It’s fun to make your own low carb sugar-free coffee liqueur. Better than Kahlua and you can use it so many cocktail recipes, like a healthy sugar-free Mexican Coffee. See just how easy it is with a new instructional video and updated recipe. And it makes a great keto-friendly holiday gift.
Apparently my kitchen has turned into a distillery, with the slow drip of alcohol through a filter, as it drains out of a silty, cloudy mixture. Not to worry, I am not brewing up moonshine from corn cobs or anything illegal like that. But I am making my own sugar-free homemade coffee liqueur and getting quite a kick out of myself in the process. Really, this whole thing was remarkably fun and astonishingly easy, and now I have many ideas for other sugar-free liqueurs. It’s going to be homemade liqueur madness here, so that I can indulge in some fun cocktails, like a low carb Mexican Coffee, without worrying about the added sugars. And homemade liqueurs make wonderful gifts for friends and family. I suspect that this will become the gift de jour in my house. I should probably buy stock in one or two vodka distributors, since I will be using so much of it.
How To Make Sugar-Free Kahlua
I really am on something of a homemade everything kick. I’ve already amazed and astonished my friends (and myself!) with homemade butter, homemade yogurt and homemade cream cheese. I have been saying to my husband for ages that I want to try making my own sausages and he finally took me seriously enough to get the meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachments for my stand mixer. When you grow up in our modern society with our modern conveniences, you tend to forget that people ever did make all these things on the homestead, as it were. You believe that they simply can’t be made at home. Or at least that they can’t be made easily at home. I honestly credit blogging with opening my eyes to the wonders of the experimental homemade kitchen. One of my very first blog posts was for homemade yogurt made in a crockpot…the idea coming, naturally, from someone else’s blog.
The idea of making homemade sugar-free kahlua admittedly also came from someone else’s blog. Or blogs. I kept seeing it pop up in various places and thinking I needed to try it with some sort of alternative sweetener. My only hesitation was that my favourite, Swerve, doesn’t always stay in solution in liquids. But I found myself craving hot drinks made with yummy sweet liqueurs and decided it was worth a try. And I used a combination of erythritol and monk fruit extract, to see if I could counteract the re-crystallization.
I chose to follow a recipe I found on Creative Culinary, but I did change a few things. I only made a half batch and I cut down on the amount of sweetener a little. I didn’t want to add chocolate liqueur, but knowing that a little chocolate intensifies the flavour of coffee, I added a touch of cocoa powder to the mix. I also took the whole distilling process a step further and strained it through a coffee filter to get all the little particles out and create a clear liquid. This actually took several days and several changes of coffee filters because the silty particles were so fine, hence the feeling that I was operating a distillery out of my kitchen. But the final product was more than worth it! The perfect addition to an afternoon cocktail.
And this wonderful sugar-free liqueur makes a fabulous keto friendly Mexican Coffee!
Sugar Free Coffee Liqueur
Ingredients
Coffee Liqueur
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1/8 tsp monk fruit extract, or another 1/2 cup Swerve
- 1/4 cup ground coffee, I used decaf
- 1 1/2 cup vodka
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Mexican Coffee:
- 1 oz coffee liqueur
- 1/2 oz tequila, if you’re feeling bold. If not, feel free to add a touch more coffee liqueur or vodka
- 1 cup freshly brewed coffee
- 3 tablespoons whipped cream
- sprinkle of cinnamon
Instructions
- For the liqueur: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine water, erythritol, monk fruit extract, and coffee grounds.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool.
- Transfer mixture to a glass jar and add vodka, cocoa powder and vanilla extract
- Seal jar and place in a dark, cool spot and wait...and wait...and wait. At least 3 weeks, shaking the jar every few days.
- Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Then strain again through a coffee filter (this will take several day and changes of coffee filter, but it's worth it to get all the coffee "silt" out of the mixture).
- For the Mexican Coffee, mix liqueur, tequila and coffee in a large coffee mug. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Has anyone tried waiting less than 3 weeks? I wanna make this NOW for Christmas.
