Whether you’re making it for gifts or just for a special treat for yourself, Homemade Kahlua is something that’s very easy to make and very delicious. All it takes is time!
Now is a good time to start making homemade Kahlua. It’ll be ready for the holidays! If you want to make gifts, you can divide it up into little jars and label them. These are six ounce jars and you could get about six jars of Kahlua out of the recipe. Alternately, you can pour all of the Kahlua into a nice decanter and keep it for yourself (or share) during the cold winter months.
Ingredients needed:
- water
- sugar
- vodka
- dark roast coffee beans
- vanilla beans
There are not many ingredients in homemade Kahlua so do try to use high quality coffee and vanilla beans. It will make all the difference in the world! And I would not recommend using vanilla extract in place of actual vanilla beans. You need the real thing here! It will taste so much better!
How to make Homemade Kahlua:
Add water and sugar to a medium pot. Heat and stir until steaming and the sugar is dissolved. That’s the only real cooking you have to do here- heat the water and dissolve the sugar! Then remove the pot from the heat.
Then add your vanilla beans (split down the middle) and the coffee beans to the pot. Lightly crush them so they infuse easier. Don’t grind them completely though.
Stir in the vodka and let it all cool to room temperature. Then pour the mixture (beans and all) into a very clean air tight container and let it sit in your pantry for three weeks. No need to refrigerate it thanks to the sugar and alcohol. No peeking or tasting. Just let it sit away from the light- in a cool, dark place. It needs time to age.
After three weeks, you’ll just strain off the solids and you’re left with delicious coffee-vanilla liqueur, otherwise known as Kahlua! Pour the Kahlua into jars for gifting or into one large decanter to keep for yourself.
A good White Russian is just a few pours away (to a glass of ice, add 2 ounces of vodka, 1 ounce of Kahlua and a splash of heavy cream). Lucky you, because homemade Kahlua has much richer and more unique coffee and vanilla flavors than the store-bought version. CHEERS!
Here are a few more cocktail recipes you might enjoy:
- Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur
- Champagne Mimosa Punch
- The Rum Flip Cocktail
- Slushie Watermelon Mojitos
- Winter Holiday Sangria
- Hurricane Cocktail Recipe
- Mint Mocha Coffee
- Apple Cider Sangria
Homemade Kahlua
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups granulated white sugar
- 2 cups vodka
- 1/2 cup dark roast coffee beans, lightly crushed
- 2 vanilla beans, split
Instructions
- Add the water and sugar to a medium pot. Heat and stir until steaming and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Add the vodka, lightly crushed coffee beans, and split vanilla beans. Stir together and let cool to room temperature.
- Transfer to a very clean air-tight container. Seal and let sit in a cool dark place for three weeks or longer.
- Strain the solids out of mixture with a fine mesh strainer, and divide up the homemade Kahlua or keep it in a big batch.
- Kahlua keeps fine at room temperature for a few months.
Notes
- Use homemade Kahlua in coffee or with whole milk to make White Russians!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Does the brand of vodka matter?
no, it doesn’t matter.
Can you use an artificial sweetener or Stevia instead of sugar?
I’ve definitely not tried using artificial sweeteners for making Kahlua, so I’m not sure!
If it helps any, I use stevia in making simple syrup and it’s amazing. I’m going to try making this doing the same! Yum!
I’m making this a bit late in the game for the holidays. Is it ok to divvy it up in separate jars with one vanilla bean each to give as gifts and they do the straining after a few weeks? Or will the ingredients be messed up that way and need to stay in all one pot?
Thank you kindly!!
Hi Serissa, I really have no idea since I haven’t tried it that way!
I’ve been making Kahlua since 1992, this is a good recipe with one comment. About 5 year’s ago it always seemed to me that something was missing in the taste. we were at the liquor store & I was looking at the Kahlua bottle & it just jumped out at me when I read the label, it say’s in small print “RUM & Coffee Liqueur” that was it RUM ! The next batch I made I used 1 cup of dark rum & kept the rest of the ingredients the same. It was wonderful, really !
Hi Susie did you use the vodka also when you added the rum- I’ve been drinking Kahlua for 30 years and never realized there was rum in it! Thanks
Do you double the coffee beans with the additional rum? Thx
I’ve used instant espresso and regular vanilla with good results as well.
What brand of Vanilla Beans did you use. There is so many different ones. Thanks in advance.
Any vanilla beans are fine– Costco sells them for a good price!
I have made this recipe every year for many years and friends expect a bottle included with their homemade cookies for Christmas. I have lovd trying the flavored vodkas, such as the salted caramel and the double chocolate with great results!!! So, now I make three batchs(doubles, of course) for all my friends for the holidays!! It is easy and fun making and baking with my friends and family
I love your cook book !!!!! What a wonderful assortment of recipes !!!!! Every page has one I want to try !!!!! Thank you Ken.
Glad to hear!
Can you use decaf coffee beans?
I don’t see why not?
I’ve always wanted to make my own Kahlua! I’ll have to try this out!