Caipirinha Coffee Cocktail Recipe

This fun twist on the classic Brazilian Caipirinha cocktail combines coffee and alcohol. It will quickly become your new favorite brunch drink!

I am lucky to have many Brazilian friends in my life. They have taught me about so many things, but I am most thankful for all the alcohol and drinking knowledge they dropped on me. 

In college, I fell in love with their national cocktail – the caipirinha. It’s a simple drink made up of lime juice, sugar, and cachaça (a hard liqueur made from sugarcane). To this day I have never found a better cocktail to sip on while hanging out by the pool. 

This version of a caipirinha has an espresso float which makes it perfect for brunch. Lime and coffee might seem like a strange combo – but it actually works amazingly well. The acidity in the citrus helps to neutralize and take the “bite” out of the coffee. The result is an ultra smooth taste. 

Ingredients

• Espresso – I use two espresso shots per cocktail. You can substitute about 1/4 cup of strong coffee if you’d prefer. 
• Lime Juice – It’s important to use fresh lime juice. Pre-bottled lime juices contain preservatives that can alter the flavor. 
• Cane Sugar – Traditional caipirinhas use turbinado or cane sugar. For this recipe, you can substitute light brown sugar or simple syrup. 
• Cachaça – This is the alcohol that Brazilians use in caipirinhas. It’s kind of like a smokey rum. If you don’t have any Cachaça, substitute dark rum. 

How To Make

A classic caipirinha is made by muddling lime wedges and sugar at the bottom of a glass until the sugar has been dissolved. Then ice and Cachaça are added to complete the drink. 

To make this coffee cocktail twist, I simplified it a bit. I use freshly squeezed lime juice in the bottom of the glass, mixed with cane sugar or simple syrup and Cachaça. Add ice, then pour the espresso on top. 

Other Cocktail Recipes

• Cherry Limeade Cocktail
• Meyer Lemon Margarita
• Vitamin C Red Bull Cocktail

More Coffee Drinks

• Copycat Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato
• Copycat Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brew
• Sparkling Iced Coffee