Ingredients
Scale
For the Coffee Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup brewed coffee
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional, see NOTES)
For the Cocktails:
- 4 oz bourbon
- 1 shot espresso, cooled (see NOTES)
- 2 oz coffee simple syrup
- 1–2 dashes of bitters (I used Peychaud’s bitters)
- 1 large egg white
- Splash of plain seltzer
Instructions
For the Coffee Simple Syrup:
- Combine the coffee and sugars in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook for a couple minutes or until the sugars are completely dissolved.
- Remove from heat and then mix in the vanilla and espresso powder. Stir well to dissolve the espresso.
- Cool completely. This can be made ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
For the Cocktails:
- To a shaker filled with ice, add the bourbon, espresso, syrup, and bitters. Shake vigorously until everything is thoroughly chilled.
- Add in the egg white and shake again for a minute or so. You want the mixture to be really frothy.
- Strain the cocktail into two chilled glasses. Add a splash of seltzer to the shaker and then, using a spoon, gently top the glasses with any residual foam left in the shaker. Serve immediately.
NOTES:
- For the simple syrup, the espresso powder is optional. It results in a stronger coffee taste, which I like. If you don’t have it on hand, though, this cocktail is still plenty yummy without it!
- If you do not have espresso, you can use ¼ cup of strong coffee instead. Just make sure to cool it to room temperature before using.