Cocktail & Other Recipes Cocktail Type Coffee & Dessert

30 Coffee Cocktails to Kick Off or Cap Off Your Evening

Espresso Martinis and Irish Coffees are just the beginning.

Death by Morning cocktail in gold-rimmed Nick & Nora class with mint sprig garnish, on metal serving tray

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

The Espresso Martini and Irish Coffee are certainly two of the most well-known coffee cocktails in the world, and you’ll find plenty of riffs on them below. But don’t sleep on other inventive drinks like a Cold-Brew Negroni and a caffeinated Rum Punch. Whether you’re kick-starting an evening or enjoying a nightcap, these recipes are all delicious ways to combine your favorite flavors.

  • Espresso Martini

    Espresso Martini in ornate footed cocktail glass, with three espresso beans as garnish

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This famous coffee cocktail was allegedly invented in the 1980s at the request of a supermodel who asked for “something to wake me up, then fuck me up.” Bartender Dick Bradsell complied with a potent combination of vodka, espresso, and coffee liqueur, and a legend was born.

    Get the recipe.

  • Irish Coffee

    Irish Coffee

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This consummate after-dinner drink likely originated in Ireland’s County Limerick in the 1940s. The key to a perfect cup: preheating the mug with hot water before discarding the water and adding Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and hot brewed coffee. Topping with lightly whipped cream is a must.

    Get the recipe.

  • Prairie Buzz

    Prairie Buzz cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Whatever buzz you’re looking for, you’ll find it in this rich and herbaceous drink, which combines Rieger’s Kansas City whiskey, vino chinato, amaretto liqueur, cold-brew coffee, heavy cream, and cinnamon syrup.

    Get the recipe.

  • Cold-Brew Negroni

    Cold-Brew Negroni

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Bar pro Pamela Wiznitzer perks up the classic Negroni formula by infusing Campari with coffee grounds. She mixes the amaro with gin and sweet vermouth for a bold yet simple riff.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 5 of 30 below.
  • Miss Elena

    Miss Elena cocktail

    Liquor.com / Todd Coleman

    No espresso machine is required for this elegant Espresso Martini riff from New York City bartender Beau Bradley. He combines vodka, Nonino amaro, pedro ximénez sherry, and simple syrup with Mr Black coffee liqueur in lieu of an espresso shot.

    Get the recipe.

  • Tequila Espresso Martini

    Tequila Espresso Martini served in Nick and Nora glass with thick foam, garnished with three espresso beans and shot against tan background

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Karla Flores-Mercado, owner of Bar Flores in Los Angeles’s Echo Park neighborhood, created this tequila-based Espresso Martini variation, which utilizes cold brew, honey, and amaro to create a unique flavor profile that revitalizes the old standard.

    Get the recipe.

  • Death by Morning

    Death by Morning cocktail in gold-rimmed Nick & Nora class with mint sprig garnish, on metal serving tray

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    The Espresso Martini meets a Death in the Afternoon. Bartender Dzu Nguyen combines absinthe, Branca Menta, coffee liqueur, espresso or cold-brew concentrate, demerara sugar, and Angostura bitters to produce a bracing and minty cocktail.

    Get the recipe.

  • The Dead Rabbit Irish Coffee

    The Dead Rabbit Irish Coffee

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This warming Irish Coffee is the signature drink at New York City Irish bar The Dead Rabbit. One sip and you’ll see why: Bartender Jack McGarry combines Clontarf Irish whiskey, brewed coffee, and demerara syrup for delicious results.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 9 of 30 below.
  • Oaxacan Tail

    Oaxacan Tail cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Coffee often finds its match in whiskey, but this smoky and bittersweet combination is made for agave and amari lovers. The brunch cocktail from Esters Wine Shop & Bar in Santa Monica combines Foro amaro, mezcal, blanco tequila, cold-brew coffee, and chocolate mole bitters.

    Get the recipe.

  • Roman Holiday

    Roman Holiday Cocktail
    A.J. Trela

    The Jungle Bird took a vacation to Italy for this coffee-fueled twist on the tropical classic. Re-create the recipe from Cindy’s Rooftop Bar in Chicago with Amaro Meletti, Campari, cold-brew coffee, pineapple and lime juices, demerara syrup, and a pinch of sea salt.

    Get the recipe.

  • Buena Vista Irish Coffee

    Buena Vista Irish Coffee

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    The Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco introduced Americans to the Irish Coffee in 1952, and to this day it makes more of the drink than any bar in the world. Its beloved recipe isn’t so different from the classic, but calls for F&H sugar cubes instead of brown sugar.

    Get the recipe.

  • Nightcap

    Nightcap at Yours Truly in Hamilton, Bermuda

    Daniel Moik

    Ignore the name: This boozy Espresso Tonic is more likely to kick start your night than cap it off. Bartender Daniel Moik combines rum, cold-brew coffee, maple syrup, orange zest, Angostura bitters, and tonic water.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 13 of 30 below.
  • Kirsch au Café

    Kirsch au Cafe

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Bartending pro St. John Frizell combines cognac, kirsch, Cherry Heering liqueur, espresso, simple syrup, and an egg white for this silky cherry-and-coffee-flavored drink. Mix one up for yourself and a lucky friend—the recipe yields two. 

    Get the recipe.

