13 Cold & 15 Hot Coffee Infused Cocktail Recipes to Kickstart a Party

Coffee or cocktails, could you select just one? With these outstanding coffee cocktail recipes, you can mix the best of both worlds smoothly and seamlessly.

No matter the weather, there is always a reason to drink coffee cocktails. If it’s cold, you might crave a hot coffee cocktail. When it is hot, you’ll need a good cold brew to refresh yourself. Any time is the best for coffee cocktails!

What Are Coffee Cocktails?

Coffee cocktails are cocktails that include coffee as a key ingredient in their recipes. Yes, they often contain alcohol and there are many liquors that blend perfectly with coffee.

Whiskey, brandy, rum, and other dark liquors are favorites. They are versatile and easy to use in coffee cocktail recipes. And if you’ve got more of a sweet tooth, you can not miss mixing coffee with Irish cream, amaretto, and other flavored liquors to make varied and tasty coffee cocktails.

How To Make Coffee For Cocktails

If you would like to start your “barista bartender” path and make the following coffee cocktail recipes, you will need to make a really good flavorful coffee first. To produce a high-quality and balanced brew, choose your coffee beans carefully. The type of grind, and the brewing process you are going to use are important considerations here.

Coffee Beans

Select the coffee bean variety of your preference, but make sure they are fresh and of the highest quality so you can prepare the most delicious coffee cocktails ever.

Bad coffee will not taste better just because you cover it with strong liquors and lots of sweet whipped cream. In fact, it might even highlight any inconsistencies of the coffee. So, above all else, choose quality and freshness to stand out at any party with these coffee cocktail recipes!

Type of grind

The type of grind is always dictated by the method you are going to use to brew your coffee, but if possible, go for a coarse grind.

It is preferable if you can grind the coffee beans just prior to making your coffee cocktail. Freshly ground coffee will always reflect more quality and be richer in taste than pre-ground coffee.

If, however, you can only access pre-ground coffee beans, don’t worry, you can still make great coffee cocktails depending on the equipment you use to brew the coffee at home.

Brewing Process

In order to have spectacular results with these coffee cocktail recipes, you want to be careful with the brewing process you use to produce these awesome drinks. Ultimately, the brewing process you choose will depend on the equipment you have at home.

If you can, we advise that you avoid using a drip coffee machine. They can be very convenient because of their automatic system, but results can vary and they will not make the most balanced coffee.

Instead, try using one of the traditional methods such as a French press or a pour over. These brewing processes are best to release all the flavor notes of the coffee you are preparing and will provide for creative, delightful coffee cocktails.

One more tip: always use bottled or filtered water to brew your coffee, it will certainly enhance its flavor and give you a higher quality base for your coffee cocktail experiments!

Cold Brew Coffee Cocktails

Summer night, you are meeting some friends at your house, you already had a nice light dinner and want to sip a traditional after-meal coffee but it is too hot for it.

Nothing better than a cold brew coffee cocktail for this scenario. Something refreshing, bursting with flavour to wake you up after a hot day!

Our recommendation for the best cold coffee cocktail recipes: prepare the coffee brew in advance, and use a cold brew ratio of 1 cup of coffee per 4 cups of water. Do it one day, or, at least 12 hours before and let it sit in the fridge. The coffee flavor will have settled down and be fully chilled for cocktail hour!

Cold Brew Espresso Martini

Let’s start with this twist on a classic cocktail bringing together the perfect mix of your favorite coffee shop and designer bar ambiance. The following list outlines what you will need to prepare it properly.

Espresso Martini’s cold brew ratio:

• 3 oz of cold brew coffee
• 2 oz of Kahlua (coffee liquor)
• 1 oz of vodka
• 0.5 oz of simple syrup

 If you have a cocktail shaker, this is the time to use it. Add all of the ingredients above along with some ice cubes, shake vigorously, and strain into a martini glass.

You might prefer a stronger coffee flavor. If so, use a part of the cold brew to prepare coffee ice cubes in advance. This way, when the ice cubes melt, you will have an extra shot of coffee flavor.

To finish this Cold Brew Espresso Martini, garnish the top of the martini glass with three coffee beans.

