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–+ servings
square image of homemade coffee liqueur over ice in a rocks glass
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Homemade Kahlua Liqueur

Bold coffee, sweet vanilla, and white rum come together in this easy homemade coffee liqueur. Make a big batch for cocktails, desserts, and bottles to share.
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings 1 gallon
Calories 101kcal
Author Julie Kotzbach

Equipment

Ingredients

Simple Syrup

Coffee

Assembly

Instructions

Simple Syrup

  • Add 5 cups water and 5 cups granulated sugar to a large 6-quart pot. Place over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 15 minutes. You need to make sure you keep this moving so the sugar doesn’t burn. Take off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
    simple syrup in a large pot

Coffee

  • To a medium saucepan, add 6 cups water and 1 cup freeze-dried instant coffee. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  • As soon as the coffee comes to a boil, take the pot off the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
    brewed instant coffee in a saucepan
    • Set both pots on a wire rack and allow them to cool down to room temperature, about 45 minutes. The wire rack helps them cool faster. If the coffee and syrup are still hot or warm, some of the rum and vanilla will evaporate.

Assembly

  • Pour the coffee into the large pot with the simple syrup and give that a mix.
    coffee and simple syrup mixed together in a large pot
  • Add 3 cups white rum and 2 ounces vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
    white rum being poured into a pot of homemade kahlua base
  • Using a funnel, pour 16 ounces of Kahlua into swing-top bottles, filling them almost to the top. You should be able to fill 8 bottles.
    homemade coffee liqueur in a swing top bottle next to a glass of kahlua and a jar of coffee beans
  • Chill completely in the fridge before enjoying as is, or use in your favorite cocktails.

Notes

  • Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation. It makes a noticeable difference in the finished flavor.
  • Wash your bottles thoroughly before filling. Soap and hot water work fine - just make sure they're completely dry so you don't dilute the liqueur.
  • No swing-top bottles? Mason jars seal well and work great for gifting too. This recipe will fill eight  1-pint mason jars or four 1-quart mason jars.
  • Each 2 oz serving contains approximately 60mg of caffeine.
  • Keep refrigerated for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 ounces | Calories: 101 kcal | Carbohydrates: 18 g | Protein: 0.5 g | Fat: 0.1 g | Saturated Fat: 0.01 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.002 g | Sodium: 4 mg | Potassium: 132 mg | Sugar: 16 g | Calcium: 7 mg | Iron: 0.2 mg