Homemade coffee liqueur is super easy to make and so much better than what you can buy in the store! It’s also great for gift-giving, wedding favors, and more! It’s very versatile, so you can adapt this recipe to use any of our coffees. For instance, if you like your coffee liqueur extra dark and extra bold, try making it with our Octane Italian Roast. If you like it more fruity and delicate, try it with Ethiopian Sidamo Guji. You can adjust the type and amount of sweeteners, add your own spices or flavorings, or even substitute a decaffeinated coffee!
Want to Add More Flavor?
Try adding…
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Whole Cloves
- Green Cardamon
- Star Anise Pods
- Lemon Peel
- Orange Peel
- Dark Chocolate
Many recipes start with freeze-dried coffee (Brrrr!) but if you start with meh coffee, you get meh coffee liqueur. Starting with Fresh Roasted Coffee means great tasting coffee and absolutely delicious coffee liqueur. For our recipe, you’ll need 4 cups of strong, hot, Fresh Roasted Coffee brewed however you normally make your morning cup. The flavor is up to you! Put your coffee in a saucepan on low heat.
White sugar? Light brown sugar? Dark brown? Turbinado? Honey? Agave nectar? Yes! You want the equivalent of two cups of white sugar in whatever form it takes. Plain white sugar will just add sweetness, while other choices can add depth to your liqueur.
Dissolve the sweetener in the hot Fresh Roasted Coffee. If you wanted to add any other flavorings, you would want to do that now. Toss in a vanilla bean (split it down the middle long-ways to make sure you extract all the flavor)! You can also add whole spices such as cinnamon or cloves. You could even add coffee syrups here, but since most of them are very sweet, make sure you add less sugar!
Winter Warmer (for 2)
- 4 Cups Milk
- 2 TBSP Sugar
- 3 TBSP Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 TSP Ground Cinnamon
- 3 OZ Coffee Liqueur
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium for 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately with a drizzle of caramel, chocolate, or or finely ground coffee.
Most recipes call for inexpensive, unflavored vodka, but we’ve also had excellent results with rum, both clear and dark. An adventurous epicurean might also try brandy or a flavored vodka! For this recipe, add two cups of plain vodka. As in all things, adjust to your taste!
Cover and let cool completely. Decant to a pitcher, a large glass jar, a big bottle – wherever it will fit! Then cover and ignore it for at least a week. That’s it! If you’ve added anything like vanilla beans or spices, strain your liqueur through a sieve or a cheesecloth. Now you’re ready for a White Russian, a Mudslide, an Espresso Martini, or any of a hundred tempting coffee-licious cocktails!
If you’re using a very dark coffee or you’re looking for less acidity, consider starting with cold brew! For four cups of cold brew, you’ll want to start with five cups of water, into which you’ve added four ounces of coarsely ground coffee. Let it steep for at least 12 hours but no longer than 18 hours. Filter your cold brew and heat in a saucepan as above.
Have you made your own coffee liqueur? What did you think? Send us your recipes!