Top 10 Delicious Coffee-Based Cocktail Recipes to Try at Home

Making coffee-based cocktails at home is more than just imbibing with friends, it's about creating an atmosphere of energy and connection. These drinks keep you lively and awake during a fun night with friends after a long day, giving you just the right mix of caffeine and alcohol.

If you're having a party or just hanging out with friends, coffee cocktails are the perfect drinks for sparking conversation and keeping the fun going well into the night. When you get the right mix, they can be super refreshing and tasty, making them a great choice for any event.

Before we share the recipes, you need to make sure you’re using the right coffee for your coffee cocktails.

What’s the best coffee liqueur for coffee cocktails?

Tia Maria is the best coffee liqueur for making flavorful coffee cocktails. Tia Maria uses Jamaican coffee beans, giving it a deep and rich coffee flavor. Tia Maria is the perfect choice because it balances sweetness with that nice coffee bitterness, unlike some other coffee liqueurs that can be way too sugary.

It keeps the drink from getting too thick or syrupy, and it blends nicely with other spirits like whiskey, rum, or vodka. Tia Maria brings a great coffee flavor along with hints of vanilla and chocolate, making your coffee cocktails even more interesting.

How to make coffee cocktails at home?

There are many ways you can make coffee cocktails at home. We’ve gathered the coffee cocktails that everyone will love. Here are the top 10 recipes that are very easy to make:

1. Homemade Espresso Martini

Making an espresso martini at home is simple and easy. It’s a vodka-based drink that’s delicious and balanced. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients:

• 1 oz vodka (Tito's works well)
• 1 oz coffee liqueur (Tia Maria adds sweetness, or use a more bitter cold-pressed coffee liqueur)
• 1 shot of espresso (cooled to room temperature)
• Ice
• Coffee beans for garnish (optional but traditional

Instructions:

1. Build the Drink: Add 1 oz of vodka and 1 oz of coffee liqueur to a shaker.
2. Add the Espresso: Pour in the entire shot of espresso.
3. Shake it Up: Add ice and shake for 18-20 seconds to get a frothy texture.
4. Strain and Serve: Double strain into a martini or coupe glass.
5. Garnish: Add coffee beans on top, if desired.

2. Irish Coffee

When it’s been snowing all morning, there’s no better way to warm up than with a nice Irish coffee.

Ingredients:

• Coffee (espresso, single or double)
• Jameson’s Irish whiskey (some prefer Bailey’s)\
• Double cream
• Brown sugar (optional)
• Boiling water

Instructions:

1. Start with the Base: Add 1.5 teaspoons of brown sugar to your glass, then pour in enough boiling water to dissolve it.
2. Add the Whiskey: Pour in a double shot of Jameson’s (or a single if you prefer).
3. Pour the Coffee: Add your double shot of espresso for bold flavor.
4. Prepare the Cream: Lightly whip double cream or shake it in a Boston shaker for a thicker texture.
5. Layer the Cream: Use a spoon to gently layer the cream on top of the coffee mixture.
6. Optional Garnish: Top with chocolate powder, cinnamon, or nutmeg if you like. Otherwise, enjoy it plain

3. White Russian Recipe

Making a White Russian is super simple. We're making a built cocktail, which means you can just toss all the ingredients right into the glass we're going to drink from. 

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz Tia Maria
• Half ounce of half and half (or whole milk, whatever you like better)
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Start with the Vodka: Add the vodka straight into the glass, no shaker needed when making a White Russian.
2. Add the Kahlua: This coffee liqueur brings that sweet richness and coffee kick that's essential for a White Russian.
3. Add the cream: Pour the half and half on top.
4. Lastly, add the ice: After adding the ice, give it a stir. This will cool down the drink and blend everything together perfectly.

4. Mudslide Recipe

This coffee cocktail is basically a twist on a White Russian, but with a delicious chocolatey taste.

Ingredients:

• Chocolate sauce or ganache
• Ice
• 1 oz vodka
• 1 oz Irish cream
• 1 oz coffee liqueur (Tia Maria is a great choice)
• 1 oz cold cream
• Chocolate shavings for topping

Instructions:

1. Get the glass ready: Squiggle the chocolate sauce onto a plate and dip the rim of your glass to the sauce.
2. Add ice to the shaker:  Add ice to your cocktail shaker and start with one part ratios.
3. Add the other ingredients: 1 oz vodka, 1 oz Irish cream, 1 oz Kahlua, and 1 oz cold cream to the shaker.
4. Shake: Pop the top on and give it a good shake. After that, pour that mix into your glass and sprinkle some shaved chocolate on top for a nice touch.