  • Italian Espresso Martini

    Italian Espresso Martini

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This drink from Kansas City bartender Nicholas Boden swaps vodka for Averna amaro, rendering it lower in alcohol than your typical ’Tini. The amaro works with espresso and Kahlúa to produce a rich and gently bittersweet digestif. 

    Get the recipe.

  • Emerald Isle of the Caribbean

    Emerald Isle of the Caribbean

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    For this tropical-inspired Irish Coffee, bartender Paul McGee employs rum instead of Irish whiskey, which he combines with freshly-brewed dark-roast coffee, cinnamon syrup, an allspice-vanilla syrup, and spiced whipped cream.

    Get the recipe.

  • Cowboy Coffee

    Cowboy Coffee cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Although it’s served in a flute, this spirit-forward drink bears more similarities to an Old Fashioned than a Champagne Cocktail. Denver bar pro Sean Kenyon combines crushed coffee beans, whiskey, demerara syrup, and Angostura bitters.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 17 of 30 below.
  • Irish Affogato

    Irish Affogato

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    It’s hard to improve upon a classic Irish Coffee, but adding ice cream never hurt anything. This drinkable dessert combines coffee ice cream, Irish whiskey, Irish cream liqueur, and cold-brew coffee.

    Get the recipe.

  • Rich Coffee

    Rich Coffee

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This herbaceous cocktail is rich indeed. San Francisco bartender Tommy Quimby combines hot brewed coffee with creme de cacao and Fernet-Branca, then tops the mug with a homemade pistachio whipped cream. 

    Get the recipe.

  • A Figgin’ Good Time

    A Figgin’ Good Time cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This drink gets its name from a homemade sambuca syrup that combines the anise spirit with figs, orange peels, and brown sugar. Bar pro Peter Hernandez mixes up a boldly-flavored cocktail by combining it with vodka, espresso, and chocolate bitters.

    Get the recipe.

  • Café Corrección Ponche

    Caffe Correccion Ponche

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Serve a crowd of coffee lovers with this big-batch Rum Punch variation from bar pro Eric Alperin. He combines añejo rum, cold-brew coffee, Punt e Mes vermouth, an orange oleo saccharum, orange juice, and simple syrup.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 21 of 30 below.
  • Fort Defiance Irish Coffee

    Fort Defiance Irish Coffee

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This Irish Coffee from bar pro St. John Frizell of Fort Defiance in Brooklyn swaps freshly brewed coffee for a shot of espresso lengthened with boiling water. Cap it off with Irish whiskey, whipped cream, and a fresh dusting of cinnamon.

    Get the recipe.

  • Midnight Oil

    Midnight Oil cocktail

    Brett Esler

    This rum cocktail is inspired by Austin bar pro Brett Esler’s favorite breakfast combo: a cup of coffee and a slice of banana bread. To re-create the flavors, he combines rum, ginger and banana liqueurs, cold-brew coffee, and vanilla extract, then tops the mixture with a bruléed banana garnish.

    Get the recipe.

  • Eye Opener

    Eye Opener cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    What happens when you combine three of life’s great pleasures? This rich and, yes, eye-opening cocktail, which combines Irish whiskey, cold-brew coffee, stout beer, and a ginger-brown-sugar syrup.

    Get the recipe.

  • Gran Rosta Coffee

    Gran Rosta Coffee

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This Irish Coffee starts with Irish whiskey, brewed coffee, demerara syrup, and whipped cream. Then, the twist: a ground popcorn powder, which adds a buttery and salty element to the classic.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 25 of 30 below.
  • The Morning After

    The Morning After cocktail
    The Barrow House

    Bartender Shawn Gorga combines cognac, Mr Black coffee liqueur, Averna amaro, Xila liqueur, cold-brew coffee, and chocolate bitters to produce an herbaceous and complex drink. It’s just as perfect after dinner as it is the morning after.

    Get the recipe.

  • Shoulda Benne Pirate

    Shoulda Benne Pirate cocktail

    Harold's Cabin

    Benne wafer cookies are a South Carolina staple, and they’re the garnish for this locally-inspired drink from Harold’s Cabin in Charleston, which combines a strawberry-infused rum, cold-brew coffee, Irish cream liqueur, simple syrup, and an egg white. Whether or not you top it with crushed-up cookies, the rich drink can double as dessert.

    Get the recipe.

  • Pumpkin Spiced Latte

    Pumpkin Spiced Latte cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Skip the line at Starbucks and make a big, boozy batch of this seasonal staple. Just add your choice of Frangelico, bourbon, or rum to a mix of freshly brewed coffee, milk, heavy cream, pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.

    Get the recipe.

  • Cardamom

    Cardamom cocktail

    Mace

    For his inventive Espresso Martini riff, New York City bartender Nico de Soto combines pistachio-fat-washed vodka with a shot of espresso and a homemade cardamom syrup. Three cardamom pods replace the classic coffee-bean garnish.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 29 of 30 below.
  • Spark & Stormy

    Spark and Stormy cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Not all coffee cocktails are rich and creamy. This refreshing and smoky drink combines cold-brew concentrate with Drambuie, mezcal, pineapple juice, and club soda. 

    Get the recipe.

  • Espresso Milk Punch

    Espresso Milk Punch

    Juliana Argentino

    The Milk Punch is a brunch classic, and this caffeinated twist is sure to jump start your day, thanks to a bottled-in-bond bourbon, espresso and chicory liqueurs, and heavy cream.

    Get the recipe.