Midnight Sprite - Blackberry White Chocolate Espresso Martini

Written by: Yana and Joe

There are touches of magic and whimsy in this lavender hued espresso martini variation. This white chocolate twist on the new wave classic cocktail is a balance of berries, cream, and coffee.

Smooth and velvety, The Midnight Sprite is a blackberry white chocolate espresso martini crafted with a homemade white chocolate sauce, espresso, quality vodka, Bennett Cocktail Bitters, and of course: blackberries.

Prep your white chocolate sauce and espresso in advance and get ready to muddle some berries to infuse this cocktail with dark fruit flavor. The baking spice aromatics of Cocktail Bitters will weave all your ingredients into a spellbinding mix.

How to make a blackberry White chocolate Espresso Martini

This is a moderate difficulty cocktail that requires some prep work. You'll want to make your white chocolate sauce at least a few hours before you are ready to mix and serve, as it takes a while to cook and chill down.

TIP! You will also want to make some espresso in advance and chill it to make sure you don't over-dilute your martini. If your ingredients are too warm your will melt the ice too fast: resulting in a drink that is watered down, still warm, doesn't have enough air in it, OR ALL OF THE ABOVE!

Muddle your berries in a mixing glass or metal tin to begin "building" your blackberry white chocolate espresso martini. Add the rest of the ingredients and top with ice. Shake, double strain, garnish, and that's it.

Midnight Sprite, blackberry white chocolate espresso martini cocktail in an etched cocktail glass, with a cocktail pick of blackberries sitting on the rim of the glass a s garnish. In the background there is a bowl of white chocolate chips, a bowl of blackberries, and hydrangeas. The background is white marble with small tufts of moss strewn about.

How To Make Your Own White Chocolate Sauce

Is this a dupe for the sauce Starbucks uses to make their white chocolate mocha? It absolutely is!

When you make your own white chocolate sauce, you can use a higher grade of ingredients than any store-bought sauce, without the preservatives.

TIP! Be patient while making the sauce, don't rush and overheat it:

Melt the chocolate chips into the cream, over low heat in a sauce pan while stirring.
Once the chips have melted, stir in the condensed milk and vanilla extract.
Strain out any clumps.
Let cool to room temperature.
Chill in the fridge.

Overhead view of a saucepan that has cream and white chocolate chips in it.

Best Vodka For a Blackberry White Chocolate Espresso Martini

While lots of folks think that vodka is a sort of after-thought in this drink; we think that vodka is serious business.

Though vodka is technically a "neutral" and "flavorless" spirit in comparison to infused spirits like gin or aged spirits like whiskey, there is nuance in quality and purity when it comes to different brands of vodka

Grey Goose: Made with soft winter wheat, Grey Goose vodka has a delicate mouth feel and flavor profile. We love to use it in a blackberry white chocolate espresso martini because it has the least harsh alcohol bite of almost any vodka. This makes for a smooth and refined cocktail.

Harridan: Made in Upstate New York with all locally grown, organic corn, Harridan vodka is a truly unique bottle. As well as being women owned, they also use recycled glass for their hand blown bottles. Their vodka is 88 proof which is a little higher than the standard 80 for vodka so if you want your cocktail with a little extra kick, this might be the vodka for you.

Tito's: Also made with corn in America, Tito's has become a household name for vodka for good reason. Tito's is distilled six times, making it a clean and smooth tasting vodka. It also has a noticeable warmth, which works well in a cocktail that calls for white chocolate.

White marble scene with hydrangeas, a bottle of espresso, a jar of white chocolate sauce, grey goose vodka, and a bottle of Bennett Cocktail Bitters.

Which Bitters Work Best in Espresso Martinis?

Our Classic Cocktail Bitters were designed to do what bitters do best: bring harmony to cocktails.

With classic aromatic baking spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice; these bitters work brilliantly to add nuance and interest to sweet drinks like this blackberry white chocolate espresso martini.

On top of the baking spices we know and love in traditional cocktail bitters like Angostura, our Cocktail Bitters are also made with cardamom. Few things go better with coffee than cardamom. This spice is the flavor that gives Turkish coffee its special charm.

