Here's a Chocolate Liqueur Recipe from Italy that you'll love! Pour this chocolate alcohol over cheesecake or ice cream, add it to your coffee or drink it straight! This homemade liqueur makes the perfect gift!
Just in time for the holidays, I give you homemade chocolate liqueur. To pour over your cheesecake, ice cream, homemade waffles or strawberries. To drizzle into your coffee, hot cocoa or shot glass.
Can I get an Amen?
This recipe is straight from Italy, my friends. It's a chocolate lover's dream, turning plain anything into a special treat with a little somethin' somethin' to warm you up.
We enjoy this every time we go to Connecticut to visit my in-laws. All of us, even the kids (the big ones), giddily pour it on our dessert every night.
It's a great way to cap off a delicious meal. Who cares if it takes us a little longer to get up and do the dishes?
This chocolate cello would make a great host/hostess gift or present for Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years...oooh, and Valentine's Day is not far away. But anyone who loves chocolate and alcohol would enjoy this all year.
What's chocolate liqueur?
It's heaven in a bottle, Baby. Seriously, it's a sweetened, chocolate-flavored alcoholic beverage that has a rich consistency. Think of it as chocolate sauce for adults.
This chocolate liqueur recipe calls for just five ingredients:
- granulated sugar
- unsweetened cocoa
- whole milk
- grain alcohol (we use Everclear 151)
- vanilla extract
This yields about 12.5 cups of liqueur (100 servings), so don't be alarmed about the quantity of sugar. The drink will be pleasantly sweet, but you'll mostly taste chocolate with alcohol.
What can you substitute for Everclear?
For homemade chocolate liqueur, it's important to use a clear, unflavored, grain alcohol with a high alcohol content (proof). If you can't find Everclear 151, use plain, 100-proof vodka.
Liquor vs. liqueur
Liquor usually refers to a distilled alcohol without any flavoring. Think vodka, whiskey or rum.
Once that base alcohol is mixed with sugar and strong flavoring, it becomes liqueur. Liqueur is usually enjoyed after dinner with dessert.
It's important to note that chocolate liquor actually contains no alcohol. Chocolate liquor is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) term used in chocolate manufacturing. It refers to the pure cocoa mass produced from finely grinding cacao nibs.
How to make chocolate liqueur
- Whisk cocoa and sugar in a large pot.
- Gradually whisk in whole milk.
- Stir constantly over medium heat. Chocolate foam will form on the surface.
- Continue stirring until the foam disappears. The consistency will be thick like pudding that hasn't set.
- Let the chocolate mixture cool, then refrigerate it for 12 hours before stirring in the vanilla. Wait an hour, then stir in the alcohol.
Your chocolate liqueur will be ready to transfer to bottles!
Bottles & equipment needed
Here are the types of items you'll need to make this recipe. All of these are affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Storage
This chocolate liqueur contains milk and will need to be stored in closed bottles or jars in the refrigerator or freezer. It can stay in the refrigerator for up to six months.
For longer storage, you can freeze the chocolate liqueur and thaw it in the refrigerator when you're ready to enjoy it. In any case, shake the bottle before pouring.
Final thoughts
This is a great recipe to start in the evening, so you can let the chocolate mixture chill overnight. Then you can finish making it the next day.
This really is the best chocolate liqueur, whether you want to use it as a cheesecake topping, drizzle it over easy fried ice cream or sip it in a stemmed glass! I hope you love it as much as we do.
Salute!
More drinks recipes
If you're looking for other holiday drinks, try Coquito or Cherry Amaretto Sour. You also might enjoy my hubby's Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe and his Lemonade Moonshine Drink, both made with Everclear.
And don't miss this iced tea cocktail!
Enjoy!
(Recipe Source: My sister-in-law Flora, who got it from her sister Maria in Italy. Originally published on December 18, 2014 and updated now with new photos and text.)
Amazing Chocolate Liqueur Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Liqueur
- 3 ¼ pounds granulated sugar (7 ⅓ cups)
- 10 ½ ounces unsweetened cocoa powder (3 ½ cups; see notes)
- ½ gallon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 17 ounces grain alcohol (such as Everclear 151 proof)
Equipment
- 6-quart pot
- whisk
- funnel
- ladle
- glass bottles (12 (8.5 -oz) or 6 (16-oz)
Instructions
- In a tall pot, combine the cocoa and sugar with a whisk. Add milk a little at a time, stirring as you go.
- Place the pot over medium heat on the stove, stirring constantly. After a few minutes, foam will form on the surface. (If you still don't see foam, increase the heat a bit.)
