Homemade Liqueurs for Gift-Giving

[NorthwestGal]

People enjoy giving and receiving homemade goodies, including homemade liqueurs. And the holiday season is a great time to explore options for creating your own unique blend for enjoying yourself or for gift-giving. We’re introducing this topic well in advance of the holidays so that those recipes that need to age can still be made in time for the holidays next month.

We cannot vouch for any particular recipe mentioned or featured here, because we haven’t tried most of them ourselves. We’re just offering suggested recipes as a way of giving you a start in homemade gift-giving ideas for your friends and family members—or yourself!

There is likely to be multiple recipes for any given liqueur, as we thought it best to offer a variety (whenever possible) so you have a choice in selecting what recipe works best for your needs.


Whether you’re interested in a more economical way of stocking your own home bar, or whether you’d like to make your own signature spirits for holiday gift-giving, we’ve created a list below of some of the homemade spirits and liqueurs that are posted on this site. Nearly any of them would be a good hostess gift for a potluck party you’ll be attending this year, or something special to tuck under the tree for all your friends.

Many will not require extra equipment or fancy gadgets beyond what one might already have in their kitchen. But be sure to check each recipe before jumping in and getting started, because some require weeks or months to “age”. And there might be a select few that will require equipment that you might not have readily available to you. So read the recipes carefully.

With a bit of an investment in the necessary ingredients and fresh gift-giving bottles, you can bottle your own unique concoctions for a fraction of the price that it would cost in retail shops.

Experiment, have fun, and find the recipe that works best for you.



Tips for Gift Giving

Bottles - You can select unique bottles in colorful shades and unusual shapes, or you can select bottles that most closely resemble the equivalent brand name product sold in retail shops. Just be sure the bottles are clean and free of any chips, nicks or cracks.


Labels – Label your bottles with the type of alcohol, expiration date (if applicable), and special storage or preparation instructions. Be creative and select a unique label design and font type that fits your personality.

Packaging – Depending on the bottles you select, most liqueurs should fit in standard wine-size gift bags that are available at most party stores. For an extra touch, tie (around the neck of the bottle) a bow or ribbon in a festive holiday design. Or, for a special touch, tie a handmade ornament or a cluster of fresh cinnamon sticks or candy canes to the ribbon.

That extra touch – Select a few delectable and decadent dessert recipes from this site that include your homemade liqueur as an ingredient. And include a printed copy of those luscious recipes with your gift bottle. The recipient of your homemade spirit will surely appreciate the additional sweet ways to enjoy your wonderful homemade spirit! How about Creme De Menthe Brownies, or Kahlua Fudge, or Baileys Irish Cream Truffles.


And More! - For a gift basket of assorted items, you could include any number of home bar items with your homemade liqueur, such as . . .

Personalized bar napkins made of linen or other natural fabric
A set of colorful cordial glasses
An engraved flask
Bottle stoppers made of crystal, marble or hand-carved wood
Cocktail stir sticks with whimsical designs
Wine charms or cocktail charms
Or any number of useful bartending gadgets


Happy Holidays everyone!





Small Batches

Are you in a hurry and need a gift soon? Or, do you prefer attempting a smaller batch, before making a larger quantity? Then try one of these small-batch recipes . . .


Homemade Framboise
16 Oz Coffee Liqueur
Victory's Homemade Root Beer Schnapps
Homemade Grenadine (a non-alcoholic bar syrup)



Almond Liqueurs


Homemade Amaretto Almond Liqueur
Amaretto Almond Liqueur (Homemade)
Amaretto


Coffee Liqueurs



Dana's Homemade Kahlua
Coffee Liqueur
Homemade Kahlua



Sa Kahlua
Coffee Liqueur With Vanilla & Cinnamon Cream
Kahlua



Homemade Kahlua
Coffee Flavored Liqueur
Homemade Kahlua !!

Cream Liqueurs


Homemade Baileys Irish Cream
Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur (Gift-Giving or for Yourself!)
Homemade Baileys Irish Cream


Real Irish Cream Liqueur
Irish Cream
Irish Cream Liqueur


Original Irish Cream
Irish Cream Liqueur
Delicious Irish Cream (No Eggs)


Sheila's Irish Cream Liqueur
Extreme Cream Liqueur
Lemon cream liqueur


Lemon cream liqueur
Caramel Irish Cream Coffee
Homemade Advocaat


Fruit, Citrus, and Berry Liqueurs


Apple Cinnamon Liqueur
Fruit Punch Liqueur
Tropical Fruit Liqueur


Apricot Liqueur
Apricot Liqueur
Mel's Apricot Brandy


Peach Liqueur
Grand Marnier
Homemade Grand Marnier


Limoncello , Lemoncella
Lorraine's Luscious and Lovely Limoncello
Limoncello (Lemoncello, Limoncella)