Vanilla Cold Brew Espresso Martini

Now you are going to start playing with the coffee cocktail recipes. Once you have mastered the Cold Brew Espresso Martini, it is time to add some more sweetness and flavor by adding vanilla vodka to the cold brew ratio, instead of the traditional one.

To make it even more stylish and dessert alike, dip the martini glass edges into sweet cocoa powder before straining the mix into it.

Cold Brew White Russian

Another classic of the coffee cocktail recipes. Unlike the Espresso Martini cold brew ratio that uses 3, 2, 1 and 0.5 oz of its ingredients, the creamy and smooth Cold Brew White Russian is perfectly balanced as it uses equal parts of every compound.

White Russian’s cold brew ratio:

• 1 oz of cold brew coffee
• 1 oz of Kahlua
• 1 oz of vodka
• 1 oz of heavy cream

Use a rocks glass, or a heavy tumbler if you do not have one, and first add the ice cubes. It could be again normal ice cubes or coffee ice cubes depending on how much you would like to feel the coffee flavor.

Pour the coffee over the ice cubes and then add the liquors slowly, one after another. Now is the time to do some magic with the heavy cream.

Grab a spoon and hold it over the glass looking upside-down. Pour the heavy cream over the inverted spoon and see how the cream is placed gently on the surface of the Cold Brew White Russian. The layers of the coffee cocktail will now be differentiated, giving it a professional look. Well done!

Pumpkin Spiced White Russian

A really adventurous variant of the Cold Brew White Russian. This coffee cocktail uses the same cold brew ratio, but with a little twist on the heavy cream.

Repeat the same steps and ingredients as the Cold Brew White Russian and stop before the last step. Pour pumpkin spice creamer over the upturned spoon instead of the heavy cream and spread the magic with this wonderful coffee cocktail.

Garnish this tasty drink with some whipped cream and add a cinnamon stick as a stirrer just for nostalgia. This coffee cocktail recipe might remind you of the autumn season, but we are sure you are going to love it for a late summer night as well.

Cold Brew Black Russian

Very similar to the White Russian, the Cold Brew Black Russian is another exquisite variant of one of the most famous coffee cocktails, but with the big difference that it does not have heavy cream as the other coffee cocktail recipes. Also, it does not follow the same cold brew ratio. Let’s check it out.

Black Russian’s cold brew ratio:

• 1 oz of cold brew coffee
• 2 oz of vodka
• 1 oz of Kahlua

 Yep, the Cold Brew Black Russian has a stronger flavor. Start with the rocks glass, add the ice cubes as well, and now add the vodka. Pour the Kahlua and lastly, the cold brew coffee.

Mix everything and your Cold Brew Black Russian is ready to go! Add a colorful slice of orange or a lovely cherry to garnish this coffee cocktail full of flavor.

Kahlua Iced Coffee

Time to try some coffee cocktail recipes experimenting with the most delicious and iconic coffee liquor: Kahlua. The two following coffee cocktails using this liquor are really easy to prepare and so tasty that you will like to do them over and over again in the summertime.

Kahlua Iced Coffee’s cold brew ratio:

• 2 oz of cold brew coffee
• 2 oz of Kahlua

That’s right, the same amount of coffee and coffee liqueur is the perfect cold brew ratio for this coffee cocktail. Just take the two ingredients and mix them up in a glass. This yummy combination is going to lift your mood for sure - pure energy and flavor!

Kahlua Coffee Soda

Probably the simplest yet the most innovative variant of the coffee cocktail recipes you are going to learn today. The ultimate combination of refreshing and energizing. Have a look at its ingredients!

Kahlua Coffee Soda’s cold brew ratio:

• 2 oz of cold brew coffee
• 2 oz of Kahlua
• 1 oz of soda water

Grab a mason jar for a vintage-themed party or failing that, grab a tall glass. Fill it with some ice cubes at the base, add the coffee liquor, pour the cold brew coffee, and, here comes the best part. Top this coffee cocktail off with the soda water and add some lemon for an interesting flavor twist. You can add a lemon slice as a garnish too, or just squeeze some lemon juice over the drink.

Siciliano

Let’s go classy and sophisticated. The Siciliano might not contain any of the common liquors that most people have on their shelves, but you can be sure this fresh coffee cocktail is going to be worth the journey to the supermarket.

