A homemade Kahlúa — the classic coffee liqueur — made with instant coffee, sugar, vodka, and a whole vanilla bean steeped right in the bottle. Marie Richter’s recipe is simple and straightforward: dissolve, cool, add vodka, seal, and wait three weeks. The result is rich, sweet, and deeply flavored. Use it in cocktails, over ice cream, or anywhere you’d use the store-bought version.
Ingredients
2 oz. instant coffee
4 c sugar
2 c boiling water
1 pint vodka
1 vanilla bean
Instructions
Pour boiling water over instant coffee.
Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
Add the vanilla bean.
Let cool completely.
Add the vodka and stir to combine.
Seal in a bottle or jar.
Let rest for 3 weeks before using.
Store at room temperature.
Be patient: Three weeks makes a real difference — the vanilla bean infuses deeply into the liqueur. It’s worth the wait.
From Marie Richter — a friend of the family whose recipe has been kept in the collection.
