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Since the espresso martini was first slid across a bar after a model asked for a beverage that might serve as a boozy wake-up call, the cocktail has found a worldwide audience. While a simple recipe can be made with vodka, Kahlua, simple syrup, and a shot of espresso, bartenders have put their own twist on the shaken-and-strained classic. From adding flavored foam to sprinkling servings with pumpkin pie spice, this peppy drink knows few limits when it comes to tasty upgrades. Introducing Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter, which goes for $3.99 per jar, into the mix is one such example that boosts your cocktail with some serious sweetness.
Whether you garnish the glass with the cookie butter or make flavored whipped cream with melted cookie butter, inviting this sweet spread to the next cocktail hour will have you reaching for a second glass with no hesitation. Rim martini glasses with the spread and press the surface gently into crushed Biscoff cookies, which you can purchase on Amazon, chocolate flakes, or toasted coconut garnish of your choice. You can also spoon the cookie butter directly into a shaker to be shaken and mixed with ice, vodka, espresso, and coffee liqueur. Once the ingredients have been combined, you’ll strain the concoction directly into your garnished glass.
Sips won’t get any sweeter than this
Experiment with different flavor profiles to build the level of sweetness your palate calls for during your next happy hour. Pump up the sweetness of your espresso martini by using vanilla vodka or by splashing hazelnut liqueur into your cocktail shaker. You can add drizzles of caramel or chocolate syrup to glasses or place strategically set cookies on the edge of your drink prior to serving. With enough preparation, you can also fat wash vodka with Nutella before using it to make your drink, to add an extra layer of sweetness to your decadent drink. Some cocktail connoisseurs may appreciate a sprinkle of Maldon salt on top of the poured drink as a unique finishing touch.
If you don’t have Trader Joe’s cookie butter on hand yet still want the tasty flavor of cookies in your drink, you can purchase cookie butter syrup that can be poured into your drinks and used in other recipes, like sweetening up batter for cake, brownies, and pancakes or even bring a boost of flavor to homemade frosting and bowls of oatmeal. Your kitchen creations — both food and drink — may never be the same.