- Continue stirring constantly until the foam disappears. It will take about 25-30 minutes from the time you first placed the pot on the stove. (If the foam hasn't disappeared completely after 30 minutes, you can use a slotted spoon to scrape off the foam and discard it.) The mixture will look like chocolate pudding that hasn't set.
- Turn off the heat and set the pot on a different burner to cool for 30-60 minutes before placing it, covered, in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
- After the chocolate mixture has chilled, stir in the vanilla. Then, after one hour (the pot can stay out during that time) stir in the alcohol.
- Have your clean glass bottles next to the pot. To fill each bottle, place a funnel in it and ladle in enough liqueur to fill it almost to the top. Cap or cork your bottles and store them in the refrigerator for up to six months or in the freezer for longer. Thaw frozen liqueur in the refrigerator.
- To serve, shake the bottle first and then pour in your glass, coffee, or over your dessert.
Notes
- If you can't find Everclear, substitute 100-proof vodka.
- This recipe works best when the dry ingredients are weighed for accuracy.
- Dry ingredients like cocoa are measured by weight, and this ingredient has a different conversion rate to cups. 10 ½ ounces of cocoa equals 3 ½ cups. If you don't have a kitchen scale, don't pack the cocoa into the cups. Instead, lightly spoon the cocoa into the cups.
Gt says
I don't like milk chocolate. How can this be adjusted to not have milk in it?
Mamma C says
Gt, I've never tried it any other way, so I have no idea. Any other liquid would probably change the flavor.
Gt says
Thankyou anyway. 🙂
Mamma C says
You're welcome! 🙂
Jill says
Hi! We go to a local Italian restaurant where the owner makes something just like this and serves it at the end of the meal. His version is very chocolaty but not overly sweet. How sweet is this version? Do you think I can cut down some on the sugar?
Thanks!
Mamma C says
Hi Jill, I appreciate your question, because I can't stand overly sweet desserts myself. I will tell you that this liqueur is very chocolaty but not overly sweet. If you want, you could try halving the entire recipe to see if you like the ratio of sugar here before making a large quantity. Let me know if you try it.
Jen @ Baked by an Introvert says
Oh wow! This sounds wonderful!
Mamma C says
It definitely makes me smile, Jen! 🙂
Tekesha says
Everclear! Woooo, man. I don't think I've bought a bottle of that since college days. Ha ha! Will have to send the husband into the store for that one, but this sauce looks sooooo worth it!
Mamma C says
Me too! We used to have to cross the state border to get it, lol! You should have seen me at the liquor store last week, awkwardly asking for the Everclear in the middle of the afternoon. It's so worth it though! Hahaha!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I LOVE chocolate liqueur.. never thought it was possible to make it myself before though. This is definitely something I need to try!
Mamma C says
It's surprisingly simple, Thalia. I hope you enjoy it!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
OH yeah! I totally need to try this! Looks delish - pinned!
Mamma C says
I hope you love it, Rachel. Thanks!
Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says
Greetings Andrea, just in case I do not communicate with you in the next (week) A Merry Christmas to you All! Cheryl
Mamma C says
Merry Christmas, Cheryl! Thanks so much for your thoughtfulness.
Annie @ ciaochowbambina says
AMEN!! Are you kidding me?! Yes, my voice went up a couple octaves! This is beyond treat! I can't handle that first picture! This will be a fun one to try, Andrea...I'm loving your idea for Valentine's Day! Brava!!
Mamma C says
Hahaha, Annie, I know! We've been dying over this for the past few years, and I'm so glad I finally made it. Thank you, and enjoy!
Adri says
This sounds wonderful!
Mamma C says
Thanks, Adri! We love it. 🙂
Tammy Renea says
Oh yeah, I'm doing this!
Mamma C says
Go for it, Tammy!
Anne says
Hi I am in Australia and wanting to make for a gift. Can you tell me what alcohol I use ie vodka Bacardi I asked at the bottle shop and they weren't sure . Many thanks
Mamma C says
Anne, I consulted with my hubby, who is the liquor expert around here. He says to get a clear, unflavored, grain alcohol with the highest alcohol content you can find. He thinks 100-proof vodka would work. (Don't use rum.) I hope that helps!
Anne says
Thanks so much... Can you also tell me what type of sugar is granulated sugar please? My daughter purchased the ingredients for me and was told by the shop assistant that white sugar is called granulated in the US. Is that correct? Anne
Mamma C says
Anne, yes, white sugar is granulated.
Elaine Boatright says
can you use cream instead of milk?
Mamma C says
Elaine, we've never tried it with cream, and we're not sure it would turn out well, since the cream might reduce and thicken too much. If you want to experiment, maybe try it with a small batch. Let me know if you do!