Siciliano’s cold brew ratio:

• 1.5 oz of cold brew coffee (as strong as possible)
• 1.5 oz of amaro liqueur
• 2 oz of sweet vermouth
• 1 oz of simple syrup
• 1 oz of club soda

Take the glass of your preference, it can be a tall glass or a mason jar, and put some ice cubes as a base. Start pouring the sweet vermouth, the amaro, the strong cold brew coffee, and then, the simple syrup.

Make it one of the most refreshing coffee cocktail recipes by topping it with club soda and adding a slice of orange as the perfect garnish - citrusy and slightly sweet.

Creamy Boozy Iced Coffee

Missing the creamy and sweet coffee cocktail recipes? Here you have the Creamy Boozy Iced Coffee, one of the coffee cocktails that is going to feel more like a full dessert than a drink. Perfect to give a special ending to a warm summer evening.

Creamy Boozy Iced Coffee’s cold brew ratio:

• 6 oz of cold brew coffee
• 1 oz of vodka
• 1 oz of hazelnut liquor (Frangelico is a good one)
• 0.5 oz of simple or flavored syrup (hazelnut, chocolate, or vanilla, for example)
• 1 oz of heavy cream or milk

You will need a really tall glass for this one. Fill it with ice cubes, pour the cold brew coffee, add the vodka and the hazelnut liqueur and now go for the syrup of your preference to sweeten this coffee cocktail.

Stir the milk or the heavy cream and put some whipped heavy cream with the spoon trick on the top. Now finish this good-looking and great-tasting sweet coffee cocktail by drizzling some caramel syrup or sprinkling cocoa powder as garnish.

Dublin Iced Coffee

We will go dark and dangerous on the next three cold coffee cocktail recipes. Now you are going to learn what dark spirit liquors make the best coffee cocktails, just like this daring Dublin Iced Coffee.

Dublin Iced Coffee’s cold brew ratio:

• 2 oz of cold brew coffee (with really strong flavor)
• 2 oz of stout (Guinness is a great choice)
• 1.5 oz of Irish whiskey
• 0.75 oz of simple syrup
• 0.5 oz of heavy cream

This cold coffee cocktail goes in a highball glass. Start putting the cold brew coffee at the base of the glass, pour the stout and the Irish whiskey, and then the syrup.

Now add plenty of ice cubes and stir this magic and daredevil potion to mix all the ingredients. To finish it, drizzle the heavy cream smoothly over the top of this coffee cocktail and stir gently with a straw so you can see the graceful swirls as all the flavors merge.

The perfect garnish for coffee cocktail recipes of this kind is the aromatic and delicate spice cinnamon.

Dark Moon

Welcome to the dark side of coffee cocktails. Did you think soda water or club soda were part of the most sparkling coffee cocktail recipes? Well, you clearly haven’t heard of the Dark Moon before. Look at its recipe and understand why.

Dark Moon’s cold brew ratio:

• 1.5 oz of cold brew coffee
• 0.5 oz of Kahlua
• 0.5 oz of spiced rum
• 1 oz of cola (here is the trick!)
• 0.5 oz of heavy cream

Get a tough tumbler, fill its base with ice cubes, and start pouring the first black elixir: the cold brew coffee. Continue your concoction with the Kahlua and add the spiced rum. Time to add your other energizing dark love: cola! Almost to the top.

And what can go well with all these diverse ingredients? Heavy cream on the top, of course. Come on, you love all of them separately, so give them a try all together with this Dark Moon coffee cocktail and you will not regret it.

Midnight Hour Rum Sour

Let’s keep the esoteric and magic ambiance just for one more coffee cocktail: the Midnight Hour Rum Sour. So dark, so deep, so delicious! Strong cold coffee will never be the same for you after you taste this coffee cocktail recipe.

Midnight Hour Rum Sour’s cold brew ratio:

• 2 oz of cold brew coffee (chocolatey varieties are the best)
• 2 oz of dark rum
• 0.5 oz of brown sugar simple syrup
• 1 oz of lemon juice (the wow factor!)

Simple mix the cold brew coffee with the dark rum, the brown sugar simple syrup, and the lemon juice. Add some ice cubes and garnish this Midnight Hour Rum Sour with lemon zest to give it a perfect finish.

