Why It Works
- Infusing vodka with large quantity of cacao nibs for nine days produces liqueur with an intense chocolate flavor.
- Customize the liqueur by playing around with the spirit base, flavoring options, and sugar level.
When I see the words "chocolate co*cktail" or "chocolate martini" on a menu, I'll often launch into a (ok, yeah, obnoxious) tirade against hiding the taste of liquor in co*cktails and serving 1,500-calorie, alcoholic sugar bombs topped with whipped cream. Then, once I stop emitting sparks, I'll order one anyway. I love a spiked chocolate milkshake like it's family.
But it wasn't until I started experimenting with cacao nib infusions that I understood the co*cktail possibilities of a chocolate liqueur, or creme de cacao. Cacao nibs are pieces of cacao beans that have been roasted, so they're basically like unsweetened chocolate before it's made into chocolate. Delicately sweet with a hint of bitterness, a homemade chocolate liqueur made with cacao nibs is like an expensive dark chocolate bar in my drink instead of a jigger of Nestle Quik.
What's Available to Buy
Godiva is the chocolate liqueur authority—they have dark, milk, and white chocolate flavors along with caramel and mocha. Their dark chocolate version is the most flexible for mixing and, when used judiciously, works well in dry, spirit-forward co*cktails as well as more sugary creations. The rest of Godiva's liqueurs, while delicious, are exclusively for dessert drinks, in my opinion.
Mozart Black Chocolate has a higher cacao content for more of a bitter chocolate bite. It also performs like a champ in dry and sweet drinks, but those who don't like super dark chocolate won't be a fan and will probably like the original formulation better.
Bols, Hiram Walker, Marie Brizard, and DeKuyper all make creme de cacao, which is essentially also chocolate liqueur. They're a little easier to find than the Godiva and Mozart, and are available in both dark and white versions. What's the difference between dark and white creme de cacao? Just the color—dark is brown; white is clear. White creme de cacao comes in handy when adding brown to your drink would make it look unappetizing.
Why DIY?
Store-bought chocolate liqueurs can be hit-or-miss in flavor, and the nicer ones can end up putting a dent in your budget. But the real reason to make your own is that you can customize it.
When you buy a chocolate bar, you can choose the experience you'll have. Is today an 80% cacao Madagascar dark chocolate day, or are you craving a Hershey's milk chocolate bar? You can do the same thing with your DIY chocolate liqueur by deciding how much sugar you want to add to your infusion. I like to add vanilla, but you could go with a cinnamon stick or some almond extract. Maybe get a little creative and try some lavender or chiles?
You can also play around with the spirit base. Instead of the neutral vodka, you could go all out with a whiskey or rum. In my book, I even did a quick infusion of coconut rum and cacao nibs (hold the sugar) for an easy chocolate-coconut liqueur. If you love chocolate, you'll never get tired of playing with flavors for chocolate liqueur.
You'll often see recipes for creme de cacao that call for cocoa powder. These make a liqueur that tastes good if you drink it right away, but it turns nasty when stored and doesn't mix particularly well. So cacao nibs are worth the extra effort and wait.
Use It!
You can enjoy your new creation without getting too complicated. Just shake half an ounce of your chocolate liqueur with ice and 2 1/2 ounces of vodka or rum. Strain into a co*cktail glass and enjoy! It's also nice mixed with bourbon, garnished with a maraschino cherry and perhaps a splash of the juice from the jar.
For a more complex drink, try theAverna Buena, which combines tequila, amaro, and chocolate in a sophisticated way.
You can even make an (almost) totally DIY Grasshopper using your chocolate liqueur andhomemade creme de menthealong with some cream. The recipe's easy: just add one ounce of each element to a co*cktail shaker full of ice, shake, strain, and serve.
Chocolate liqueur is also dessert magic: pour it on top of ice cream or cake and you'll see.
January 2012
Recipe Details
DIY Chocolate Liqueur Recipe
Active10 mins
Total216 hrs 10 mins
Combine cacao nibs and vodka in a sealable glass jar. Shake and then let steep for 8 days.
After initial steeping period, bring sugar and water to a boil. Let syrup cool, then add to jar along with vanilla extract. Let steep for an additional day.
Strain out nibs through a sieve and then filter through coffee filter into bottle or jar you'll use for storage.
Special Equipment
Coffee filter, fine-mesh sieve
Notes
Cacao nibs are pieces of cacao beans that have been roasted. Many grocery and health-food stores carry them, but if yours doesn't, you can order them from a variety of online sources.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Refrigeration isn't necessary; the liqueur should keep for about two months.
Read More
- Averna Buena Recipe
- Chocolate Mint Julep co*cktail Recipe
- DIY Creme de Menthe Recipe
- What to Do With Cocoa Nibs
FAQs
A basic modern recipe for making chocolate liqueur at home lists the ingredients chocolate extract, vanilla extract, vodka, and simple syrup. To keep the chocolate extract in suspension and make the liqueur thicker, glycerine may be added. In its purest form, chocolate liqueur is clear; coloring may be added.
