Dirty Chai Espresso Martini
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What is Dirty Chai Espresso Martini?
The Dirty Chai Espresso Martini is the cocktail equivalent of your two favourite caffeinated drinks deciding to get together. A dirty chai latte — chai spiced tea with a shot of espresso added — is already one of the most loved coffee shop orders in the world. An espresso martini is the most popular cocktail on the planet in 2026. Put them together and you get something that is simultaneously a nightcap and a pick-me-up, cosy and sophisticated, familiar and completely new.
The drink is built on the espresso martini's template: vodka, coffee liqueur, and freshly brewed espresso shaken hard for that essential foam. The twist is a homemade chai simple syrup — steeped with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper — that replaces the standard simple syrup and transforms the drink entirely. The chai spices soften the espresso's sharp edges and add personality, while the coffee keeps it bold and grounded, with flavour hitting in waves: first creamy smoothness, then espresso depth, then the warm spice finish. It tastes like sweater weather in a coupe glass.
Don't forget to see what other drinks you can make with the ingredients you already have in your bar.
How to make chai simple syrup (10 minutes)
Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add 2 chai tea bags (or 2 tbsp loose leaf chai) and steep off the heat for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags, allow to cool completely. Stores refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Makes enough for 8–10 cocktails.Why You'll Love It?
- The espresso martini meets dirty chai latte — the most popular cocktail of 2026 upgraded with warm autumn spice.
- The chai syrup takes 10 minutes and keeps for 2 weeks — make it once, use it all season.
- That thick foam layer dusted with cinnamon is one of the most photogenic cocktail presentations possible.
- Naturally bridges the gap between coffee lovers and cocktail drinkers - works for any crowd.
- Distinct seasonal page from the existing espresso martini — targets a high-volume fall and winter search cluster.
- Swap vodka for spiced rum to push the chai warmth even further.
Ingredients for Dirty Chai Espresso Martini
| My Bar | |
|---|---|
| 2 oz vodka (buy) | ✘ |
| ½ oz kahlua (coffee liqueur) (buy) | ✘ |
| 1 oz espresso (buy) | ✘ |
| 1 oz chai simple syrup | ✘ |
| change measure > | |
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Step‑by‑Step Instructions
- Brew 2 shots of espresso and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Do not pour hot espresso directly onto ice — it over-dilutes the drink before it can emulsify and foam.
- Chill a coupe or martini glass in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Add cooled espresso, vodka, chai simple syrup, coffee liqueur, and cream (if using) to a cocktail shaker. Fill two-thirds full with ice.
- Shake very vigorously for 20–25 seconds — longer than a standard cocktail. The foam builds during the shake. The shaker should feel painfully cold on the outside before you stop.
- Double-strain through a fine mesh sieve into the chilled glass, pouring slowly so the foam rises naturally to the top.
- Place 3 coffee beans in the centre of the foam. Dust lightly with cinnamon or ground cardamom using a fine sieve. Add a star anise pod if desired. Serve immediately.