Cold Brew Coffee Negroni

Nothing more intriguing than a Cold Brew Coffee Negroni. This is a delicious version of the original savory recipe that makes this Italian classic stand out among other aperitivos.

Coffee Negroni’s cold brew ratio:

• 1.5 oz of cold brew coffee
• 1 oz of gin
• 1 oz of Campari
• 1 oz of sweet vermouth

You do not need anything else to make this Cold Brew Coffee Negroni flawless. Stir all the ingredients together and the fruity sweet and subtle spicy flavors are going to make the magic happen.

Garnish this king of coffee cocktails with an orange peel and sit down and relax for a perfect summer night.

Hot Coffee Cocktails

Imagine, it is a cold winter night, you just finished having a heart-warming hot meal with your family and it is time to get some drinks with your friends to lift the mood. But it is too cold outside, and none of you want to go out to a bar to have a cold beer or a frozen daiquiri.

What to do? A hot coffee cocktail is the best answer to that question. Stay warm and safe at home and make the full party with these hot coffee cocktail recipes!

Irish Coffee

The classic of the all-time classics, and the most famous hot coffee cocktail in popular knowledge. Irish Coffee is rich, smooth, tasty, and so easy to prepare at home.

Mix your favorite hot coffee brew with brown sugar and an authentic Irish whiskey like Jameson. For a perfect ending, drench this hot coffee cocktail with lots of freshly whipped double cream, and enjoy a cozy winter night.

Caramel Irish Coffee

Is the traditional Irish Coffee not sweet enough for you? Then you want to experiment with this hot coffee cocktail. To make your very own Caramel Irish Coffee, follow the Irish Coffee recipe above but use less coffee and add butterscotch schnapps. It’s a sweet liquor made from butter and brown sugar that you will certainly love.

Do not forget to add a caramel drizzle over the classic whipped double cream, and you will have a hot coffee cocktail that tastes like a creamy and sweet caramel macchiato, but with a fun twist. 

Irish Winter

Another great variant of the ultimate hot coffee cocktail. It is like the traditional Irish Coffee recipe but with one more ingredient: coffee liquor. Yes, you can use the classic Kahlua.

The coffee liquor adds more sweetness, creaminess, and smoothness to the original Irish Coffee recipe, and this is why the sweet tooths might select Irish Winter as their favorite hot coffee cocktail.

Nutty Irish Coffee

We promise this is the last variant of Irish Coffee you are going to see here. We just can not get enough of this delicious hot coffee cocktail.

Imagine having an Irish Coffee but with hazelnut liqueur instead of Irish whiskey. So rich, aromatic, and full of tenderness. Once you have tasted how good the Frangelico hazelnut liquor goes with the Baileys Irish Cream, you will not be able to stop having this hot coffee cocktail as an after-dinner dessert.

Coffee French Connection

Now we want to tell you about another classic hot coffee cocktail: French Connection with coffee. Some people call this hot coffee cocktail café amore too – so romantic! It is without a doubt a perfect coffee drink for Valentine’s day celebrations.

You only need to mix equal parts of amaretto and cognac to have a traditional French Connection and add a strong hot coffee brew to make it even more delicious. If you feel you are missing some sweetness, follow your heart and add more amaretto until you feel it is right.

Of course, you can top it with some whipped cream and shaved almonds in slices!

Italian Coffee

Let’s move on to another well-known European foodie nation to find our next coffee cocktail, the Italian Coffee. This hot coffee cocktail is simpler than the prior coffee cocktail recipes because it only uses one liquor: Strega.

Strega is a herbal liquor. It is hard to believe how well it goes with hot coffee, but we are sure you will love it. Unlike the other coffee cocktail recipes, where you were told to choose a strong flavored coffee, this hot coffee cocktail requires a softer coffee.

Light or medium roast coffee, like this Nicaraguan coffee, works best to match the delicate aroma and floral notes of the Strega liquor. You can add sugar and top this special hot coffee cocktail with whipped cream to fully embrace the comforting experience it will give you.

Hot White Russian

Remember the Cold Brew White Russian? This hot coffee cocktail version is as delicious and creamy as the cold version, but with the cozy touch of hot coffee.

The Hot White Russian contains hot coffee brew (a medium roast one is preferable), Kahlua coffee liqueur, vodka, whole milk, and of course, lots of whipped cream! 

