Homemade Kahlúa Recipe
This homemade kahlua recipe is like a little kitchen magic trick: combine simple ingredients for under 30 minutes, and suddenly you have a rich, aromatic coffee liqueur, ready for gifting.
🔍 Recipe At-A-Glance: Kahlua Recipe
- 🕰️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- ⏰ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ☕️ Flavor Profile: Sweet coffee with a one-two punch of alcohol.
- 🎉 Good For: An after dinner sip, mixing into evening cocktails, and making a pretty fabulous (and last-minute) homemade food gift.
- 🧡 Difficulty: If you can make a cup of strong coffee and stir, you can make coffee liqueur at home.
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🧡 Why You'll Love This Recipe
Hi friend: A few years ago, we gave all the grown-ups on our Christmas list bottles of our homemade kahlúa (AKA: coffee liqueur) and it was a HIT! The best part? No one knew that we made all the bottles in less than 30 minutes. Let us show you how to make the best holiday gifts ever.
Here's why you'll love this recipe:
- Customizable: Because you are in control, you can completely customize your homemade kahlúa to your tastes. More or less sugar, decaf or caf, bold roast or light roast, high alcohol or light-it's all up to you!
- Ready immediately: Unlike other infusions, like homemade vanilla extract, homemade limoncello, or even my strawberry wine recipe, this coffee liqueur recipe doesn't need to infuse for weeks or months. It is ready to drink right away, making it a great last-minute gift.
- Great gifting: You know I love a homemade food gift (I even wrote the book on gifts in jars), and this kahlua recipe is no exception. Gift it on its own or paired with some cocktail glasses and Christmas cookies or buckeye balls for a complete package.
☕️ The Ingredients You Need
- Everclear or rum: Ideally, you'll want to use grain alcohol (usually known as Everclear)...it is almost pure alcohol, so it has the cleanest flavor. That means you can let the coffee flavor shine on through. I also use it when making limoncello! Just be careful when using it-Everclear should never be used undiluted!
- Strong coffee: I like to use a dark roast to get the strongest flavor, but you choose your favorite. If you're concerned about caffeine, you can make it decaf. Just brew up some decaf coffee, and use that to make your kahlúa.
Make sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, along with quantities and my expert tips and tricks.
🔁 Variations & Substitutions
- Use vodka (highest proof you can find): In some states, Everclear isn't legal at all. In that case, you can use a strong vodka, but your final kahlua will not be nearly as strong.
- Mix it up: While kahlua is great for sipping straight, it is even better in a cocktail like an espresso martini or white Russian!
🥣 Kahlua Recipe How-To
Step 1: This is going to be oh-so-easy. Brew up that coffee, and remember to make it super-strong. Warm it with the brown sugar in a big pot until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 2: Let your new coffee syrup cool to room temperature, then stir in the vanilla and grain alcohol.
Step 3: Decant your new coffee liqueur into bottles. A funnel will make this so much easier (and reduce your clean-up time). That's it-you're already done!
💛 How Much Alcohol Is There?
How much alcohol is in each serving of your coffee liqueur depends on what proof alcohol you mix in. While we can't give you the exact percentage of alcohol of your kahlúa, we can give you some ballpark estimates:
| Starting Alcohol | Estimated ABV |
| Everclear 190 proof | 20% |
| Everclear 151 proof | 14% |
| Everclear 120 proof | 11% |
| Vodka 80 proof | 7% |
🙋🏻♀️ Kahlua Recipe FAQs
The classic way to drink kahlua is in a white Russian-that's a combo of cream, vodka, and kahlua! You can also use it to spike your coffee (it's great in a peppermint mocha!) or my hot chocolate mix recipe.
You can also drink it straight! There is nearly four times as much coffee as Everclear in this kahlua, plus a generous amount of brown sugar and vanilla extract, so it is plenty diluted and sweetened to be enjoyable on its own.
If you're using 190 proof grain alcohol, it doesn't have to be refrigerated to keep, because, with an alcohol content of 20%, it inhibits microbial growth pretty darn well. If you are using any other kind of alcohol to make this, please keep it in the fridge. In fact, since you use kahlua cold in a lot of drinks, it's a great place to store it.
