Take the java-jittering mastery of your barista and combine it with the concoction-creating confidence of your bartender, and what do you get?
You get the best of both worlds in a boozy beverage that will satisfy you completely!
Coffee With Alcohol? Yes, Please!
If you're a coffee lover, this one's for you! A coffee-infused cocktail will give you just the right balance of bitterness and sweetness. Even simple alcoholic coffee drinks are full of flavor! Have you ever tried to pour your favorite shot into a cup and topping it with coffee? Yummy!
Coffee has such a versatile flavor that you can pretty much mix it with any alcohol, and it should work. You've heard of Baileys and coffee, right? What about the trusted and true Kahlua and coffee? Making a cocktail has never been this straightforward!
However, if you want to play mixologist, we've compiled 10 of the best coffee and alcohol drinks to wake up your taste buds. You can easily make these at home.
So, if you love coffee and a good cocktail, these coffee drink recipes are sure to be a hit!
Coffee Cocktails You Can Make Today
As you explore these easy-to-make recipes, you'll be enjoying some of the best coffee alcohol drink concoctions ever created. You'll learn which alcohol works best with coffee and master new twists to old favorites.
#1. Iced Irish Coffee
The Iced Irish Coffee is probably one of the most loved cocktails ever invented. This famous iced coffee cocktail has been popular for decades, and for good reason: it's delicious! You can sweeten it to taste and double up on the whiskey shots on a cold evening.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. of Tullamore Dew whiskey
- 1 tsp. of ground espresso
- 2 tsp. of demerara sugar
- 2 tsp. of hot water
- 3 oz. of cold brew coffee
- Some fresh cream to top
Directions
Combine the whiskey and the espresso in a small bowl, and let stand for 15 minutes. Strain this into a cocktail shaker through a coffee filter. Stir the sugar with the hot water, and once dissolved, add this to the shaker with the cold brew and a few ice cubes.
Shake well and strain into a Collins glass. Top it off with the cream, serve, and enjoy!
#2. Hot Boozy Coffee
One of the best hot coffee cocktails around, The Hot Boozy Coffee has it all: brandy, Grand Marnier, Kahlua (a brand of coffee-flavored alcohol), and of course, coffee! With all this coffee flavor, you'll be doubling up on taste.
Ingredients
- A fifth of a shot Brandy
- A fifth of a shot Grand Marnier
- A fifth of a shot Kahlua
- 4-5 oz. of hot coffee
- 1 orange peel
- A fifth of a c. of whipped cream
- A fifth of a tsp. of sugar
Directions
Whip the cream, and gently fold in your sugar. Lightly burn the orange peel with a lighter or a candle. The flavorsome orange oils are extracted by burning the orange peel, which will flavor the coffee later on.
Pour the Grand Marnier, brandy, Kahlua, and the freshly brewed coffee into a mug. Stir this mixture with the slightly burned orange peel, spoon some whipped cream on top, serve, and enjoy!
#3. The Black Russian
This is one of the classic retro coffee liqueur cocktails. Although it was invented in the 1950s, The Black Russian is still a popular drink today. It makes a perfect afternoon cocktail but is also great as a late-night drink.
Ingredients
- Vodka
- Coffee liqueur like Kahlua
Directions
In a cocktail mixing glass, stir the mix of vodka and Kahlua, then strain it to a cocktail glass filled with ice. Don't shake this cocktail with ice; it will dilute the drink. Don't be tempted to add everything together without stirring thoroughly, because it won't cool it enough.
If you want to serve your Black Russian with style, make decorative ice balls with an ice ball maker. It will not only look great, but will also keep your drink cool without diluting it too quickly.
#4. Coffee Martini
Are you looking for ideas for classy coffee cocktails to serve your guests? This one takes the sophistication of a Martini and mixes it in with the satisfying bitterness of a cup of strong coffee. Laced with vanilla and chocolate notes, you can't go wrong!
Ingredients
- 2 oz. of vanilla vodka
- Half oz. of Crème de cacao
- 1 oz. of Kahlúa
- 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream
Directions
Add the vodka with the Crème de cacao and the Kahlua into a shaker with about 3 cubes of ice. Shake until the contents are thoroughly chilled. Pour the contents out into a martini glass. Top off the glass with the ice cream, serve with a dessert spoon, and enjoy!
#5. Hot White Russian
A spin on the Black Russian, this drink is one of the finest coffee-flavored cocktails. Vodka laced with freshly brewed coffee and Kahlua, then topped with heavy cream makes the Hot White Russian deliciously decadent!
Ingredients
- 2.5 c. of freshly brewed coffee
- 0.5 c. of heavy cream
- 0.5 c. of Kahlúa or other coffee-flavored liqueur
- 0.25 c. of vodka
- Whipped heavy cream for garnish if desired
Directions
On your stove, over moderate heat, stir the coffee with the half cup of cream, vodka, and Kahlua until hot. Divide the heated contents into individual mugs. Garnish each drink with a dollop of freshly whipped cream on top. Serve and enjoy!
#6. The Gingerbread Breakfast
Of all the coffee cocktails, The Gingerbread Breakfast is the best to get your guests into the holiday spirit. This drink is perfect for enjoying around a roaring fire with friends. Or cuddle up to your partner (or your furry friend!) on the couch and have one or two.
If you can imagine festive feelings poured into a drink, The Gingerbread Breakfast is it!
Ingredients
- 2 oz. of spiced and buttered Captain Morgan's rum (to make, follow the instructions below)
- 0.75 oz. of ginger syrup
- Freshly brewed black coffee
- 1 oz. of half and half
- A dollop of whipped cream
Directions
Mix the rum, ginger syrup, and half and half together. Top with your best brewed black coffee. Add some whipped cream and a ginger snap as a garnish, serve, and enjoy!
How to make spiced buttered rum:
- 1 bottle of Captain Morgan's rum
- 4 oz. of unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. of maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. of granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. of cinnamon
- 10 cloves
In a pot, put all of the ingredients (except the rum) and simmer until the butter is melted. Slowly add the rum, stirring it as your pour. Once the rum has been thoroughly mixed, pour the contents into a casserole dish.
Place the dish into a freezer for about half an hour. Remove it, and skim off the butterfat. Pour the remaining contents through a fine-mesh strainer.
What Happens When You Use Alcohol to Make Coffee Cocktails?
Although coffee cocktails are full of flavor, it's essential to note how they can affect you, especially if you drink too many of them! If you do, it could cause something called masked impairment.
When mixed with alcohol, the depressant effects of alcohol become masked. This means you won't feel it as obviously as if you were drinking a cocktail that does not have caffeine.
When this happens, some people will be tempted to drink more than they would ordinarily be comfortable with, and they may become more intoxicated than they'd like to be.
Make the Most Out of Your Coffee Cocktail Enjoyment!
Beginning your morning with a mug of freshly brewed coffee kickstarts your day. But an alcoholic coffee cocktail in the evening can make a nice and relaxing way to wind the day down.
Whether you put a splash of whiskey or bourbon into a mug of cold or warm coffee, or you play around with some of our recipes, coffee-laced cocktails are an excellent way to enjoy a coffee with a kick!