Homemade Gourmet Coffee Liqueur Recipe: Better Than Kahlua

Make your best ever Black or White Russian cocktails from my homemade gourmet coffee liqueur recipe. If you like commercially made coffee liqueurs like Kahlua and Tia Maria, you're going to love this recipe. It's not like any of those other horrible concoctions made with instant coffee, cheap vodka, and a vanilla bean. Instead, serve them a quality cocktail that will have everyone asking, "What's your secret?"

True gourmets know that superior flavor comes from using the finest ingredients. That's why this recipe uses only the finest, freshly expressed coffee, premium vodka, and pure cane sugar. Unlike other recipes that require bottling for two weeks before using, this gourmet coffee liqueur is delicious served the very same day - no waiting, no straining, no re-bottling. It is perfection in both simplicity and taste.

What you'll need:

• A beautiful liquor decanter with stopper
• Starbucks dark roast coffee, espresso grind (try the French Roast, Komodo Dragon, or Sumatra)
• Fifth of Stoli Vanil vodka (Stolichnaya vanilla vodka)
• Pure cane sugar (white or raw)

  Preparation:

  Prepare 1 C. fresh Starbuck's espresso. Pour it into a blender and add 1 C. of pure cane sugar. Blend on low speed until sugar is fully dissolved. Add 2 C. of Stoli Vanil and blend on low speed for a couple of seconds just to mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature. Pour into your beautiful liquor decanter and replace the stopper. No need to refrigerate.

  I prepare this recipe several hours ahead of party time so that the flavors have a little time to marry before serving. This gourmet coffee liqueur decanted into a pretty bottle and corked also makes a great gift.

  Cocktail Suggestions:

• White Russian - pour 3 oz. liqueur over ice in an old-fashion glass and fill with 1/2 and 1/2 or light cream.
• Black Russian - pour 3 oz. liqueur over ice in an old-fashion glass, add a splash of Coke, fill to the top with Guinness.
• Coffee Nudge - to a tall coffee mug add 3/4 oz. dark crème de cacao, 1 oz. coffee liqueur, 1/2 oz. quality brandy, and 6-8 oz. of brewed Starbucks coffee. Top with whip cream.
• Coffee Alexander - To a cocktail shaker of crushed ice add 1 oz. quality brandy, 1 oz. coffee liqueur, 1 oz. cream. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Top with finely grated chocolate.
• Coffee Martini - Pour 3 oz. coffee liqueur into a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a mandarin orange slice on a cocktail pick.