Coffee Liqueur Cocktails

29 drinks · Updated October 2026

Coffee liqueur combines coffee, alcohol and sugar, with recipes varying in base spirit and sweetness. It contributes sweetness and roasted coffee flavor, but it is not interchangeable with espresso, which adds coffee and water without sugar or alcohol. The Black Russian, created at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels around 1949, combines coffee liqueur with vodka, and the White Russian adds cream. The Espresso Martini, created by Dick Bradsell in London in the 1980s, combines vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso.

• B-52

  Peter Fich, Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta (1977)

  0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 0.5 oz Irish cream liqueur 0.5 oz Orange liqueur

• Bahama Mama

  Oswald "Slade" Greenslade, Pink Elephant, Nassau (1963)

  0.5 oz Jamaican rum 0.25 oz Jamaican rum (overproof) 0.5 oz Coconut rum 0.25 oz Coffee liqueur 0.5 oz Lemon juice 3 oz Pineapple juice

• Black Russian

  Gustave Tops, Hotel Metropole, Brussels (1949)

  1.75 oz Vodka 0.75 oz Coffee liqueur

• Espresso Martini

  Dick Bradsell, London (1980s)

  2 oz Vodka 1 oz Fresh espresso 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 0.25 oz Simple syrup

• Mr. Bali Hai

  Bali Hai Restaurant, Shelter Island, San Diego (1950s)

  1.5 oz Jamaican rum 1 oz White rum 0.75 oz Coffee liqueur 1.5 oz Pineapple juice 1 oz Lemon juice 2 tsp Rich simple syrup

• Mudslide

  Wreck Bar & Grill, Rum Point Club, Grand Cayman (1970s)

  1.5 oz Irish cream liqueur 1.5 oz Vodka 1.5 oz Coffee liqueur 3 scoops Vanilla ice cream

• White Russian

  Classic (1960s)

  2 oz Vodka 1 oz Coffee liqueur 1 oz Heavy cream

• Meint Eraser

  Christine Kim, Service Bar, Washington, DC (2022)

  1 oz Peppermint schnapps 1 oz Coffee liqueur Soda water, to top

• Flatliner

  Steve Foster, The Peaks Resort, Telluride (2022)

  1 oz Vodka 1 oz Coffee liqueur 1 oz Irish cream liqueur 1 oz Espresso or cold brew

• Mezpresso Martini

  Jay Sanders, Wild Child, Shawnee, Kansas (2023)

  1.5 oz Mezcal 1.5 oz Coconut water cold brew 0.75 oz Banana liqueur 0.75 oz Coffee liqueur 0.5 oz Agave nectar 2 dashes Angostura bitters

• Cicatriz's Carajillo

  Cicatriz, Mexico City (2024)

  1.5 oz Reposado tequila 1 oz Cold brew concentrate 0.75 oz Licor 43 0.25 oz Coffee liqueur 3 drops Saline solution (1:4)

• Bar Valentina's Espresso Martini

  Bar Valentina, New York (2025)

  1.5 oz Vanilla bean-infused vodka 0.75 oz Espresso 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 0.25 oz Demerara syrup (2:1)

• Always Disco

  Giancarlo Quiroz Jesus, 53AD, Brooklyn (2025)

  4 oz Always Disco clarified punch 450 ml gin 300 ml Empirical Soka 300 ml lemon juice 300 ml orange juice 250 ml chilled bergamot tea 200 ml yakju (Korean rice wine) 100 ml coffee liqueur 500 ml simple syrup 16 oz silken tofu 20 drops 88% lactic acid

• Kopiko Espresso Martini

  Alex Chien, Kayla LeRoy and David Yee, Cobra, Columbus, Ohio (2024)

  1 oz Vodka 1 oz Cobra coffee 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 0.25 oz Hazelnut liqueur (heavy) 0.25 oz Rich turbinado syrup (heavy)

• Frozen Caribbean Coffee

  Jordan Valls, Palomar, Portland, Oregon (2024)

