This vanilla espresso old fashioned combines sweet bourbon, freshly brewed espresso, vanilla bean brown sugar syrup, and chocolate bitters—the perfect indulgent espresso treat!
I am such a fan of old fashioneds, and this version with espresso, vanilla, brown sugar, and a hint of chocolate is my new favorite espresso drink.
Making a delicious old fashioned is an art form and takes just the right balance of ingredients to get it right; in this recipe, we perfectly balance coffee, bourbon, and brown sugar but also, check out our How to make a perfect Old Fashioned post or this banana bread old fashioned.
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Key Ingredients
- Bourbon: Bourbon is the key ingredient in any old-fashioned, so using the best one that goes well with the espresso and brown sugar is key. A sweet but well-balanced bourbon our favorite.
- Espresso: a single shot of freshly brewed espresso is the coffee element used in the cocktail. Using true espresso is key; I would not substitute for regular drip coffee as it's not as strong.
- Vanilla bean: A whole vanilla bean is sliced, deseeded, and added to brown sugar and water for a super flavorful syrup.
- Brown sugar: This is our sweetener for the syrup. Brown sugar has a bit of molasses in it and adds a wonderful depth to the syrup.
- Bitters: We used chocolate bitters to finish this drink, and the subtle hint of chocolate really rounds out the cocktail.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make this recipe:
- Step 1: Make the vanilla brown sugar syrup by slicing a vanilla bean down the middle and scraping out the seeds. Add the seeds and bean pod to a small pot. Top with 1 cup water and 1 cup brown sugar. Simmer for 20 minutes, then let cool and strain.
- Step 2: Add ice to a rocks glass and top with 2 ounces bourbon.
- Step 3: Then top with ¾ ounces of vanilla brown sugar syrup, 1 shot espresso, and 2 dashed chocolate bitters.
- Step 4: Stir to combine and garnish with 3 espresso beans.
💭 EXPERT TIPS:
Suggested Barware: Use a jigger to measure your bourbon and syrup accurately. Also, using a cocktail stirrer is beneficial because it fits so well around the ice.
Ice: Use a large ice cube because it melts slower and is less likely to dilute the drink.
Make your own syrup: making your own brown sugar syrup is so easy and cost-effective. Just cook 1 cup water and 1 cup brown sugar until all the sugar has melted, then let cool.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
PrintVanilla Espresso Old Fashioned
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: cocktail
- Method: stirred
- Cuisine: american
Description
This vanilla espresso old fashioned combines sweet bourbon, freshly brewed espresso, vanilla bean brown sugar syrup, and chocolate bitters—the perfect indulgent espresso treat!
Ingredients
For the syrup:
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup water
For the cocktail:
- 2 ounces bourbon
- ¾ ounce vanilla brown sugar syrup
- 1 shot espresso (1 ⅕ ounces approx.)
- 2 dashes of chocolate bitters
Instructions
Make the syrup by splitting a vanilla bean pod down the middle and scraping out the seeds. Add the seeds and pod to a small pot with 1 cup 1 and 1 cup brown sugar.
Simmer for 20 minutes so that the sugar can melt and the vanilla can infuse with the syrup.
Then let cool to room temperature.
Make the cocktail by adding 2 ounces of bourbon, ¾ ounce of the vanilla brown sugar syrup, 1 shot espresso, and 2 dashes chocolate bitters to a glass with ice and stir to combine.
Top with 3 espresso beans,
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