If you're short on space or packing it up as a gift, it will be fine at room temperature for a few days.
👩🏻🍳 My Expert Tips & Tricks
- The stronger, the better: The stronger your coffee, the better your coffee liqueur! I recommend a dark roast or espresso, brewed stronger than you'd typically drink it straight.
- Stay safe: Always treat Everclear as an unfinished ingredient-never drink it undiluted. If you are using fully-leaded Everclear 190, make sure to use at least 3 ½ cups of water in your simple syrup and you'll be good to go!
- Bottle it up: I used these 12 ounce bottles, but any pretty food-safe bottle or jar will work well here!
📥 Download the Free Labels
I've made you some free labels for your Kahlua jars or bottles that you can print off at home. Just fill out the form below to get them delivered straight to your inbox.
🎁 More Homemade Food Gift Recipes:
If you tried this kahlua recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Kahlúa Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 cups strong dark brewed coffee
- 2 pounds light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup vanilla extract
- 750 ml Everclear 190/189 Proof grain alcohol preferable or Everclear 151, Everclear 120, see post for more information
Instructions
- Pour 12 cups strong dark brewed coffee into a large soup pot, add in 2 pounds light brown sugar, and heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Add in ⅓ cup vanilla extract and 750 ml Everclear 190/189 Proof grain alcohol. Pour into glass bottles, label, and store in a cool, dark place.
Video
Notes
- You want a very strong cup of coffee here! I recommend going with a dark roast and brewing it stronger than you would normally drink it.
- Never ever drink Everclear straight. It must be diluted!
Nutrition
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This is the EASIEST homemade liqueur, and has been a hit every time I've served it!
Could I use monk fruit brown sugar?
We haven't tried it, but I think it would work!
Where can I print off the "handmade Coffee Liqueur" labels that are shown here?
Thank you
Hi Patty! There's a link in the post in a Wholefully Protip box, but I'll drop a link for our free labels here, too, to make it easier to find! I'll also leave an affiliate link for the water-resistant round labels that we used to print them on. I hope this helps!
After bottling, how long should you wait before drinking the Kahlua? Doesn’t it need to rest for a few weeks, or good to drink right away??
Thank you so much!
Hi Patricia! That's one of the best parts about homemade Kahlua (besides how easy it is to make and how delicious it is)—it's ready to drink immediately! We hope you and your lucky giftees love it!
Can you sun vodka for the everclear?
Hi Eric! Yes, you can sub vodka if you can't get or don't want to use Everclear. Here's what we say in the post, "You can use a strong vodka, but your final kahlua will not be nearly as strong." There's also info in the post about an estimated final ABV depending on what you use. An 80 proof vodka will be roughly 7% ABV. I hope this helps!
Would love to make this recipe! Just wondering how long it needs to sit after being made before it can be consumed?
Hi Laura! That's the best part about this recipe (besides how much everyone loves it, of course)—there's no need to let it sit. It’s ready to go as soon as you bottle it!
what size bottles did you use
Hi Pam! These are 12 ounce bottles that we got on Amazon. They're perfect for gifting, and we love them! Here’s an affiliate link if you’d like to order some: https://amzn.to/3mjcTnc
Hello, if I reduce this recipe in half will the final product still be 20% alcohol? thanks
Hi Danielle! The exact alcohol percentage will depend on what proof of alcohol you're using. But if you make a half-batch and keep the ratio of ingredients the same, then whatever percentage you start with should be the same in the half-batch, too!
1 bottle 190 everclear (1000ml) + 5 cups of water = 80 proof, so can I use 5 cups of brewed coffee with 1000 ml of everclear and get an end result of 80 proof instead of 20?
Hi Carol! 5 cups of coffee for 1000ml of Everclear is way too little in terms of safety and flavor! It will turn out too strong to drink and won't taste like coffee liqueur. Our recipe calls for 750ml + 12 cups of coffee for an end result of 20% alcohol (or 40 proof) - not 20 proof. I recommend making the recipe as written first and seeing how you like it. If, after that, you're still interested in making adjustments, we're happy to help!
