3 Flavored Liqueurs You Should Be Making Instead of Buying

A few months ago, my friend Sarah appeared at a party bearing homemade liqueurs—amaretto, hazelnut (e.g. Frangelico), and vanilla liqueurs, to be exact. Her cool factor, which was already quite high, jumped up a few more notches—as did the overall energy of the party. (And that's why we call her 'Game Time.')

Anyhow, I was shocked to discover that the homemade liqueurs actually tasted better than the store-bought equivalents! In the name of science, I set out to recreate the results.

The methodology is simple enough to follow, and the three recipes all call for similar ingredients, as you will see. You can make one or all three of these liqueurs. I recommend making a variety, but the choice is yours!

Ingredients for Homemade Liqueurs

Amaretto Liqueur:

• ½ cup vodka
• ½ cup brandy
• ¼ cup chopped almonds
• 2 tablespoons dried cherries
• 4 to 5 dried apricots (chopped)
• 2 to 4 Tbsp. simple syrup

Hazelnut Liqueur:

• ½ cup vodka
• ½ cup brandy
• ¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
• ½ of a vanilla bean
• 2 to 4 Tbsp. simple syrup

Vanilla Liqueur:

• ½ cup vodka
• ½ cup brandy
• ¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
• 2 vanilla beans
• 2 to 4 Tbsp. simple syrup

Directions

1. In a clean jar, combine the ingredients for each liqueur. (Each liqueur gets its own jar.) The amount of simple syrup will depend on how sweet you like your liqueurs, and you can add more later if need be.
2. In a cool, dark area, allow the liqueurs to sit for 3-4 weeks, depending on how strong you would like your flavors to be. Be sure to stir the jars periodically to prevent debris from collecting.

3. Strain through a coffee filter.
4. Finish with more simple syrup, if it's not sweet enough for you.
5. Save for up to 2 months!

The Gift of Spirits

It's a little magical to create something that seems complicated at home; you feel like a wizard or a witch when you conjure up something you've only ever seen professionals make. If you want to really feel like a conjurer of 'spirits', you can gift these liqueurs in miniature bottles, to your friends and family! You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't appreciate the gift of alcohol, after all.

More Liquored-Up Hacks:

• Quintuple Your Alcohol Options with These Easy Infusions
• How to Make Instant 'Aged' Bourbon Out of the Cheap Stuff
• How Skittles Shots Changed the Way I Think About Alcohol
• The Perfect Formula for Making Any Cocktail
• How to Make Crappy Cheap Vodka Taste Like the Good Stuff
• Why Cachaça, Pisco, & Aguardiente Are Musts for Your Liquor Cabinet
• How to Make Irresistible Bacon Booze

Photos by Taylor Friedlander/Food Hacks