Coffee liqueur is having a shining moment in the current cocktail renaissance. Having grown in continued growth in popularity over the years, it's rightfully found its place among brunch cocktails, after-dinner drinks and nightcaps, and all of the sips in between. If you're not yet familiar with Kahlúa, Michelle Sanders, the senior brand manager for Kahlúa at Pernod Ricard USA, has recipes, advice, and incredible expertise and tips about this liqueur.
Kahlúa Espresso Martini
The flavored coffee liqueur elevates this beautiful classic to a new classic.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces French Vanilla Kahlúa
- 1 ounce vodka
- 1 ounce chilled coffee or espresso
- Ice
- Whole coffee beans for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, French Vanilla Kahlua, vodka, and chilled coffee.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with three whole coffee beans.
Kahlúa Iced Coffee
This is the perfect recipe for when you want your iced coffee to have a little extra flavor without diluting the coffee notes.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces salted caramel Kahlúa
- 4 ounces iced coffee
- 1-2 ounces milk or cream, to taste
- Ice
- Whipped cream garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, salted caramel Kahlúa, and milk.
- Stir to mix.
- If desired, garnish with whipped cream.
Kahlúa Coffee
A traditional Irish coffee but richer, who knew it could be improved?
Ingredients
- 2 ounces blonde roast Kahlúa
- 4 ounces freshly brewed coffee
- Hot water
- Whipped cream and whole coffee beans for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In mug, add blonde roast Kahlúa and coffee.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with whipped cream and three whole coffee beans.
Iced Kahlúa
The simplest of Kahlúa recipes, you can also add a flavored vodka to dress this easy recipe up further.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces Kahlúa Especial
- Ice
- 2 dashes chocolate bitters
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, add ice, Kahlúa, and chocolate bitters.
- Stir to mix.
About Kahlúa
The most popular and well-known of the coffee liqueurs out there, Kahlúa is a must-have in the home bar. It's the backbone of any coffee drink without having to brew coffee or pull a cup of espresso. Michelle Sanders elaborates, "Kahlúa is a coffee liqueur made from the highest quality hand-picked 100 percent Arabica coffee beans. [They are] roasted to perfection and then blended with cane spirit and vanilla, creating a unique and delicious taste."
Diving In
You can enjoy it solo with some ice, or with a splash of cream, be it Irish or coffee. Kahlúa also offers a range of flavors, from sweet to spicy to savory. "In addition to classic Kahlúa, the portfolio includes French Vanilla, Mocha, and Hazelnut. We also have a higher proof, bolder-tasting variant, Kahlúa Especial, which is a favorite with mixologists," Sanders says. "For the holiday season, we will be introducing something very special, Limited Edition Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha. This is a luxurious balance of 100 percent Arabica coffee beans shade-grown in the Veracruz region of Mexico, combined with cool peppermint and the decadent taste of dark chocolate derived from the finest cocoa beans. It's perfect over ice, in hot coffee or -- my personal favorite way to enjoy it -- in hot cocoa with whipped cream and a peppermint stick."
And Finally, Enjoy!
With such a lineup of flavors, eleven in all, it's no wonder that Kahlúa can be used in so many ways, "It's delicious neat, but it can also be used as an ingredient in a wide variety of hot drinks and cold drinks. Adding the liqueur to hot or iced coffee still remains among the most popular ways for people to enjoy Kahlúa."
Coffee Is Life
If you love coffee, give Kahlúa drink recipes a try. As Michelle Sanders has shared, Kahlúa is an incredibly adaptable liqueur that can create a number of delicious drinks, no matter how hot or cold you'd like.