Adding cardamom flavor to espresso martinis takes them from delicious to out of this world. A match made in heaven.

Bennett Cocktail Bitters laying on white marble, surrounded by a bowl of blackberries, a jar of white chocolate sauce, fluffs of moss, and flowers.

White Chocolate Espresso Martini Ingredients

We suggest you use organic ingredients whenever possible. Here's what you'll need to make this white chocolate espresso martini recipe:

Vodka - A neutral spirit that can differ vastly in quality depending on the brand you choose. The distillation processes and the grain that is used to make it matter a lot to those with strong vodka preferences. Grey goose, Harridan, and Titos are all great choices.

White Chocolate Sauce - Take the classic velvety texture of an espresso martini to the next level with this thick creamy syrup.
Melt cream, white chocolate chips and condensed milk together, and add vanilla extract for a floral flavor that is both familiar and exotic.

Store this sauce in your fridge for up to 3 weeks. Add it to coffee, pour onto chocolate/espresso ice cream, or use it to make blackberry white chocolate espresso martinis, of course.

White chocolate sauce ingredients laid out on a marble surface: a bowl of white chocolate chips, a bowl of cream, a bottle of vanilla extract, and measuring cup of condensed milk.

Espresso - When you make your own espresso for cocktails, you get the freedom to use whatever beans bring you joy! We have a few favorites that show up in our espresso martinis: Counter Culture, Storyville, and Heart Coffee Roasters.

Just make sure to chill your espresso to avoid using warm ingredients and watering down your drink or ending up with a lukewarm martini.

Blackberries - The sweeter and darker cousin of the raspberry, blackberries have a deeper flavor that is harder to put your finger on. They also have a touch of bitterness to echo the flavor of espresso. Muddle them in your tin before adding the liquid ingredients.

A muddler is an essential bar tool for smushing up berries for drinks like the Clover Club, as well as herbs in drinks like the mojito. We enjoy wooden muddlers like this one, while some people prefer plastic. And theres always the minimalist muddler barspoon, for those who like to keep their gear collection slim.
Cocktail Bitters - Full of botanicals that pair perfectly with both coffee and white chocolate, Cocktail Bitters are the ingredient that ties everything together. Nothing beats a hint of orange, a whiff of cardamom, or a note of cinnamon in a blackberry white chocolate espresso martini. The baking spice aromatics take this cocktail's best flavors and highlights them for an unforgettable experience.

Don't know how to measure bitters? Check out our blog on all things bitters here: What Are Bitters?

Overhead view of a saucepan full of white chocolate sauce on a marble surface surrounded by flowers, a bowl of blackberries, and a bowl of white chocolate chips.

Can I use instant coffee Instead of Espresso?

While instant coffee is convenient, it isn't a good replacement for espresso when mixing drinks because: 1.) espresso is more concentrated than instant coffee, delivering a stronger coffee flavor without diluting the cocktail. 2.) espresso aerates when shaken better than instant coffee, making for a more velvety and frothy blackberry white chocolate espresso martini. 3.) espresso has a deeper and more complex flavor than instant coffee.

Can I use Blackberry Liqueur Instead of fresh blackberries

Fresh blackberries are highly preferred over a liqueur for this cocktail. However, if you are in a serious pinch or if blackberries are out of season and you simply NEED to make a blackberry white chocolate espresso martini, liqueur can be used as replacement. Replace the muddled blackberries in the recipe with .25-.5 oz of blackberry liqueur to give the cocktail a strong blackberry flavor.

How Should I garnish a blackberry white chocolate espresso Martini?

Garnishing a blackberry white chocolate espresso martini is easy. Just stab three blackberries with a cocktail pick and lay them across the top of the glass just like you would garnish a regular martini with three olives.

Can I use store bought white chocolate Sauce

Nothing has the depth, complexity, and pure unadulterated deliciousness of a homemade white chocolate sauce. While you technically could use a store-bought white chocolate sauce, it will lack the nuance and luxurious quality that only comes from making it yourself.