5. Brazilian Coffee

Brazilian coffee is a tasty, sweet, and creamy delight that mixes just a few simple ingredients for a super enjoyable experience. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 oz cachaça
• 4 oz strong-brewed coffee

Instructions:

1. Start with the sweetened condensed milk: We'll only add an ounce of this because this milk is super sweet.
2. Add cachaça: You can use Novo Fogo for this Brazilian coffee, but any decent cachaça will do the trick.
3. Add the strong brewed coffee: You need a strong coffee to balance the sweetness out.
4. Stir well: Give the mixture a good stir to blend everything together. You're aiming to whip up a coffee that's smooth, creamy, and has that light appearance.
5. Whipped Cream (Optional):  This is the one coffee where you might want to think about adding whipped cream, since it can really boost the richness of the drink. So, give it a taste first so you can decide whether to add it or not.

6. Coffee Negroni

A Coffee Negroni is a refreshing take on the classic Negroni, mixing in a strong coffee taste that goes great with the bitter Campari and the dry gin.

Ingredients: 

• 1 oz gin
• 3/4 oz cold brew coffee liqueur 
• 3/4 oz Campari
• 1/4 oz sweet vermouth
• Ice
• Lemon or orange oil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Start with the gin: Start by pouring dry gin into your mixing glass. Choose a nice, clean, and dry gin for this (the same one used in a Classic Negroni)
2. Add the cold brew coffee liqueur: Choose a coffee liqueur that isn't too sweet, giving you a more genuine coffee taste.
3. Add the Campari: To even out the coffee flavor, mix in the Campari. The sharp taste of Campari goes well with the deep flavors of coffee.
4. Add the sweet vermouth: This will enhance the flavors and bring a touch of sweetness to balance the drink.
5. Mix the Drink: First, put some ice in your mixing glass and stir it for around 30 seconds to cool it down and make it a little less strong.
6. Add the ice: Put in a big chunk of ice. Pour the cocktail over the ice. If you want, you can serve it up, but adding ice makes it better!
7. Optional Garnish: To finish, drizzle a bit of lemon or orange oil on top for a fragrant touch. Orange oil goes really well with the bitter taste of Campari, but lemon oil is also a fantastic choice for a fresher smell.

7. Carajillo Recipe

A Carajillo is a tasty drink that mixes the strong flavor of coffee with the sweet taste of Licor 43.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Licor 43
• 1 shot of espresso, or strong coffee if espresso isn't available.
• Ice
• Coffee beans (optional)

Instructions:

1. Get the Ice Ready: First, put ice into a mixing glass. This will cool down your ingredients and make the drink a bit less strong.
2. Pour in the Espresso: The flavor of the coffee is really important, so make sure to use a strong brew to balance out the sweetness of the Licor 43.
3. Pour in the Licor 43: This Spanish liqueur has a sweet, vanilla-citrus taste.
4. Shake: This mixes the flavors and gives a frothy texture that makes the Carajillo super smooth.
5. Pour into Glass: First, put fresh ice in your glass, then carefully pour the shaken mixture over the ice.
6. Garnish: Add a couple of coffee beans on top for a nice touch.

8. Affogato Coffee Cocktail Recipe

The Affogato Coffee Cocktail is an incredibly indulgent drink that mixes creamy vanilla ice cream with strong espresso, plus a fun twist from coffee liqueur and spirits.

Ingredients: 

• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
• 1 shot of espresso, served hot or warm.
• 1 1/2 oz of vodka (you can also use brandy)
• Half an oz coffee liqueur (Tia Maria)
• Half an oz cacao liqueur
• Ice

Ingredients:

1. Prepare the Blender: First, add the vodka into the blender.
2. Add Coffee Liqueur: Add this for that rich, coffee-flavored sweetness.
3. Add Cacao Liqueur: It will add a nice chocolatey depth to your drink.
4. Add the Espresso: Make a shot of espresso and keep it nice and hot or warm. Add it in the blender.
5. Add the Ice and Ice cream: Add 3–4 ice cubes into the blender, then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The ice is going to cool down the drink and make it creamy.
6. Blend: Pop the lid on the blender and mix it all up until it’s nice and smooth. You'll end up with a coffee cocktail that's creamy, frothy, and super rich.

