Keto Chocolate Martini Recipe

Last updated on February 10th, 2021 at 08:50 am

If you’re on the keto diet and need a low carb cocktail, try this easy keto chocolate martini recipe!

Yes, you can still enjoy chocolate martinis while on a low-carb diet! Follow along as Erin from Top Shelf DIY shows you how to make this simple and easy alternative to the traditional sugar-heavy option.

Most people love getting chocolate on Valentine’s Day…or anniversaries…or birthdays…or pretty much any day we’re feeling hangry.

Same goes for martinis. Nothing says “I love you” quite like a stiff drink.

Not everyone appreciates the sentiment with respect to their waistline, however.

Lo and behold, I present you with a low-guilt, low-carb solution:

Alcohol and ketosis: are they compatible?

With the keto diet becoming increasingly popular in recent years, food manufacturers have stepped up their game, releasing a host of low-carb options to health conscious connoisseurs: substitutes for brown/granular/confectioners sugar, chocolates without carbs, skinny cocktail mixers, and sugar-free syrups in every flavor imaginable.

All of this bodes well for those who’d like to enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage without sabotaging their diet.

I was inspired to modify the traditional chocolate martini recipe after seeing Lisa and Anna’s version over at Garnish with Lemon. Unfortunately, a single ounce of Creme de Cacao contains 15 grams of carbohydrates. To put this in perspective, the daily carb allowance for someone in ketosis is 20-50 grams per day.

Despite the omission of Creme de Cacao, this drink is light, toasty, and refreshing without being overly sweet. Because of these qualities it’s also very addicting.

To keep you from feeling deprived I’ve included steps for making your own low-carb chocolate leaf garnishes. ‘Cause I’m bougie like that.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. of keto coffee liqueur made from:
  • one cup water
  • one cup allulose-based sugar
  • one cup strong brewed coffee or shot of espresso
  • one cup of clear rum
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract

• 4 tbsp of keto chocolate liqueur made from:
  • 1/4 cup of melted ChocZero chocolate chips or 62% cacao dark chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp of brown sugar substitute (allulose-based)
  • 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream (or half and half)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup vodka

• (optional) chocolate leaf ingredients: low or zero-carb chocolate wafer melts, and 5-6 fresh green leaves from outside.

Steps

1. Make your Keto Coffee Liqueur. This recipe makes 8 servings and can be kept in the fridge for several weeks without going bad.
   • Make your keto sweetener syrup by mixing your sweetening powder with hot boiling water. Continue to mix until the powder is completely dissolved.
   • Add coffee to saucepan. Let cool, then add your rum and vanilla.
   • Using a funnel, pour into a glass bottle and let sit in the fridge for one day. 
2. Next, make your Keto Chocolate Liqueur:
   • melt your dark chocolate chips (the higher your cocoa percentage, the better) in a glass bowl seated inside a saucepan filled with simmering water. As your chips begin to melt, stir continuously with a spatula. This method prevents burning.
   • once melted, remove your chocolate from heat. Add your brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, vodka. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve (note: this mixture will solidify at colder temps).

FAQS About Drinking On Keto

Will Alcohol Kick Me Out Of Ketosis?

Moderation is very important because your alcohol tolerance will be lower in ketosis.

Drinking alcohol pauses ketosis. Your liver stops burning fat to do the more important job of clearing toxins from your body.

If you consume a lot of carbs while drinking, ketosis will be further delayed because your liver will use those carbs for energy before it taps into the body’s fat stores. 

Sticking with low-carb cocktail mixers ensures that ketosis will resume shortly after your body is done metabolizing alcohol.

What are the best cocktails to consume while on keto?

The best keto cocktail recipes use clear spirits 80-proof or 40 percent ABV. This includes gin, vodka, silver tequila, whiskey, and rum. Any 1.5oz serving of these liquors will net 0 grams of carbs and 100 calories.

For the best possible end product, stick to high quality alcohol, fresh ingredients, and natural sugar sources.

Making Your Chocolate Leaves

This is a fun project to do alone or with your kids! Just be warned that your kids may be bouncing off the walls once the extra sugar hits their bloodstream. Fun times. There are lots of chocolate leaf tutorials on the web; I found that adding three layers of melted chocolate was key to keeping the forms from cracking when I peeled away the leaf backing.

To keep this recipe keto-friendly be sure to use sugar-free chocolate or chocolate labeled as 60% (and higher) cacao.

• Collect 5-6 green leaves from outside. Wash them and pat dry.
• Melt your chocolate wafers in a bowl. Paint the back of your leaves with a (new) paintbrush.
• Place your painted leaves in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
• Remove from fridge, add another layer of chocolate. Repeat the process until you have three layers of dried chocolate. Carefully peel away your leaf backing to reveal your chocolate form.
• The leaves will keep in your fridge for several days!

Yield: 1

Keto Chocolate Martini Recipe

Print

Homemade coffee liqueur and chocolate liqueur come together in this tour de force "choctail" for keto dieters and non-dieters alike.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 oz Homemade Coffee liqueur

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup allulose sweetener
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1 cup clear rum
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp Homemade Chocolate Liqueur

• 1/4 cup 62% cacao dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp allulose-based brown sugar
• 1/3 cup whipping cream (or half and half)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup vodka

Chocolate Leaves

• 1/2 cup chocolate melting wafers
• 5-6 leaf clippings from outdoors

Instructions

1. Start by making your coffee liqueur. Create a simple syrup from hot water and dissolved allulose sugar. Add strong coffee, rum, vanilla. Store in fridge overnight to let the flavors marinate.
2. Next, make your chocolate liqueur. Melt chocolate chips in a glass bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. Once melted, remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.
3. Add 2 oz of coffee liqueur and 4 tablespoons of chocolate liqueur to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well for 30 seconds. Strain into martini glass.
4. Optional: prior to pouring your martini, wipe the rim of your glass with a slice of lemon and then dip into a plate of 100% cacao powder mixed with allulose powdered sugar.
5. Optional garnish: edible chocolate leaves. Rinse green leaves collected from outdoors. Dab dry with paper towel. Paint with at least 3 coats of melted chocolate, chilling in-between layers. Once top layer has dried, peel away green leaf backing. Can be kept in the fridge several days in advance.
   

For more keto resources, cocktail recipes, and common mixer substitutes, head on over to Top Shelf DIY’s cocktail recipe index! I also have DIY projects dedicated to holding your beer, topping your wine, and accessorizing your bar cart.

Cheers,

Erin

Erin Devine is a mom, registered nurse, and blogger at topshelfdiy.com, where she shares project tutorials, home renovations, and delicious cocktail recipes. Quarantined at home with two kids under 5, she has plenty of reasons to demo walls and fine tune her bartending skills

Medical Disclaimer: this article is not intended as a substitute for sound medical advice. Please consult your physician before starting any new diet regimen. Secondly, ketosis affects the body’s ability to metabolize alcohol. Moderation is strongly advised.