Try out this Jamaican Brazilian coffee blend for making the Hot White Russian and you will know what we are talking about!

German Coffee with Rum

We keep moving through Europe because we want to show you a delightful and very dark hot coffee cocktail: the German Coffee with Rum. To make this coffee cocktail like a pro, simply mix a nice strong coffee with a dark rum and add lots of whipped cream on the top.

Funny fact: this coffee cocktail was originally named Pharisäer kaffee after the parishioners. The story goes they wanted to disguise the alcohol in their cocktails from the pastor by mixing it with coffee and whipped cream.

Bavarian Coffee

Another great hot coffee cocktail from Germany. This rich and aromatic coffee cocktail can make any winter night better because it takes inspiration from the loved holidays.

Use a strong dark coffee for this hot coffee cocktail, and here is the trick, mix it with peppermint schnapps. Add some sugar or your preferred sweetener and you have created a tasty and flavorful ally for the coldest nights.

Spanish Coffee

We are switching countries again because now we are landing in Spain to learn about a sweet and dessert-inspired hot coffee cocktail.

Medium roast coffee (like this Brazilian coffee), vanilla coffee liqueur, and rum are the ingredients that are going to make you crave this tasty hot coffee cocktail. Top it off with whipped cream, and now here comes the icing on the cake: put a lovely and savory cherry on top!

Flaming Spanish Coffee

With a name almost sounding like their traditional dance flamenco, the Flaming Spanish Coffee is here to warm up any winter cocktail session. And we literally say warm up because its preparation includes a fire show.

Prepare the Spanish Coffee as the prior coffee cocktail recipe, but make sure the rum is an overproof one and that you put some sugar on the rim of the glass. You can add some orange liquor, like the well-known Cointreau, as well.

Light that rum on fire inside the coffee cocktail glass and enjoy the show, the flame will caramelize the sugar in a beautiful way. After the spectacle is done, enjoy this hot coffee cocktail with good company when it is chilly outside.

Kentucky Coffee

And now we arrive in America! What liquor do you think of when you think of Kentucky? Bourbon, of course. There is no Bourbon made outside Kentucky, similar to how Champagne can only be made in the Champagne region of France.

Make a strong flavored coffee, pour your favorite Bourbon brand and submit yourself to this simple yet noble hot coffee cocktail. Add some honey liquor to sweeten it or add whipped cream at the top if you want.

Maple Pecan Coffee Cocktail

Home, sweet home. Nothing like a Canadian maple-flavored hot coffee cocktail to feel at home and treat yourself when it is cold outside.

You will want to make an espresso for this hot coffee cocktail. Add some steamed milk and a maple pecan syrup of your preference and let the party start by pouring a shot of whiskey inside. Terrific!

Spiked Mexican Coffee

Mexico is well known for its coffee, its chocolate, its chili peppers, and what liquor? Tequila, of course! This hot coffee cocktail is like an adult version of the hot chocolate you wanted to have as a kid during wintertime.

Brew the hot coffee following these brewing tips, and add some ground cinnamon to add some spice. Next, steam milk and some cream and add brown sugar and chocolate syrup as sweeteners.

When you have your spicy mocha ready, it is time to add Kahlua coffee liqueur and the best tequila you can find. Top it with some whipped cream, just like any good dessert, and spread some cocoa powder to give it a perfect finish.

Café Don Juan

We needed to wrap up this coffee cocktail recipe trip in the Caribbean because there is no other place where coffee and rum combined could taste any better.

Medium roast tasteful coffee, like this Brazilian Nicaraguan blend coffee, is the best choice for this star of hot coffee cocktails. Pour some Kahlua coffee liqueur and your favorite dark rum inside and you are ready to start.

If you want a stylish and special touch, rim the hot coffee cocktail glass with lemon juice and sugar. Add some whipped cream to dress it up, and voilà!

Time To Party With Coffee Cocktails

What do you think of all these cold brew and hot coffee cocktail recipes? You now have plenty of coffee cocktails to choose from when you decide to begin your “barista bartender” path.

And now you know. No matter the weather outside, it is always a good idea to kickstart a party with some coffee cocktail recipes - there’s one for every occasion!