How to Make Kahlua: Homemade Kahlua Recipes That You Should Try

by Christina Gvaliant

Making Kahlua at home is surprisingly simple. All you need are the right ingredients and a little bit of time to put it all together! Homemade Kahlua can be customized with your favorite flavors, which makes for an awesome gift for friends or family members who enjoy cocktails.

 

Best of all, homemade Kahlua will save you money over buying it in stores because it’s easy to make on your own. This blog post will explain how to make homemade Kahlua using homemade Kahula recipes that you should try!

What is Kahlua?

Kahlua is a coffee-flavored liqueur that has been popular in the United States since the mid-1970s. It was first produced in Mexico, and Kahlua gained popularity due to its availability at most bars.

Kahlua is a favorite for many because it can be used as an ingredient for various cocktails. Additionally, people like Kahlua because of its coffee flavor and Lifeboost coffee shares some amazing coffee cocktails that taste yummy with Kahlua.

How to Make Kahlua at Home?

There are many different recipes that can be used to make homemade Kahlua, but the most common one involves mixing water with instant coffee and adding in brown sugar. However, this process does not involve distilling alcohol so it is illegal in some states.

In order to make Kahlua, the homemade Kahlua recipes typically involve mixing strong coffee with vodka and sugar. This is a simple way to create a delicious tasting liqueur that can be used in drinks or served on its own.

Homemade Kahlua Recipes

There are many different ways of making homemade Kahlua using various ingredients such as vodka, rum, and brandy. In addition to these Kahlua ingredients, homemade Kahlua recipes also typically include sugar or vanilla extract.

Different Kahlua Drinks on the Market

Being the main ingredient, Kahlua contributes to the creation of multiple great-tasting coffee liqueur cocktails on the market. And regardless of your preferences, you can always find the best Kahlua recipe to suit your needs.

You can drink Kahlua in a cocktail, hot or on the rocks. That aside, let’s look at some of the most popular Kahlua drinks.

Kahlua Drinks With Vodka

The White Russian is probably the most famous Kahlua drink. It includes Kahlua, vodka, and cream or milk. The Black Russian replaces the cream with coffee liqueur instead of milk to create a strong drink that can be served either on ice or straight up in an old-fashioned glass.

How to Make a White Russian?

Ingredients:

  • Kahlua and vodka

  • Milk or cream to taste

  • Ice

 

Directions:  Pour Kahlua and vodka into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill, then pour into an old-fashioned glass or mug filled with fresh ice cubes. Top off the drink by adding milk or cream and stir until mixed completely. Serve immediately!

How to Make a Black Russian?

Ingredients:

Directions:  Pour Kahlua and vodka into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill, then strain the drink into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice cubes. Garnish by sprinkling coffee beans on top. Serve immediately!

How to Make a Mudslide?

Ingredients:

  • Kahlua and vodka

  • Coffee liqueur or creme de cacao to taste

  • Whipped cream (optional)

  • Chopped chocolate for garnish (optional)

Directions:  Pour Kahlua, coffee liqueur, or creme de cacao into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill, then strain the drink into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice cubes. Top off by adding whipped cream and sprinkling chopped chocolate on top. Serve immediately!

How to Make a Coffee Martini?

Ingredients:

  • Kahlua and vodka

  • Coffee liqueur or creme de cacao to taste (optional)

 

Directions:  Pour Kahlua, coffee liqueur, or creme de cacao into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill, then strain the drink into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice cubes. Serve immediately!

What is the Mind Eraser and How Do You Make It?

The Mind Eraser is another Kahlua drink. It includes Kahlua, vodka, and club soda to create a smooth yet strong low-calorie coffee liqueur cocktail that can be served either on ice or straight up in an old-fashioned glass.

Ingredients:

  • Kahlua and Vodka

  • Club soda

  • Ice cubes

 

Directions:  Pour Kahlua and vodka into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill, then strain the drink into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice cubes. Top off by adding club soda slowly so that it doesn’t overflow and stir until mixed completely. Serve!

Kahlua Drinks With Rum

Kahlua and rum are another popular flavor combination. This results in drinks like Planter’s Punch, which was originally made using homemade orgeat syrup but became easier to prepare when commercial almond extract brands were introduced in the market. There’s also the famous Hurricane, which is often served with a wedge of lime or lemon.

 

You can also try out Kahlua and dark rum drinks like Daiquiris that are usually made using fresh ingredients such as white rum, simple syrup, lime juice, crushed ice, maraschino cherries (optional), strawberries (optional), or banana liqueur.

How to Make a Planter's Punch?

Ingredients: 

  • Kahlua and dark rum (e.g., Myers or Coruba)

  • Grenadine syrup to taste (optional)

  • Fresh grapefruit slices for garnish (optional)

Directions:  Pour Kahlua, dark rum, grenadine (if using), and grapefruit juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill, then strain the drink into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice cubes. Garnish by placing grapefruit slices on top of the drink. Serve immediately!

How to Make a Hurricane?

Ingredients:  

  • Kahlua and dark rum (e.g., Myers or Coruba)

  • Fresh orange juice

 

Directions:  Pour Kahlua, dark rum, and orange juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill, then strain the drink into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice cubes. Serve immediately!

How to Make a B52?

Ingredients:

  • Kahlua and dark rum

  • Creme de cacao liqueur to taste (optional)

 

Directions:  Pour Kahlua, dark rum, creme de cacao into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill, then strain the drink into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice cubes.

Kahlua Drinks That Are Served Hot

In addition, Kahlua makes a great ingredient for different hot drinks. A couple of examples of coffeehouse favorites are Irish Coffee and Mudslide. In general, these types of beverages contain espresso or strong brewed coffee with ice cubes, heavy cream/half-and-half, and the liqueur Kahlua.

Some of the best Kahlua recipes that are served hot, include:

 

  • Kahlua Hot Chocolate

  • Mexican Coffee

  • Mocha Latte with Kahlua

Ingredients:

  • Hot chocolate (8 ounces)

  • Whipped cream for garnish

  • 2 ounces of Kahlua

Directions: 

 

Brew a pot of hot chocolate and add Kahlua to the taste. Hot chocolate with powdered mix is not recommended for this drink; it will be too watery. Top the mixture off with whipped cream before enjoying it!

How to Make a Mexican Coffee?

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces of Kahlua

  • 8 ounces of freshly brewed coffee

Directions:

Pour Kahlua into a coffee cup

Add freshly brewed coffee. You can also use espresso, but the result will be stronger. No need to heat your drink – it’s ready!

 

You may want to decorate with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles or cinnamon powder. Enjoy this delicious beverage!

What Are Kahlua Cocktail Mixers?

Kahlua cocktail mixers are available in different flavors, including mocha java, Mexican vanilla, French vanilla, and chocolate truffle to name a few.

Ever wondered how many Kahlua cocktail mixers actually exist on the market? Well, you are in for a surprise because the number is actually quite high.

We will focus on three types of Kahlua cocktail mixers that are considered to be some of the best choices when it comes to flavor and pricing options. These include:  

 

  • Coffee – This type has been around since Kahlua was first introduced into the market. It is a great choice when it comes to taste and smell.

  • Mocha Java – This type of Kahlua cocktail mixer has been in the market for quite some time now, but not everyone knows that there are actually two different types available. The first one is full cream while the other contains half-and-half creamer which makes it a little bit lighter. Many people prefer the second option because it is easier to drink and does not have that heavy taste.

  • Mexican Vanilla – This type of Kahlua cocktail mixer has only been in the market for about three years now, but many customers love its sweet vanilla flavor which makes it suitable for mixing with chocolate or coffee flavors as well. This is a great option if you want to create your own special Kahlua cocktail mixer flavor by mixing it with other types of Kahlua mixers.

Other Kahlua cocktail mixers include:

  • Cola

  • Club soda

  • Cream

  • Hot chocolate

  • Irish cream

  • Cream soda

  • Tequila

  • Root beer

  • Rum

  • Vodka

  • Coconut cream

  • Scotch, Whiskey, etc.

As you can see, the list is quite long when it comes to Kahlua cocktail mixers. So, go ahead and pick your favorite one!

What About The Price?

As for the price, each type has unique points that make it slightly more expensive than others. For example, Coffee Kahlua costs about $25 per bottle. On the other hand, you will not be able to find Mocha Kahlua for less than $45 per bottle and Mexican Vanilla costs about $55.

If you are looking for lower price options, then Coffee is your best choice because it offers great value without compromising on taste or smell!

When Should You Use Kahlua?

Kahlua is one of those cocktail mixers that can be used on many different occasions. Some people use it when they are having a party, while others prefer to drink Kahlua on Christmas Eve or during other special occasions. 

It should also be noted that Kahlua has become more than just another alcoholic mixer; instead, some people love to drink Kahlua even if they are not planning on drinking alcohol. This is why it has become one of the most popular choices, especially among women who want to keep themselves healthy and beautiful!

How Do You Make Homemade Kahlua?

While there are many different types of homemade Kahlua recipes being shared online, you should be careful when trying to find one that is actually reliable. You do not want to end up with a Kahlua recipe that has low-quality ingredients or does not taste good, right?

The best way of finding the perfect homemade Kahlua mix would be by using the best recipes shared online – only when you are sure they have been tried and tested by real people!

To help you out, here is you can make Kahlua at home using this classic homemade Kahlua recipe:

Ingredients:

  • Water (use 4 cups)

  • Instant coffee crystals (1 1/2 cups)

  • Organic sugar (use 8 cups)

  • Vanilla beans (2)

  • 100-proof vodka (use 4 1/2 cups)

Directions:

First, pour the water into a large pot and place it on your stove over medium heat. 

Add in both types of sugar (the organic one as well as the traditional) after stirring until they dissolve completely. After that, add in instant coffee crystals to create a Kahlua mix which you will use later when making homemade Kahlua.

Then, pour the Kahlua mix into a large jar. After that, place this container in your refrigerator for about 24 hours so it can cool down to room temperature. Once you take it out again, add both vanilla beans as well as vodka before closing the lid tightly and shaking everything really well. You can now leave the homemade Kahlua inside your refrigerator for about two weeks.

 

After this time period has passed, you can start using it whenever you want to make a Kahlua cocktail or simply drink the homemade Kahlua on its own!

What's Better: To Use Store-Bought Kahlua or to Make Yours At Home?

There are many people who still don’t know how to make homemade Kahlua. Some of them prefer using store-bought Kahlua while others think that making their own is a much better idea. Let’s take a look at both options and decide which one we would go with!

Something That You Need To Know About Making Your Own Kahlua

Some people think that making homemade Kahlua is a very complicated process. In fact, it’s not! There are many recipes that you can find on the Internet and they call for just a few ingredients that most of us have laying in our kitchens already. To make your own Kahlua at home all you need to do is to buy a bottle of vodka and add some coffee beans, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and sugar. You will be surprised how easy it is to make this delicious drink at home!

The Main Difference Between Store-Bought Kahlua and Homemade Kahlua Recipes

When people talk about homemade Kahlua they usually compare it with store-bought one. We have to say that homemade Kahlua is much richer in taste. What’s more, if you take a look at the ingredients list of store-bought Kahlua you will notice how many artificial additives it contains!

Also, making your own Kahlua at home is definitely less expensive than buying it in stores. And you won’t have to make another purchase for a very long time! Once you create your homemade Kahlua recipe all you need are coffee beans and vodka that can be found on sale from time to time.

 

So which one will it be? Store-bought Kahlua or homemade Kahlua recipes? We would definitely go with making our own Kahlua at home – but this is completely a subjective opinion that you’ll have to decide better yourself.

Final Thoughts

The process of how to make Kahlua may seem complicated, but if you follow the recipe properly and take your time with each step it will be well worth it. Once finished, you’ll have homemade Kahlua that is sure to impress!

Here are some final thoughts on making homemade Kahlua:

 

  • Homemade Kahlua can be used in a variety of different drinks.

  • Kahlua is an excellent addition to desserts and cakes, but it can also be mixed with coffee for a tasty treat.

  • The homemade recipes included here are all relatively easy to make!

Related Articles