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BARTENDER.MX
Carajillo
Method
Shaken
Glassware
Rocks glass
Ice
Cubed ice
Time
3 min

Carajillo

Traditional MexicanLiqueurMexican cocktailsEasyEditorial draft

Espresso and Licor 43 over ice: the after-lunch digestif that conquered Mexican restaurants. Sweet, aromatic and lightly foamy.

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Ingredients

1 × servings
  • 45 mlLicor 43
  • 45 mlEspresso

Volume before dilution: 90 ml

Step by step

  1. 1

    Fill a rocks glass with ice.

  2. 2

    Shake the Licor 43 and freshly pulled espresso with ice until foamy.

  3. 3

    Strain over the ice in the glass.

Flavor profile

Sweetness
Acidity
Bitterness
Body
Aroma
VanillaCoffeeCitrus

Story

The carajillo comes from Spain, where it is usually hot coffee with brandy or rum. In Mexico it was reinvented with Licor 43 and ice, and is now an after-lunch ritual nationwide.

Technical notes

Shaking hot espresso with ice chills it fast and creates a fine foam. It can also be built in the glass, pouring coffee over the liqueur for layers.

Serving

After a long lunch, at the table.

Origin

Uncertain origin · Spain; the Licor 43 version popularized in Mexico

The Spanish root is well known; there is no documented date or creator for the Mexican version.

Variations

  • Carajillo en capas

    Liqueur over ice with espresso poured on top, unshaken.

  • Carajillo español

    Hot coffee with brandy or rum.

Substitutions

  • Concentrated café de olla instead of espresso.

Pairings

  • Flan napolitano
  • Pan dulce

Techniques

Flavor extraction

Flavor Extraction

Choosing heat, cold, pressure or ultrasound determines which compounds you pull from an ingredient. Hoja santa, cacao, chiles and café de olla spices are ideal for practice.

Advanced · 6 min read

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Sources

Version 1 · Updated October 20, 2026