Homemade Coffee Liqueur Recipe (AKA: Kahlúa)
A few years ago, we decided to focus on handmade holiday gifts for all of our family members. It's been fun to make the gifts and everyone on our lists has had so much fun trying to guess what we're going to make next!
Last year, 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.
What is kahlua?
Kahula is a sweet coffee liqueur. And it is so easy to make! If you can make a cup of strong coffee and stir, you can make coffee liqueur at home. 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!
What liquor do you use to make homemade kahlua?
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.
Always treat Everclear as an unfinished ingredient-never, ever drink it undiluted. 189 or 190 proof is best, but if you can't find that, it may be that only the less-potent 151 or 120 proof varieties are legal in your state.
Wholefully Protip
You can figure out if you can get Everclear near you using this product locator.
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.
How strong is kahlua?
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:
| Alcohol Used | Estimated Final ABV |
| Everclear 190 proof | 20% |
| Everclear 151 proof | 14% |
| Everclear 120 proof | 11% |
| Vodka 80 proof | 7% |
Does kahlua have caffeine?
Yep! But if that's a concern for you, you can make it decaf. Just brew up some decaf coffee, and use that to make your kahlúa.
Want to save this recipe?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Okay, tell me how to make homemade kahlua!
Gather up some coffee, Everclear, brown sugar, and vanilla. And here we go!
- Brew up 12 cups of strong coffee. I like to use a dark roast to get the strongest flavor, but you choose your favorite.
- Warm the coffee with the brown sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and grain alcohol.
- Pour into bottles, label, and store!
Can you drink kahlua straight?
You sure can! There is nearly four times as much coffee as Everclear in this kahlúa, plus a generous amount of brown sugar and vanilla extract, so it is plenty diluted and sweetened to be enjoyable on its own.
What can I mix with coffee liqueur?
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 or hot chocolate.
Does homemade kahlúa need to be refrigerated?
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.
Does kahlua go bad?
If you used 190 proof grain alcohol, not really. The alcohol and sugar are both excellent preservatives. If you used one of the lower-percentage alcohols, we recommend stashing it in the fridge and enjoying it within a few months. If you're short on space or packing it up as a gift, it will be fine at room temperature for a few days.
📥 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 right to your inbox.
Looking for more creative gift ideas?
- 45+ DIY Food Gifts. We have homemade edible gift ideas to fit everyone's preferences! Giving the gift of something delicious is always a smart call.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Coffee Liqueur Recipe (AKA: Kahlúa)
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.
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