Actually, i have. I’d say if you can find it, use some coffee extract to amp up the flavour. But 10 days should almost do it in terms of overall taste.
I’ve fast-tracked it by using a good cold-brew coffee, premade.
I made a change at the suggestion of my son. I put the coffee in a cheese cloth bag so I don’t have to strain so much. My husband drinks White Russians several times a week and I feel left out. Thank you for exploring low carb options for us that chose a healthier lifestyle!
Great idea!
Could you use espresso powder instead of coffee grounds? That would require less filtering in the end, wouldn’t it?
Oh Hello White Russian! I can have you again!
I’m interested in any combination of xylitol/erythritol/stevia to sweeten and then using cold drip coffee and a good rum.
Any thoughts on how to use the sweeteners? Stir them in until they dissolve? Make a simple syrup?
Thanks for any ideas on this.
These sweeteners really don’t dissolve well into the mixture with hot liquids so not sure how they’d fare with cold ones. A simple syrup is a lovely idea but you typically get the sweetener settling out at the bottom. But it might mix in better that way anyway.
Yeah, xylitol has that odd cooling sensation that I’m not particularly fond of so I think I’m going to try a 3-2-1 ration (3 parts erythritol, 2 parts xylitol, 1 part stevia) and make a (warm) simple syrup. Combine the rum and cold brew concentration, and then sweeten to taste with the simple syrup.
Thanks for the reply Carolyn
Carolyn, how about using Da Vinci no carb vanilla syrup with plain vodka? Think I’ll give it a try.?
How long do you think this lasts? I made it a long time ago and forgot it in my liquor cabinet (no, I have NO idea how I could forget it). Wonder if it’s still good?
I’ve used a rum-based version 2 years after bottling and it was fine. Although I store mine in the fridge.
Just wanted to know what brand of whipped cream do you use for the Mexican coffee?
I always make my own whipped cream from Organic Valley heavy whipping cream.
I don’t keep xylitol in the house, as I have a dog and it’s extremely toxic to dogs. Do you think there’s anything else that could be used for this?
You can use erythritol but it will settle out a lot at the bottom.
I think my Holidays just got a little bit MERRIER!!! THANK YOU!!! Three years + sugar free and this could change everything 😉
Hi Carolyn,
Is the combination of erythritol and xylitol necessary to counter re-crystalization, or do you think I could use xylitol only? (It’s cheaper, after all!)
You could use xylitol only…it’s just higher in carbs, I find. Or at least, it affects my blood glucose more.
I so want to try this! But, I can’t have erythritol or xylitol. Ever tried with all stevia, or honey? Those and maple syrup are all I can have…
I really don’t know. It’s worth a try.
It’s ready! I made my sugar free kahlua and tonight am having my “white russian” – woohooo! It is fantastic! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Yay!
Have you ever thought about trying to make Bailey’s and Creme before?
Can I confess that I am not that much of a Bailey’s fan? But if a reader were to request it… 😉
Ok, I am requesting. 🙂 My husband and I love Bailey’s & Creme. It has been sad not to be able to set around a warm fire enjoying a glass this time of year. So Yes, please I am requesting. Thank you 🙂 Please Please Please. . . AND . . .Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Years!!!!
Yes! I was reading this recipe and think the same thing. Don’t forget Amaretto too
Does the brand of vodka make any difference? r they all carb free. Do you have a preference in brands??
How about Cointreau? Then we could have my favorite cocktail: a Sidecar w/o the sugared rim. A real margarita would also be possible 🙂 I love your website.
Thanks. I will certainly try it at some point!
For margaritas, I add a few drops of orange essential oil. HTH! – Michele from Texas
After a few weeks of steeping, I am straining this now. Tip – if you don’t have coffee filters, kitchen paper placed in a funnel works just as well. Delicious!
Great tip!
I think I’m in love with you. ???? LOL waiting on a batch now. My husband has his own little beer room that he brews in. So I told him now it’s a liquor room too. ????
Looked at your “Frangelico” recipe as well. Never heard of that here in Norway but sounds very good. Think I will try that as well. Thank you! Skål
Enjoy!