Limoncello Lavender and Vanilla Cream Liqueur
Orange-Vanilla Liqueur
Orange Lemon Liqueur


Strawberry Liqueur
Raspberry Liqueur
Raspberry Liqueur


Blueberry Liqueur
Blackberry Liqueur
Homemade Blackberry Wine


Cranberry Liqueur (Light)
Cranberry Liqueur
Liquori Casalinghi (Cherry Liqueur)


Jerez Cherry Liqueur
Black Currant Liqueur, Liqueur De Cassis
Creme De Cassis (Currant Liqueur)


Vodka Infusions


Hungarian Hot Stew "hunky Stew"
Lemon Ginger Infused Vodka
A Peach Infused Vodka


Lemon Vodka
Fresh Pineapple Infused Vodka
Pear Vodka (Homemade)


Mint, Spice, Chocolate and Misc. Liqueurs


Mint Liqueur
Peppermint Liqueur
Cinnamon Spice Liqueur


Quick Honey Liqueur (Grietai Pagamintas Krupnikas)
Canadian Maple Liqueur
Chocolate Liqueur


Take a Shot

Care to give a shot at giving these chefs the first review (and possibly the first photograph) of their liqueur recipe?

Homemade Blackberry Brandy Liqueur
Homemade Coffee Liqueur
Homemade Cream Cordial
Homemade Brandy
Homemade Cassis (Martha Stewart)

Homemade Anisette
Homemade Galliano
Tia Maria
Creme De Menthe (Liqueur)
Homemade Creme De Menthe

[chefinlansing]

Since I am an old coot, I have been happily making homemade liqueurs for years. One I'd like to share with everyone is really simple, and tasty.
Just take 1 or 2 vanilla beans and add them to a nice big bottle of Bourbon.
Then let it age for a month, and shake it every few days or so while storing it in a dark spot. Remove the beans before you share it.
I have had friends cook with it and I know two Ladies that would shudder at drinking a shot of Bourbon straight. This, however, they will sip.
As a side note, after soaking in Bourbon for a month, or so, I put them in a container of white sugar to flavor that for other uses.
The drink does need a snappy name. Anyone have an idea?

[NorthwestGal]

That bourbon blend sounds delicious, chefinlansing. I'll have to give it a try. I will think about a name for a few days, but in the meantime I welcome all others to jump in with a name suggestion, too.

I hope you have posted that vanilla boubon recipe on this site! If not, please do so soon so others can find it when doing a recipe search.

[**Tinkerbell**]

Great topic, NWG!
I've been thinking about branching out from my usual, and start making some of the liqueurs as well.

I too have been making vanilla bourbon for a couple years now. It started with simply making my own vanilla with vodka. Then I experimented with gluten free vodka (made from potatoes), bourbon, rum, and several other flavor infused vodkas.
The vanilla bourbon is amazing in my favorite whiskey cake and glaze, and this Thanksgiving I made vanilla bourbon glazed carrots as a side dish. Yummy!

I just call it vanilla bourbon, but naming the drinking of it straight would be fun. Since I use the bourbon from Kentucky and the bourbon vanilla beans from the Sava region of Madagascar, I'm thinking something like "Kentucky Sava" or "Kentucky Madness"?

[NorthwestGal]

**Tinkerbell** wrote:
Great topic, NWG!
I've been thinking about branching out from my usual, and start making some of the liqueurs as well.

I too have been making vanilla bourbon for a couple years now. It started with simply making my own vanilla with vodka. Then I experimented with gluten free vodka (made from potatoes), bourbon, rum, and several other flavor infused vodkas.
The vanilla bourbon is amazing in my favorite whiskey cake and glaze, and this Thanksgiving I made vanilla bourbon glazed carrots as a side dish. Yummy!

I just call it vanilla bourbon, but naming the drinking of it straight would be fun. Since I use the bourbon from Kentucky and the bourbon vanilla beans from the Sava region of Madagascar, I'm thinking something like "Kentucky Sava" or "Kentucky Madness"?

Hi, Tinkerbell. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

That vanilla vodka sounds scrumptious. I've made a few vodka flavors and can't wait to try vanilla during the holidays. It sounds so delicious.

I like the idea of your Kentucky Madness drink, it has my vote for an official name. It sue sounds like a drink I could enjoy.

Hugs to the kids, I hope they have a spectacular Christmas this year.

[**Tinkerbell**]

Thanks Nwg!
Soph is totally excited for Santa to bring her some cool stuff. Of course, she made a list, then revised it, then wrote a new one, then revised it... I'm afraid Santa ordered off the first list, not the most recent one.

I'm already feeling sorry for her kids when she gets old enough to start writing her will.

DS came home for a few days over Thanksgiving and we're hoping he'll come stay with us again over the Christmas holiday.

Hope you all have a great Christmas too!