Looking what to mix with coffee liqueur? Here, we feature eight delicious suggestions for what to mix with coffee liqueur.
If you’re like most adults, you associate the aroma and flavor of freshly brewed coffee with morning activities, whether you’re grabbing it on the go from a corner coffee shop on the way to work or savoring it in a sun-splashed breakfast nook at home. After all, coffee has a long history.
However, coffee also has a flip side that pairs well with the hours after the sun sinks below the horizon. Coffee liqueur provides a rich, nuanced flavor profile that lends itself to a variety of sophisticated adult libations. Coffee liqueur is versatile and works well in a wide range of cocktails.
Following are eight cocktail recipes on what to mix with coffee liqueur to provide you with inspiration.
1. Espresso Martini
The black tuxedo of coffee cocktails, this darkly elegant and very grown-up version of the classic martini only requires two ingredients, a cocktail shaker, and a martini glass or two. Simply combine equal parts of Kahlua or Tia Maria, top-shelf vodka, and crushed ice in a shaker, use a gentle touch when shaking, and pour into pre-chilled martini glasses. Savor them plain or dress them up with a drizzle of cinnamon simple syrup.
2. Carrot Cake Cocktail
When the occasion calls for creative cocktails on the sweet side of the street, the Carrot Cake Cocktail never fails to satisfy. Combine your favorite coffee liqueur with Butterscotch Schnapps and Irish Cream, blend gently, and pour into oversized shot glasses.
Although this cocktail contains no trace of anything resembling a carrot, it uncannily tastes like a liquid version of carrot cake. To complete the experience, rim the glass with creamed cheese frosting and a sprinkling of crushed walnuts. You can even add a tiny scoop of ice cream for an extra-festive accent.
3. Bahama Mama
Dark and delicious coffee liqueur isn’t usually considered as a pairing partner for light and sunny tropical flavors, but there’s something about coffee, pineapple, and coconut that goes together like beaches and bonfires.
After all, coffee is produced from tropical plants, so the pairing isn’t all that far-fetched. Add a bit of dark island rum to the mix, garnish with an orange peel, and plop in a paper umbrella for ambiance, and you’ve got a beach cabana in your own backyard.
4. Velvet Hammer
Conjuring up a Velvet Hammer involves a few more steps and requires a bit more skill than building the average libation, but once you taste one, you’ll understand why the fuss is necessary. Although crafting a perfect Velvet Hammer requires five separate ingredients and a cocktail shaker. It’s the combination of coffee liqueur and orange liqueur that really makes the magic.
Mix equal parts of creme de cacao, the coffee liqueur of your choice, cognac, and your favorite orange liqueur with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake it up gently before pouring over cubed ice in an old-fashioned glass and topping to taste with heavy cream. Garnish with chocolate bitters for a decadent grand finale.
5. Dark Moon
Another somewhat complicated cocktail perfect for lazy Sunday brunches or sipping on the veranda at the end of a busy day, the Dark Moon requires cold brew coffee, dark spiced rum, coffee liqueur, Coca-Cola, and heavy cream.
Mix the coffee, rum, coffee liqueur, and Coca-Cola in a pitcher and stir until well-blended. Serve in rocks glasses with a final splash of heavy cream to taste. You can also heat the mixture to keep you cozy on cold winter nights.
6. Black Russian
The Black Russian is a classic coffee liqueur cocktail that’s simple and quick to fix, making it ideal for spontaneous celebrations or spur-of-the-moment just because it’s Tuesday treats. All you need is a coffee liqueur, vodka, and ice. Add ice first, follow with coffee liqueur, and top it off with your favorite vodka.
This is where you can have a lot of fun playing with personal preferences and palates — vodka comes in so many flavors that you’re sure to find your individual sweet spot with enough experimentation. Add heavy cream to taste, and the drink is now a White Russian.
7. Grownup Cherry Coke
For a trip back in time to an old-school soda fountain with an adult twist, start by filling a chilled cocktail glass with ice cubes. Add equal parts of cherry liqueur and coffee liqueur before topping it off with cherry cola. For a finishing touch add — you guessed it — a cocktail skewer of two or three Maraschino cocktail cherries.
8. Dark, Sweet, and Stormy
The national adult beverage of Bermuda is called Dark and Stormy, which is a mixture of ginger beer and dark rum, and this variation provides a delicious dimension with the addition of coffee liqueur. Fill a highball glass with ice cubes, add the rum and coffee liqueur, fill the rest of the glass with ginger beer, and round it out with a fresh lime wheel as a garnish.
FAQs About What To Mix With Coffee Liqueur
What do you mix with Kahlua?
Kahlua lovers have a lot of mixing options available. Like all coffee products, it mixes well with dairy-based liquids such as milk, cream, and ice cream, but it also pairs surprisingly well with tropical fruit juices.
What to mix with coffee patron?
A coffee patron can be used in the same way as Kahlua, but its most popular use is as an ingredient in Mexican coffee. Simply add it to your favorite kind of coffee and add a sprinkle of chocolate bitters topped off with whipped cream.
