Espresso Margarita

Do you like coffee? Try the Espresso Margarita, a rich, bittersweet drink made with tequila, Kahlua, orange liqueur, and espresso.

Coffee lovers, here is your ideal cocktail: the Espresso Margarita! It’s not often that coffee meets tequila, but when you do, you’ll be delighted. This take on the espresso martini combines tequila with Kahlua, orange liqueur, and espresso for a rich, bittersweet flavor. Shaking creates a deliciously foamy filling. It’s unusual, but it is functions.

Ingredients in an Espresso Margarita (not espresso)

The margarita is a classic cocktail invented in Mexico in the 1930s and remains one of the most popular cocktails of all time. A classic margarita only has 3 ingredients: tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. The espresso (not the espresso!) margarita is a spin similar in concept to an espresso martini, adding Kahlua and espresso or strong coffee to the mix. Here’s what you need:

• white tequila: The unaged tequila here gives a simple taste; Replace Reposado with notes of vanilla and oak
• Double: Use Kahlua or another coffee liqueur like Tia Maria
• Triple Sec or Cointreau: either work! Cointreau has a more refined finish
• Espresso or strong coffee: more on that below

what do you not need Lime juice in a classic margarita just doesn’t work with coffee. (trust us!)

For the coffee

There are many coffee options in an espresso margarita: you don’t even need a real espresso! Here are some methods:

Learn more about Kahlua

The backbone of this espresso margarita? Kahlua. This coffee liqueur brings the bitterness of coffee with rich notes of vanilla and caramel on the finish. Here’s more about it:

• Double is a coffee liqueur made in Mexico. It consists of rum, sugar and coffee. It contains caffeine but only about 25% of the same amount of coffee.
• Is Kahlua dairy free? Yes! The standard version of Kahlua contains only rum, sugar, and coffee: no cream. Though it has a frothy top, this drink is vegan and plant-based.
• How much is Kahlua? It costs around $20 per bottle.
• What are the Kahlua Substitutes? You can also use other coffee liqueurs like Tia Maria or Sheridan’s.
• What other cocktails does Kahlua use? Use it to make Kahlua drinks like White Russian, Black Russian or Mudslide.

Serve an espresso margarita

Unlike most margaritas, the espresso margarita is not finished with a salty note. (gasp!) Here are some serving ideas:

• Skip an edge or use sugar or ground coffee. Try a sugar crust like this Apple Cider Margarita or a crunchy coffee crust like this Coffee Martini.
• If using a lowball glass, use clear ice. This is crystal clear ice made up of large blocks or chunks (compare to cloudy ice from an ice machine). It’s what bars use to make drinks more elegant. Use this clear ice tutorial to make it at home using a small cooler or clear ice tray.
• Or serve in a martini glass. Then you can serve it neat instead of on the rocks.

And that’s it! Let us know what you think about this espresso margarita in the comments below.

More coffee cocktails

There are so many delicious coffee cocktails to choose from! After this drink, try one of the following: