free gingerbread cookies to rim the glass and garnish. Or simply omit the rim and garnish, as the drink recipe is gluten-free.
For dairy-free and vegan. Instead of milk, use coconut cream, almond milk, or another dairy-free alternative. Ensure your gingerbread cookies are dairy-free too.
Adjust sweetness. You can add more or less gingerbread syrup depending on your taste preferences.

close up of a gingerbread martini with a gingerbread man cookie hanging on the side.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Be sure to read the recipe card below for the full recipe.

Make the Gingerbread Syrup

Add all syrup ingredients except the vanilla extract to a small saucepan and turn to medium low heat. Heat gently for 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Allow the gingerbread syrup to cool completely then pour into a jar and keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

left: a rimmed coupe glass, middle: ingredients in a cocktail shaker, right: hands shaking a cocktail shaker.

Make the Espresso Martini

(1) Pour a little gingerbread syrup onto a small plate and add some crushed gingerbread cookie crumbs beside it. Run the rim of a martini glass or coupe around in the syrup, then press it into the crumbs all the way around. Set aside.

(2) Add all of the espresso martini ingredients plus 1-4 large ice cubes to a cocktail shaker.

(3) Close tightly and shake for 30-60 seconds until the outside is frosty.

(4) Strain into a the rimmed glass.

(5) Garnish with 3 coffee beans and a small gingerbread cookie. Enjoy responsibly!

left: pouring espresso martini into a rimmed glass, right: top view of an espresso martini.

What to Serve with a Gingerbread Espresso Martini

This gingerbread espresso martini is the perfect cocktail for the holidays. Enjoy at Christmas with all your friends and family. Heck, you may need it as a mid-meal pick-me-up! Here are some of my holiday faves to go with it:

Check out more Christmas recipes!

Make Ahead & Storage

Note that this cocktail recipe is best served and consumed fresh after preparing. It should not be made ahead of time, nor stored for later.

Batching

Because they need to be shaken to achieve the beautiful foam on top, espresso martinis are tricky to batch. The most you can likely fit in your cocktail shaker is 2 drinks. Be patient if making for a crowd.

side view of a gingerbread martini in a coupe glass.

Expert Tips

Here are some of my top tips and tricks for a successful espresso martini:

Don't cook the homemade syrup too hot for too long. Otherwise it may burn or become too thick.
Use store-bought gingerbread syrup for simplicity.
Use freshly machine-brewed (but cool) espresso for a foamy top. The crema on top of freshly brewed espresso is what contributes to the classic foam on top of an espresso martini. Instant coffee or cold brew will still give you the flavour, but not the foam.
Add a splash of milk or cream for a gingerbread latte taste.
Use less, larger ice to avoid diluting the drink and produce the best foam.
Shake the cocktail extra hard for the beautiful foam. Until the shaker is frosty.
Chill your coupe in the freezer for a few minutes for an extra cold drink.
Pour the drink quickly, so the foam settles on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes up gingerbread spice?

The classic gingerbread flavor is a combination of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Most recipes use different proportions of each. The use of molasses as a sweetener is also iconic to gingerbread.

Is vodka gluten-free?

Yes, most distilled alcohols are in fact gluten-free and safe for celiacs due to the distillation process. As always, read the label on your vodka. I use Titos, as it is distilled from corn and states it is gluten-free on the bottle.

How do you get the foam on top of an espresso martini?

The crema on top of freshly brewed espresso is what contributes to the classic foam on top of an espresso martini. Instant coffee or cold brew will still give you the flavour, but not the foam. You also need to shake hard for at least 60 seconds, and use less, but larger ice to avoid diluting the drink.

If you want even more foam, you could add an egg white to the cocktail shaker. Be sure to shake all ingredients dry, before adding ice. Then add ice and shake again. This is a common technique, not in espresso martinis, but in other cocktails.

a gingerbread espresso martini in a coupe.

This gingerbread spice espresso martini recipe is the perfect cozy cocktail for the cold weather. It's a delicious mix of a strong espresso martini and a sweet spicy gingerbread cookie. It's like a boozy gingerbread latte! Enjoy with all your friends and family during the holiday season!

More Drinks

See more Cocktail Recipes →

Have you made this gingerbread espresso martini? I'd very much appreciate it if you leave a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and review below, and tag me on instagram @fromoliviaskitchen!

Why You'll Love This Recipe