Here’s how to make a chocolate martini recipe that’s worthy of its glamorous Hollywood origins. Creating a chocolate martini doesn’t have to be complicated. My version strikes a perfect balance, resulting in a deliciously chocolaty drink that anyone can make without needing expert bartending skills.

Who Invented the Chocolate Martini Recipe?

The chocolate martini bar Recipe stands out from other cocktails as it was actually created by the legendary movie star Rock Hudson. In his memoir, “Rock Hudson: His Story,” Hudson reveals that while filming “Giant” in Texas in 1955, he and Elizabeth Taylor, who were neighbors at the time, bonded over their shared love for chocolate and martinis. One fateful evening, they decided to mix chocolate syrup and chocolate liqueur into a vodka martini, giving birth to the delectable chocolate martini bar. Since then, this delightful dessert cocktail has become a beloved favorite at martini bars and is often enjoyed as a delightful alternative to champagne or berry cocktails on Valentine’s Day.

A chocolate martini in a martini glass, garnished with chocolate shavings — Image By: Lori Rice

The Booze

This recipe features two different types of chocolate alcohol. While you could opt for just one, it’s the combination that creates a well-rounded chocolate flavor and a texture that lightly coats the tongue.

The first type is chocolate liqueur, which is thick, syrupy, and very sweet. The second type is crème de cacao, which has a thinner consistency and a chocolate bean flavor with hints of vanilla.

Both chocolate liqueur and crème de cacao come in dark and light varieties. Either variety would work for a chocolate martini. As expected, the darker versions will result in a rich, dark brown cocktail, while the lighter versions will give you a creamier, paler drink.

The vodka: A decent quality middle-shelf vodka such as Tito’s works well, but if you have a top-shelf choice such as Belvedere, Chopin, or Grey Goose on hand, that’s even better. You can use vanilla vodka if preferred, but that will add even more sweetness to the drink.
The chocolate liqueur: Godiva is the standard.
The crème de cacao: DeKuyper’s is the easiest to find, but artisanal brands such as Tempus Fugit or Fair will have higher quality ingredients and a smoother finish.

Equipment You’ll Need

To prepare a chocolate martini bar, gather a cocktail shaker equipped with a strainer and a classic martini glass. If you happen to possess a jumbo-sized martini glass, perfect for indulging in dessert martinis, you can simply double the recipe to enjoy a single serving.

Garnish Your Chocolate Martini

This cocktail is typically garnished with a chocolate accouterment. The two most common garnishes are chocolate syrup or grated chocolate.

I’ve included instructions for both but encourage you to choose just one. Otherwise, the drink may end up too sweet.

Chocolate Martini Ingredients

For the garnish

1 ounce chocolate syrup or 1/2 ounce grated chocolate

For the cocktail

1 ounce vodka
1 ounce chocolate liqueur
1 ounce crème de cacao
1-ounce half-and-half or heavy cream

How To Make A Chocolate Martini

Prepare the garnish: You can skip the garnish altogether or just sprinkle a few chocolate shavings on top of the finished drink, but you can also get a little fancy. To garnish with chocolate syrup: Hold the martini glass at an angle. Tip the chocolate syrup bottle upside down with the nozzle pointing on the inside of the glass. Squeeze a thin stream of chocolate syrup around the inside of the martini glass while rotating the glass. The syrup will stick to the sides of the glass once the drink is poured into it. To garnish with grated chocolate: Place the grated chocolate onto a small plate. To another small plate add 2 tablespoons of water. Dip the lip of the martini glass into the water to wet the rim of the glass. Then, dip the martini glass lip into the grated chocolate, rolling it around to cover the edges of the glass rim.
Make the cocktail: Add the vodka, chocolate liqueur, crème de cacao, and half and half into the cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
Serve: Strain into a garnished martini glass and serve.

Chocolate Martini Recipe

Author: Jeanine
Total Time: 5 mins
Yield: 1 cocktail 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Here’s how to make a chocolate martini recipe that’s worthy of its glamorous Hollywood origins.

Ingredients

Scale

For the garnish

1 ounce chocolate syrup or 1/2 ounce grated chocolate

For the cocktail

1 ounce vodka
1 ounce chocolate liqueur
1 ounce crème de cacao
1 ounce half-and-half or heavy cream

Instructions

Prepare the garnish:

You can skip the garnish altogether or just sprinkle a few chocolate shavings on top of the finished drink, but you can also get a little fancy.

To garnish with chocolate syrup: Hold the martini glass at an angle. Tip the chocolate syrup bottle upside down with the nozzle pointing on the inside of the glass.

Squeeze a thin stream of chocolate syrup around the inside of the martini glass while rotating the glass. The syrup will stick to the sides of the glass once the drink is poured into it.

To garnish with grated chocolate: Place the grated chocolate onto a small plate. To another small plate add 2 tablespoons of water.

Dip the lip of the martini glass into the water to wet the rim of the glass.

Then, dip the martini glass lip into the grated chocolate, rolling it around to cover the edges of the glass rim.
Make the cocktail:

Add the vodka, chocolate liqueur, crème de cacao, and half and half into the cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
Serve:

Strain into a garnished martini glass and serve.

Prep Time: 5 mins
Category: Beverage, Refreshment
Cuisine: American