Best Substitutes for Espresso
Out of Espresso? Here are the best alternatives that work in cocktail recipes.
Original Ingredient
Espresso
Mixer
Intense, concentrated coffee nose with dark chocolate crema and roasted bitterness. Palate is bold and bittersweet with espresso intensity and caramel depth. Short, punchy finish with crema richness.
Recommended Substitutes
🔄
Coffee
Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.
🔄
Coffee Liqueur
Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.
🔄
Kahlua
Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.
General Substitution Tips
- → Match the alcohol level: a 40% spirit needs a similarly strong replacement or adjust volume.
- → For liqueurs, dilute spirits + simple syrup can replicate sweetness and proof.
- → Citrus substitutions: lemon and lime are mostly interchangeable at a 1:1 ratio.
- → For bitters, Angostura is the most neutral substitute for most other aromatic bitters.