Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (2024)

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If you love to spend time in the kitchen, you’re probably already a fan of making cookies, cakesand candies for your loved ones during the holiday season. But for a really special DIY gift, nothing hits the spot like a pretty bottle filled with homemade liqueur. It’s time to go above and beyond that boring old bottle of vodka or bourbon. You can make a more pleasant, flavorful liqueur that will take you to the next level.

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It’s surprisingly easy to make an infused liqueur out of your favorite ingredients. Whip up a batch of limoncello or creamy Nutella liqueur, decant it into cute bottles you get from the craft store, and give them out to your loved ones (they make great stocking stuffers, too).

Don’t forget to save some for yourself! These versatile liqueurs can be sipped on their own, but they’re also delicious added to co*cktails, drizzled over ice cream or sorbet, or added to cider, hot chocolate or coffee. Once you realize how easy it is to make your own custom DIY liqueurs, you’ll never buy store bought again. And your loved ones? They’ll be extra happy with what’s under the tree.

  • Homemade Chocolate Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (3)

    This recipe for homemade chocolate liqueur is a must-try for chocolate lovers — and it’s easier than you think. You’ll only need a few ingredients.

    Get the recipe from An Italian in My Kitchen.

    Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa

    $22.99

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • DIY Vegan Irish Cream Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (4)

    Creamy almond milk and bourbon combine in this recipe for vegan Irish creme liqueur.

    Get the recipe from My Pure Plants.

    Califia Farms - Almond Milk

    $21.48

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • DIY Cranberry Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (5)

    Cranberries are abundant in grocery stores during the holidays, so why not pick up an extra bag to turn into fresh cranberry liqueur?

    Get the recipe from Sidewalk Shoes.

    Cranberries, 12 oz

    $2.57

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • Grapefruit Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (6)

    Grapefruit is in season in the winter, but its zesty citrus flavor makes every drink taste like sunshine.

    Get the recipe from Allons-Eat.

    Tito's Handmade Vodka

    $19.99

    Buy now

  • DIY Coffee Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (8)

    This coffee liqueur is made with espresso powder and vanilla for a sweet, pure coffee flavor.

    Get the recipe from Sidewalk Shoes.

    King Arthur, Espresso Powder

    $10.19

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • Carrot Cake Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (9)

    Friends and family with a sweet tooth with go gaga when they get a bottle of spiced carrot cake liqueur.

    Get the recipe from Vintage Kitty.

  • Rosemary Meloncello

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (10)

    This meloncello is made with fresh melon puree, so the alcohol is infused with fruit flavor more quickly than when using chunks of fruit.

    Get the recipe from Casa Lago Tasting Room.

  • DIY Apple Spice Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (11)

    Harness the tastes of fall with a bottle of apple spice liqueur that’s great for gifting.

    Get the recipe from Pesto for Pennies.

    Spicy World Cinnamon Sticks

    $18.99

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • Homemade Pumpkin Pie Cream Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (12)

    Homemade pumpkin pie cream liqueur is the key to making spiked pumpkin spice lattes.

    Get the recipe from An Italian in My Kitchen.

    Farmers Market Pumpkin Puree

    $13.90

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • Homemade Crema di Limoncello

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (13)

    This creamy version of limoncello tastes even more decadent than the usual kind.

    Get the recipe from Christina’s Cucina.

    Organic Lemon

    $4.99

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • DIY Strawberry Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (14)

    You can make this strawberry liqueur with fresh or frozen strawberries. There’s an option to make a cream version, but beware: it won’t last as long in the fridge.

    Get the recipe from An Italian in My Kitchen.

    Organic Strawberry, 8.8 Ounce

    $4.99

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • Blackberry Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (15)

    Slightly tart, smooth and sweet, pair a bottle of blackberry liqueur with a small bottle of champagne as a DIY co*cktail kit.

    Get the recipe from Sidewalk Shoes.

    Stirrings Pure Cane Simple Syrup co*cktail Mixer

    $10.99

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • Instant Pot Limoncello

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (16)

    Is there anything the Instant Pot can’t do? Use the Instant Pot you got for Christmas last year to make holiday gifts for others this year with a batch of limoncello.

    DOMINO Sugar

    $14.14

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

    Get the recipe from The View from Great Island.

  • DIY Winter Spice Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (17)

    Infuse vodka with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and star anise to make this maple-sweetened liqueur.

    Get the recipe from Julie Juliet.

    Spice Classics Ground Nutmeg, 16 oz

    $13.43

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • DIY Allspice Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (18)

    We always seem to have leftover allspice, so why not put it to good use in a DIY liqueur that you can give away as a gift? It’s the secret ingredient to giving Old Fashioneds a wintry twist.

    Get the recipe from Allons-Eat.

    The Spice Way Allspice

    $7.99

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • Homemade Creamy Nutella Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (19)

    Nutella is so good we’ve often wished we could drink it, and now, thanks to this liqueur recipe, we can.

    Get the recipe from An Italian in my Kitchen.

    Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

    $7.57$10.4027% Off

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • DIY Persimmon Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (20)

    Sweet persimmons are in season in the late fall, so pick up a few and make an infusion of vodka and the sliced fruits, which results in a lovely light orange liqueur.

    Get the recipe from Good Stuff NW.

    Persimmon Fuyu Organic

    $1.99

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

  • DIY White Chocolate Liqueur

    Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (21)

    White chocolate can get a bad rap, but transforming it into a sippable liqueur with a light sweetness and a kick makes it totally giftable.

    Get the recipe from The Flavor Bender.

    Lindt Classic Recipe Bar

    $33.48

    on Amazon.com

    Buy now

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Give the gift of homemade booze: 23 easy recipes for DIY liqueur (2024)

FAQs

What is the easiest home made alcohol to make? ›

Hard Apple Cider is definitely the easiest way to go. There is a recipe on HomeBrewTalk that is very popular as it's extremely easy to make. Essentially you get red wine yeast and mix it with 5 Gallons of store bought apple juice and 2 pounds of dextrose. You need a carboy and an airlock, but that's it.

Can you gift homemade alcohol? ›

Once you make a big batch of infused alcohol, it's time to bottle it for gifts. One way to get bottles is to save any bottles you use throughout the year and re-use them for gifts. Just be sure to clean them well, even boil them to be sure you get any reside out.

What is the name of homemade liquor? ›

In English, moonshine is also known as mountain dew, choop, hooch (abbreviation of hoochinoo, name of a specific liquor, from Tlingit), homebrew, mulekick, shine, sneaky pete, white dog, white lightning, white/corn liquor, white/corn whiskey, pass around, firewater, and bootleg.

How is amaretto made from scratch? ›

Directions
  1. Bring water and both sugars to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until both sugars are dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in vodka, almond extract, and vanilla. Store in a sealed bottle.
Dec 14, 2023

What is the best starter alcohol? ›

Gin & Tonic or Vodka & Soda: For many, this is a good starter drink. Order a well spirit (whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, etc) with club soda or tonic water. The formula is basically liquor and a fizzy drink.

What is the illegal homemade liquor? ›

While individuals of legal drinking age may produce wine or beer at home for personal or family use, Federal law strictly prohibits individuals from producing distilled spirits at home (see 26 United States Code (U.S.C.) 5042(a)(2) and 5053(e)).

What kind of alcohol should I give as a gift? ›

What is the most loved alcoholic drink? While the most loved alcohol drink is beer, whiskies, vodkas, and tequila make for some of the best alcohol gifts during the holiday season.

What is an alternative to alcohol as a gift? ›

  • Copenhagen Organic Sparkling Tea Blå 75cl 0% ABV. ...
  • Copenhagen Organic Sparkling Tea Grøn. 75cl 5% ABV. ...
  • Copenhagen Organic Sparkling Tea Lyserød. 75cl 0% ABV. ...
  • Copenhagen Organic Sparkling Tea Rød. ...
  • Copenhagen Organic Sparkling Tea Vinter. ...
  • Lyres Non Alcoholic American Malt. ...
  • Lyres Non Alcoholic Amaretti. ...
  • Three Spirit Livener.

What is the best alcohol to make a liqueur? ›

Most homemade liqueurs start with vodka. This spirit is an ideal base for liqueurs because it's colorless and flavorless, making it the perfect blank canvas. Start by creating some of the most popular liqueur flavors, like coffee, amaretto, and Irish cream — they all rely on vodka for their kick.

How long does homemade liqueur last? ›

The liqueurs will have the best flavor after a few months of sitting on the shelf (aging). They will begin to lose their bright color and some flavor after one year but they will not “go bad” because the alcohol is the preservative. I usually have no problem using them up within one year.

What are the six basic liquors? ›

There are six primary liquors — whiskey, brandy, vodka, rum, gin and tequila. These beverages fall under the liquor category because they use a similar distilling method, but each has a distinct flavor that arises from using different ingredients and aging processes.

Is it OK to drink amaretto straight? ›

You can drink amaretto straight by itself, or mix it with scotch, bourbon, rum, and other alcoholic drinks. Amaretto also mixes well with non-alcoholic drinks, like coffee, hot chocolate, and ginger beer. To drink amaretto straight, pour it over ice. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime for extra flavor.

What to mix amaretto with? ›

The bittersweet almond and vanilla flavour of amaretto mixes brilliantly with dark spirits – particularly whiskey but this versatile liqueur also mixes well with a wide range of white spirits – vodka obviously but also the likes of tequila and gin, the Marsala Martini being a brilliant example.

Do you mix amaretto with anything? ›

You'll find amaretto in simple lowballs where it's paired with brandy, rum, vodka, and whiskey. It's often featured in sweet dessert and inviting cozy drinks—both warm and cold—and excellent with coffee. Amaretto is also a great mixer for fruity co*cktails alongside apple, cranberry, orange, pear, and much more.

Is making alcohol at home easy? ›

Making alcohol is easy. Take a sugary liquid, add sugar-eating yeast, and wait. Sanitation is the most important part of any fermentation process. You want to make sure everything that touches your liquid pre- and post-ferment has been fully sterilized with a no-rinse sanitizer.

How do you make basic alcohol? ›

Alcohol is made by putting grains, fruits or vegetables through a process called fermentation. This is a chemical reaction where yeast or bacteria react with the sugars in the other ingredients to produce ethanol (the alcohol in the drink) and carbon dioxide (which can mean the drink has bubbles).

What is the simplest organic alcohol? ›

As the simplest alcohol, methanol differs from water in the presence of a methyl group. Compared to the water molecule, methanol has only one donor and one or two HB acceptor sites [1].

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