9. Coffee Mojito Recipe

This coffee cocktail is perfect for coffee lovers who want a fun and flavorful cocktail experience.

Ingredients: 

• A handful of fresh mint
• 1/4 a lime, chopped up into little bits
• 1.5 teaspoons brown sugar
• One shot of rum (feel free to tweak it to your liking)
• 2/3 of cold brew coffee (this depends on the size of your glass)
• Soda water (to top off)
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Glass: First, grab a glass that's about 8 ounces. Add the fresh mint leaves into the glass. Feel free to tweak the mint to your liking, but more mint usually means a flavorful mojito.
2. Add the Lime: Add them into the glass. This will add a cool tangy flavor to the drink.
3. Add the Brown Sugar: We'll use brown sugar since it's best in boosting the flavors with a bit extra richness.
4. Pour in the rum: You can totally tweak the amount of rum to suit your taste since there’s no strict measurement. If you want something a bit lighter, just pour about half the cap of the rum bottle. If you want your mojito to pack a bigger punch, go ahead and add more!
5. Muddle: Grab a muddler or just use the back of a spoon to lightly mash up the mint, lime, and sugar together. This gets the oils from the mint and the juice from the lime flowing, mixing all the flavors together.
6. Add the Cold Brew Coffee: Fill about about two-thirds of the glass.
7. Add Soda Water: Pour in some soda water to give your drink a nice fizzy kick and make it completely refreshing.
8. Stir and Serve: You want to make sure the sugar is all dissolved and the flavors are nicely blended. Throw in some ice if you want and give it a last stir.

10. The Cold Brew Old Fashioned

The Cold Brew Old Fashioned is the perfect mix of whiskey, coffee, and just the right touch of sweetness!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 oz simple syrup
• 1 oz rye whiskey
• 1 oz coffee liqueur (Tia Mara)
• Ice
• Orange peel or garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Start with simple syrup: Pour it into your glass. Simple syrup gives a little touch of sweetness to even things out.
2. Add the Rye Whiskey: This will form the strong base of your cocktail.
3. Pour the Coffee Liqueur: Mr. Black is a great choice because it delivers a deep, genuine coffee taste without being too sweet.
4. Add the Ice and Stir: Give it a good stir. For a classic presentation, transfer to a rocks glass, add clear block of ice and pour your mixed cocktail right over it.
5. Optional Garnish: If you want add garnish, throw a twist of orange peel on your drink for a little extra citrus kick.

Choose Blue Mountain Coffee for Your Coffee-Based Cocktails

When you’re making coffee-based cocktails, the quality of the coffee you choose is extremely crucial for getting a rich and balanced flavor. That's why you should only use Blue Mountain coffee or the Tia Maria coffee liqueur for your coffee cocktails. Sure, it costs more, but the taste of specialty coffee makes it so worth it.

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is considered one of the top coffees globally, famous for its amazing flavor and we stand by it being the spatiality coffee that you need to use in your coffee cocktails to give them that premium, smooth flavor.

Our coffee comes from high altitudes in the famous Jamaica Blue Mountain area, making sure you get a top-quality product every time. Order yours today!

FAQs

Why Do People Drink Coffee with Liquor?

People drink coffee with liquor because it gives them a nice energy boost, and the alcohol helps them relax, so coffee cocktails are great for keeping gatherings lively and enjoyable. The strong taste of coffee goes well with the smooth and rich flavor of alcohol, making a drink that's both balanced and tasty.

Which Alcohol Goes Well with Coffee?

Different kinds of alcohol mix really well with coffee. Whiskey is a popular option, known for its warm and rich flavors that go well with the bitterness of coffee, like in drinks such as Irish Coffee. Rum, Baileys Irish Cream, and vodka are great choices, bringing a nice sweetness and smoothness to the coffee.

Coffee liqueurs such as Tia Maria and Kahlua are made just for coffee cocktails, boosting the coffee flavor with a deliciously sweet taste. Every kind of alcohol adds its own special touch to the drink, making the mix really flexible.