A Charming Holiday Espresso Bar with Illy Coffee!

This post may contain Affiliate Links. Please read our privacy policy here.

If your hosting a holiday brunch or dinner, put together an Illy coffee espresso bar! It’s a charming idea for brunch or after dinner treat. We’re sharing all the tips for making it special with flowers and special espresso cups!

Illy espresso bar for Christmas

If there’s one thing I look forward to every morning, it’s my homemade latté using illy espresso! We drink them religiously in our house! I’ve been using the ground espresso in the silver tin for years and love that it’s served all over the world.

Flowers and Illy espresso in cups

When we were in Italy, most of the cafes were using illy to make the rich and creamy espresso shots we had! It’s the only coffee we drink every morning. We are huge fans of Illy and their products are charming so it was perfect for a holiday espresso bar.

Espresso in a glass cup

Illy Espresso Machine

Since we’re such huge fans, we couldn’t wait to try their X9 iperEspresso machine. It’s a super slim, sleek espresso machine that’s incredibly easy to use with illy espresso capsules.

Illy espresso machine

Holiday Espresso Bar with Illy Coffee

We set up a holiday espresso bar that’s perfect for entertaining. It makes entertaining even easier for the host and it’s something fun for your family and friends. Here’s what you’ll need.

  • Illy Espresso Machine
  • Variety of Espresso Capsules
  • Milk and Cream
  • Cinnamon Sticks
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Mini Candy Canes
  • Sugar
  • Caramel Sauce

Just pop in a capsule and press just one button depending on a single or double shot. The espresso featured in the different capsules ranges from a Guatemalan blend to even an Ethiopian espresso.

Illy espresso cups stacked

Espresso Cups

We served the espresso in signature illy espresso cups as well as the Yoko Ono artisan cups. You can purchase any simple espresso cups to use for your coffee bar.

Christmas floral arrangements

Holiday Decorations for the Espresso Bar

  • Add flowers, and a beautiful wreath to decorate with.
  • Fill glass jars with candy canes and espresso pods.
Holiday espresso bar with illy coffee

Check our Illy’s site for more delicious coffee recipes to make for the holidays.

More Holiday Ideas You’ll Love

The Best Christmas Cocktails to Make

Ho Ho Ho Santa Cookies

Peppermint Chocolate Panna Cotta

How to Build a Gingerbread House like a Pro

Easy Cranberry Vodka Christmas Punch

Gingerbread Moscow Mule Recipe

The Best Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Hope this inspires you to set up an Illy espresso bar and celebrate the holidays with charm!

Melting Snow Coffee Drink

Together again, coffee, milk and cocoa come together in an enjoyable new variation on a traditional theme: here they create a hot, intense and aromatic drink sweetened with a touch of cane sugar and cooled with soft milk “snow”. The unusual contrast between hot and cold make for a delightful surprise.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Servings: 1 coffee
Calories: 92kcal
Author: Eden

Ingredients

  • 1 shot Illy Espresso
  • 2 tsp liquid cane sugar
  • 4 tbsp whole milk
  • 2 tbsp skim milk
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

  • Prepare the espresso in a small cup or pour pitcher.
  • In a frothing pitcher, combine the liquid sugar, whole milk and approx 1/16 
    oz (3 g) of cocoa powder; heat it with the steam wand of your espresso
    machine, being sure to keep the wand near the surface
  • Add the espresso to the heated mixture and combine, moving the frothing pitcher with a circular movement. Pour into the glass.
  • Foam the skim milk in a clean frothing pitcher using the steam wand, and add it to the mixture in the glass.
  • Decorate with a light dusting of cocoa powder, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @sugarandcharm or tag us #sugarandcharm!

Related Posts

5 thoughts on “A Charming Holiday Espresso Bar with Illy Coffee!”

  1. Thanks for the tips on how to create a super cute holiday espresso bar. I have been looking for a way to spruce up that area. The eucalyptus leaves add a nice touch as well.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




AS SEEN ON: