Kahlua Recipe - By Request

Every year, when I tell people that I make Kahlua, I get asked for the recipe. I decided to post it here so anybody who wants it can find it. I sure don't mind sharing it. If you're asking for the recipe then you know you're not on my gift list!  :)  Anyway, this is a super easy gift to make and tastes delicious. This recipe calls for brandy but I've seen some that are made with vodka. I've never tried the vodka ones but I'm sticking with what works!

Kahlua


4 cups sugar
2 oz. instant coffee (1 cup)
2 cups boiling water
2 cups cheap brandy
1 vanilla bean


Mix sugar and coffee together. Add boiling water and stir until well dissolved. Cool. Add brandy. Mix gently. Take vanilla bean and split down the middle without cutting all the way through the bean. Open up the bean a bit so that the inside is exposed. Add to coffee mixture. Put in some sort of bottle and sit in cool, dark place for 45 days. Remove vanilla bean and drink!

Tips


Vanilla beans are quite expensive locally. Since I tend to make large batches of Kahlua for gifting, I order beans online. (beanilla.com, for example)

To make it easier to retrieve the vanilla bean when the Kahlua is done I tie a piece of dental floss around the end of the bean and suspend the bean in the Kahlua. That way, when the 45 days is up, I just grab the floss and haul out the bean.

I have saved the glass containers that the brandy comes in. It makes a great bottle for the Kahlua to age in.

Each batch of this recipe makes enough Kahlua to fit nicely in a 1.75ml bottle.

Once the Kahlua is done you need to decant it into something smaller for gift-giving. There are a couple kinds of beer that come in either brown or green bottles and have a rubber stopper with a metal clamp that secures the stopper. These bottles look great and are perfect for the Kahlua. Just ask someone to volunteer to drink the beer for you and you've got your gift bottles.

Hope you enjoy!