How do they make chocolate liquor? ›
It is produced from cocoa bean nibs that have been fermented, dried, roasted, and separated from their skins. The nibs are ground into a paste which is melted to become the liquor, and the liquor is either separated into cocoa solids and cocoa butter, or cooled and molded into blocks of raw chocolate.
What is the difference between chocolate liquor and chocolate liqueur? ›
Chocolate liquor: Thick paste-like mass made of pure cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Made from cocoa beans. Doesn't contain alcohol. Chocolate liqueur: Beverage made from a base liquor like whiskey or vodka (containing alcohol) to which chocolate is added.
What can I use in place of chocolate liqueur? ›
Crème de cacao and chocolate liqueur are often used interchangeably in culinary and bartending contexts due to their similar flavor profiles that hinge on the rich and indulgent notes of chocolate.
What is Godiva chocolate liqueur made of? ›
Likely, it's a neutral grain spirit (similar to vodka) because the alcohol taste is very subtle. Obviously, Godiva chocolate is a key ingredient, and the milk and white chocolate liqueurs contain some dairy products. According to a company representative in 2021, only Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur is dairy-free.
What is the difference between creme de cacao and chocolate liqueur? ›
In terms of the most typical, functional usages of these two terms, crème de cacao is more commonly used to describe clear or clarified spirits, which are more often (though not exclusively) used in co*cktails, whereas chocolate liqueur typically describes a thicker elixir of spirits and chocolate blended together that ...
What type of chocolate is in chocolate liquor? ›
Chocolate liquor is a paste produced from ground cocoa nibs from the beans of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao). When cooled and solidified, it is used to make chocolate for baking, confections and other applications. It's composed of a combination of cocoa solids and cocoa butter, typically at a 50:50 ratio.
Is chocolate made by mixing sugar with chocolate liquor? ›
Chocolate is obtained from nonalkalinized cocoa liquor mixed with sucrose, cocoa butter, emulsifying agents (lecithins), flavoring compounds (vanillin), and eventually other ingredients (milk, hazelnuts, almonds, etc.).
Is there any alcohol in chocolate liquor? ›
Chocolate liquor is one of the key ingredients in any bar of chocolate. It's made from the nibs of cocoa beans, and contrary to what the name suggests, it doesn't contain any alcohol. Despite the misnomer, chocolate liquor helps give chocolate its distinctive taste and texture.
Do you need to refrigerate chocolate liqueur? ›
Storing Your Chocolate Liqueur
When it comes to chocolate liqueur, some recipes recommend you refrigerate your liquid with the goal of preserving quality, but it can also be simply based on a preference for enjoying the drink chilled.
Rich, luxurious, Baileys chocolate liqueur. Crammed with Irish dairy cream, fine spirits including smooth Irish whiskey, tasty Belgian chocolate flavour and other ingredients and flavours. Baileys Chocolat Luxe is a bottle of grown-up chocolate loveliness.
What alcohol is in Godiva chocolate liqueur? ›
According to The Spruce Eats, it is assumed that it is most likely produced from a mild vodka-like spirit made from grain that lacks a bold or sharp taste. And, because Godiva uses high-quality ingredients to craft their chocolates, this makes their liqueur equally smooth — almost silky — with a resting ABV of 15%.
Why can't I buy Godiva chocolate liqueur? ›
It was a bit of a surprise when we found out that Godiva was discontinuing its line of chocolate liqueurs. Bartenders and home mixologists relied on the line for many chocolate-flavored co*cktails, but there are substitutes available. Bremer's carries both chocolate cream liqueurs and creme de cacaos.
Why is Godiva discontinued? ›
The company cited a decline in foot traffic and “the pandemic and its acceleration of changes in consumers' shopping behavior” for the decision, with close set to close in March.
Is unsweetened chocolate the same as chocolate liqueur? ›
According to U.S. regulations, chocolate liquor may also be called chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, baking chocolate, or bitter chocolate. An essential part of dark and milk chocolate, this ingredient with the many names does not contain alcohol, or vegetable fat.
What kind of alcohol is chocolate liquor? ›
Despite the name, chocolate liquor has nothing to do with alcohol. After roasting and hulling the cacao bean, the resulting nibs of the beans are ground into a dark paste called chocolate liquor. This is the base for all chocolate. Different chocolates contain different percentages of chocolate liquor.
Does chocolate liqueur have milk in it? ›
It also refers to liqueurs which are a type of sweet liquor containing chocolate (dark, milk, or white) and has sugar and other ingredients like milk, cinnamon, cream, vanilla… added to it.
Is chocolate liquor unhealthy? ›
It's important to note that while chocolate liquor offers potential health advantages, it should be consumed in moderation due to its high calorie and fat content. Opting for products with higher cocoa content and minimal added sugars is recommended to maximize potential health benefits.
Is there milk in chocolate liqueur? ›
Typically, this type of dense, creamy liqueurs contain milk, but this recipe doesn't and is very easy to make, provided that you can buy grain alcohol where you live.