  2 oz Dos leches 1 Whole egg 0.75 oz Coffee liqueur 0.75 oz Coconut masala syrup 0.5 oz Aged Jamaican rum 0.5 oz Brandy 1 heaping cup Pebble ice

• Espresso Martinez

  Nikki Irvine, The Paddock, Eugene, Oregon (2026)

  1 oz Old Tom gin 1 oz Fresh espresso or cold brew 0.75 oz Sweet vermouth 0.5 oz Maraschino liqueur 0.25 oz Coffee liqueur 2 dashes Angostura bitters 2 dashes Boker's bitters

• Tavern Next Door's White Russian

  Conor Johns, Tavern Next Door, Brooklyn (2026)

  0.5 oz Mezcal 0.5 oz Demerara rum 0.5 oz Alpine amaro 0.5 oz Vanilla liqueur 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 2 dashes Angostura bitters 1.5 oz Vanilla malted whip, frothed

• Tiger's Claw

  Erick Castro, San Diego (2026)

  2 oz Reposado tequila 1 oz Pineapple juice 0.75 oz Lime juice 0.75 oz Cinnamon syrup 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 2 dashes Orange bitters

• Kona Coasting

  Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, Tiki Social (2026)

  1.5 oz Bourbon 1.5 oz Pineapple juice 0.75 oz Lemon juice 0.5 oz Banana liqueur 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 0.5 oz Simple syrup

• Cafe Ireland

  Yanni Kehagiaris, Stoa, San Francisco (2023)

  1.5 oz Irish whiskey 0.5 oz Dry vermouth 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur

• Horse With No Name

  Ramsey Musk, Accomplice, Los Angeles (2023)

  1.5 oz Reposado tequila 0.5 oz Amontillado sherry 0.5 oz Lemon juice 0.25 oz Coffee liqueur 0.5 oz Banana liqueur 0.5 oz Jamaican rum 0.75 oz Passion fruit syrup 3 drops Black sesame oil

• Midnight Marauder No. 2

  Kaley Brodeur, The Starling, Wilmington, North Carolina (2023)

  1 oz Rye whiskey 0.5 oz Sweet vermouth 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 0.25 oz Mezcal 1 barspoon Orange curaçao

• Spanish Coffee

  Huber's Café, Portland, Oregon

  0.75 oz Overproof rum (151 proof) 0.25 oz Orange liqueur 1.5 oz Coffee liqueur 3 oz Hot brewed coffee Lemon wedge and superfine sugar (rim)

• Sound System

  Thomas Eslinger, Death & Co, Los Angeles (2021)

  1.5 oz Rainwater Madeira 1 oz Jamaican rum 0.25 oz Coffee liqueur 0.75 oz Lime juice 0.5 oz Pineapple juice 0.5 oz Cinnamon syrup

• Tears of Gold

  Jesse Sherman, Death & Co, Los Angeles (2024)

  1.25 oz Reposado tequila 0.5 oz Licor 43 0.25 oz Coffee liqueur 0.25 oz Grappa 1 oz Cold brew concentrate 0.25 oz Demerara syrup 1 dash Mole bitters

• Espresso Martini & Tonic

  Tyson Buhler & Matthew Belanger, Death & Co (2025)

  1.25 oz Gin 1.5 oz Coffee liqueur 1 oz Coffee syrup 0.5 tsp Framboise eau-de-vie 3 oz Tonic water

• Buffalo Smile

  Dave Anderson, Death & Co, Denver (2022)

  1.5 oz Rye whiskey 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 0.25 oz Amaro Meletti 0.25 oz Ginger liqueur 0.5 oz Coffee syrup 2 oz Heavy cream (whipped) 0.5 oz Banana liqueur

• Shaft

  Mark Smith, The Living Room, Calgary (c. 2000)

  2 oz Cold brew coffee 1 oz Vodka 1 oz Irish cream liqueur 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur

• Revolver

  Jon Santer, Bruno's, San Francisco (2004)

  2 oz Bourbon 0.5 oz Coffee liqueur 2 dashes Orange bitters