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This recipe really is SO EASY. I hope you are ready to share this video to show how simple it is!
My mom made this 1-hour homemade coffee liqueur recipe every fall I was growing up, set the bottles on the shelf, and then had a bottle to take as a hostess gift to every holiday party, every progressive dinner, or to add to a gift basket.
In addition to the following ingredients, you will need jars for storing or gifting. You can pour some of the coffee liqueur back into the fifth bottle, use canning jars, or any variety of the Grolsch brand (or similar) bottle. I scored a dozen bottles at a homebrew shop while in college and they were inexpensive and well made. I love the rubber flange which ensures a great seal and mine have lasted 10 years without needing replacement. If I had to buy more bottles, I might get the clear glass as it is fun to see the color of the concoction you are serving. You’ll want to get these jars for sure!
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Combine in a large saucepan:
3 cups white sugar (I have used turbinado sugar and it was delicious also and contributed to the maple-y flavor to good effect)
12 tablespoons instant coffee
4 cups of water
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces vodka
1 ½ ounce homemade coffee liqueur
1 – 3 ounces half and half
ice
Homemade coffee liqueur is also great in coffee and can be used in many baking applications.
What do you think, Wildflowers? Have you ever made homemade liqueur before? I’d love to hear from a reader who followed one of the recipes that call for soaking coffee beans for days and days. Please share in the comments below if you’ll be trying this soon! Cheers!
Love this! I live in Norway where people are mad about their coffee. Would be great to make a Norwegian coffee Kahlua for gifting as you suggest. Thank you!
I’m so glad this was helpful! American’s are mad about their coffee too 🙂 Enjoy!
I’ve used a similar recipe. The vodka I used made it a bit harsh tasting, so I used half vodka and half dark rum in the next batch. That helped mellow the flavour a lot. I like mine with cold coffee over ice with sweetener and cream on the top. Yum.
That sounds like a divine mix! What a great suggestion!
In the recipe it calls for 12 Tbsp instant coffee…is that liquid mixed instant coffee or 12 Tbsp instant coffee granules?
Kathy it could be either; I have done it both ways. The original recipe is for the dry granules. Thanks for the question!
Can this be stored in the pantry or should it be refrigerated? It looks great, I can’t wait to give it a try.
Pantry all the way, Cate! Let me know how it works out!
Can the liqueur be used right away or needs to “age” for a certain time before use?
It’s delicious if you wait a few weeks but you can drink it immediately.