Rich and yummy! This liqueur needs to be made 1 month ahead of giving or drinking! Makes great gifts when poured into separate smaller bottles and tied with ribbon!
I have a friend that made this for me and gave it to me as a gift a few years back. Very good! She recommends using the vanilla bean as the recipe states but a couple tsp of vanilla or almond extract can be used in its place, depending how strong you want the almond/vanilla to taste. As another reviewer also stated, brandy is a good sub for the vodka and to the reviewer wondering about the bottles, the recipe says to fill 2 26oz bottles...should be glass. What type of bottle you use doesn't matter. However, my friend likes to find odd and unique shaped bottles and will decorate them closer to xmas time. Just make sure they're cleaned well and that you can close the caps tightly!
Read MoreIf you're looking for something closer to the flavor of Kahlua try using rum instead of vodka. The higher the proof the better.
Read MoreI have a friend that made this for me and gave it to me as a gift a few years back. Very good! She recommends using the vanilla bean as the recipe states but a couple tsp of vanilla or almond extract can be used in its place, depending how strong you want the almond/vanilla to taste. As another reviewer also stated, brandy is a good sub for the vodka and to the reviewer wondering about the bottles, the recipe says to fill 2 26oz bottles...should be glass. What type of bottle you use doesn't matter. However, my friend likes to find odd and unique shaped bottles and will decorate them closer to xmas time. Just make sure they're cleaned well and that you can close the caps tightly!
This is the same recipe I have used for years - it is as good or better than store bought. I use decaffienated coffee crystals so I can drink this at night, and I often use brandy in place of vodka. Brandy makes it even richer. This is great!
This was excellent and worth the wait! It was just delicious, and even a little syrupy, just like the name brand. When I first made this, a month ago, I never could find espresso powder. Instead, I used coffee extract, the whole bottle, which I believe was about 2 ounces. Also, I used 3 cups of white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar. I put the whole concoction in a large mason jar with a tight lid and sat it on a shelf in the garage for a month. I poured it into my fancy glass decanters (it filled up two of them), and my husband and I enjoyed our first little glass of it last night in front of the fire while watching "A Christmas Story". Life doesn't get any better than that!
I substituted almond extract to give it a almond flavor that is outrageous.
I have a friend that made this for me and gave it to me as a gift a few years back. Very good! She recommends using the vanilla bean as the recipe states but a couple tsp of vanilla or almond extract can be used in its place, depending how strong you want the almond/vanilla to taste. As another reviewer also stated, brandy is a good sub for the vodka and to the reviewer wondering about the bottles, the recipe says to fill 2 26oz bottles...should be glass. What type of bottle you use doesn't matter. However, my friend likes to find odd and unique shaped bottles and will decorate them closer to xmas time. Just make sure they're cleaned well and that you can close the caps tightly!
This was WONDERFUL. Just made up several bottles of it for Christmas presents. I used Brandy and ground Expresso coffee. I had to strain the coffee grounds before adding the Brandy,but it was well worth it.
Recipe has been updated to remove ambiguity about ounces measure for the instant coffee. One 2 ounce jar or 2 ounces by weight are needed for the recipe.
Fan-freakin-tastic!!! Perfect recipe for summer drinks. This stuff is GREAT! and it keeps getting better the longer it sits... we just finished it and am about to make more. Thanks Lori!
This is an excellent recipe for gift giving at christmas. Quick and easy and the taste is great
Fantastic! :) Left it in the fridge for a month! YUM! Used it for tiramisu cheesecake and plan to use it for more baked goods and mixed drinks!
What do you substitute the almond extract for? do you take anything out or just add it? and how much??
This makes an excellent liqueur and so easy to make! I made it for Christmas gifts last year and everyone loved it. Of course, I kept some for myself. Pour it over crushed ice with a splash of half and half. It's great!
I spent the day making 4 different batches of liqueur (for holiday gifts) and this one was our favorite. I have a question that arises every time I made this... Re: the 2 oz. of espresso - I buy 2 oz. bottles of instant espresso. This is 2 oz. by WEIGHT (not volume). So do I use the entire bottle (3/4 cup) or do I measure 2 oz. in a measuring cup (1/4 cup)?
I made this some time ago. It wasn't quite like the popular name brand and so it didn't make our favorite mixed drink like we're used to. But it was good in coffee, on ice cream, with coke.... Not bad.
I made this as a Christmas gifts. It was a huge hit. I used both vodka and brandy. I prefer the Brandy. My husband always wants me have some on hand. I can't tell enough people about this. The name brand coffee liqueur is so expensive. We will never buy it at the store again.
This was great. I didn't have instant espresso powder, so I just subbed strong coffee for the water in the recipe, and used that to boil into syrup. I also didn't have a vanilla bean, so I added a tablespoon of extract once the syrup had cooled.
The flavor is fantastic when compared to a side by side comparison with the off-the-shelf stuff (it tasted so syrupy, I guess I've ever had it straight before). The coffee has such a distinct flavor and rich, deep aftertast. The only thing was I thought it was soooooooo sweet and will decrease the simple sugar recipe to 1:1 next time. Used old screw top wine bottles and a cheap glass bottle from Ikea with a plastic cork, air tight bottle. My white Russian ePassport caramel colored, almost like a well made chocolate milk. I wish more people liked coffee flavored stuff so I could share! I honestly don't know how I can go back.
I make this every Christmas using Everclear rather than vodka. I was told by a guy who Brews beer to use dark colored bottles and to store in a cool, dark place because sunlight breaks down the liquor.
I never thought that making a coffee liqueur would be so simple. I used brandy as I prefer its flavor mixed with coffee. The aroma is enchanting.
Awesome! Making another batch to give for the Holidays! Made recipe exactly.
If you're looking for something closer to the flavor of Kahlua try using rum instead of vodka. The higher the proof the better.
I have made this several times. It ALWAYS comes out great!!! I let it age in my storm cellar. Just finished 4 batches for Christmas gifts. It gets better the longer it ages!!!
This tastes like coffee extract to me, after only a month of having it stored in a dark, cool place in my garage. I used an off-brand of brandy instead of vodka, mixed up white and dark brown sugar about half each until I had 3 cups of sugar, and used two split vanilla beans I then tied in cheesecloth before I put them in each of the two bottles I used to make this. Yum! I cannot wait to make tiramisu with it now.