I know you mentioned that if you use Everclear 190 proof you dont need to store in fridge. What if I used Everclear 151 proof? Can I still leave it out or I would need to store in fridge?
Hi Ariel! We recommend keeping it in the fridge if you use anything other than Everclear 190 proof—even Everclear 151 proof. Truthfully, though, we keep all of ours in the fridge no matter which alcohol we use. Most drinks made with coffee liqueur are chilled anyway so it's a great place to store it. If you're thinking of packing bottles for gifting, they'll be fine at room temperature for a few days. Just let your giftees know to stash it in the fridge as soon as possible!
Do you need to refrigerate?
Hi April! Here's what we say about keeping this in the fridge in the post: "If you’re using 190 proof grain alcohol, it doesn’t have to be refrigerated to keep, because, with an alcohol content of 20%, it inhibits microbial growth pretty darn well. If you are using any other kind of alcohol to make this, please keep it in the fridge. In fact, since you use kahlua cold in a lot of drinks, it’s a great place to store it."
We usually keep ours in the fridge regardless of which alcohol we use! If you're thinking of packing it up for gifts, it will be fine at room temperature for a few days. Just tell your lucky giftees to store it in the fridge as soon as possible. Hope this helps! =)
Could you also add vanilla beans to the mixture?
Hi Ariel! You could, but you'll need around 8 vanilla beans to equal 1/3 cup vanilla extract. The finished drink will also have the vanilla bean flecks in it. Plus, it will continue to get stronger in vanilla flavor as it infuses. So for cost, ease, and consistency, we recommend vanilla extract. You can always splurge on a higher quality pure vanilla extract if you'd like to make your gifts a little fancier!
Hi! Can you confirm if the cup measurement you're using for "12 cups of coffee" is "a cup" or "a coffee cup" (8oz vs 6oz, respectively)
Also, have you tried this doing a cold-brew coffee instead of a hot brew? pros/cons?
Hi Tim! We always use hot brew when making this because we love how quickly it comes together. But you could definitely use cold brew if that a flavor you prefer!
Hi Tim! We use a standard 8-ounce liquid cup measurement when making this.
I made this tonight with MJ infused everclear. This is a great, easy, tasty recipe! Great for gifting!
Thanks, Bev!
Do you have suggestions where to purchase vintage style bottles? I love the one you use on your page
Hi Kristine! We got those bottles on Amazon, and we love them! Here's an affiliate link if you'd like to order some: https://amzn.to/3mjcTnc
How much of the Everclear should I put in my Bach 375 mg
Hi John! The quantities you need are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. I'm not quite sure what you're asking, but if you reply with some clarifying info, I'll be happy to help! =)
Is it normal for the Kahlua to separate after bottling? I used everclear, espresso, brown sugar and vanilla.
Hi, Kim! We've never had any of our batches separate, so we're not sure what could have happened. We might be able to help you troubleshoot with a bit more information, though. Did you use brewed espresso or instant espresso powder? Does it look like the espresso layer is separating from the alcohol layer? Any additional info about what you think is happening would be helpful!
I added a 1/4 bottle of Carmel vodka to your recipe.
You really came up with a winner itty is very good
Best coffee liqueur ever!
I made this to give as Christmas presents to my family. It was a huge hit! They are asking for more! 🤩 For the gifts, I filled 8 oz flask-shaped bottles with the liqueur. I printed your recipe for White Russian Cocktail onto kraft paper gift tag and tied it to the bottle neck. Perfect!
I made a virgin version, too, for the nondrinkers in the family.
Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Thanks so much for taking the time to tell us about it, Sharon! We're delighted that this was a hit with your family!
Sharon, do you remember the recipe details for the non-alcohol version? Thank you, thinking ahead to the upcoming holiday season.
How long do you let it sit before you can drink it?
Hi, Ashley! No need to let it sit. It's ready to go as soon as you bottle it!
Where do you get your bottles?
We got them on Amazon! Here's an affiliate link for them: https://amzn.to/3mjcTnc