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If there’s one thing that gets plenty of use in our house, it’s Amaretto. Not only is it a key ingredient in one of my favourite cocktails, the Godfather, but it’s also one of my father-in-law’s favourite spirits so learning how to make it at home was something I was very keen on trying. This recipe is the culmination of a few attempts and I feel like I nailed it so hopefully you try it and feel the same!
What I didn’t realize was how easy it really is to make homemade Amaretto. Now that I’ve got it down pat, it’s pretty unlikely I’ll buy a bottle any time in the near future.
What is Amaretto?
Amaretto, which stands for “a little bitter” is a sweet-tasting Italian liqueur. It tastes like almonds and vanilla which happen to be two key ingredients in making homemade Amaretto.
How to Make Homemade Amaretto
Time needed: 2 hours and 15 minutes
The preparation time needed for this is quite short, you can complete the amaretto in about 15 minutes or so. The remaining 2 hours in the recipe are for allowing the spirit to cool. Ideally, you’d want to leave it for a day or two but the bare minimum is 2 hours.
- Add water and sugar to pot.
Add the water and sugars to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to ensure everything dissolves properly. Once it’s done, remove from heat and set aside.
- Add vanilla, almond extract and vodka.
Add the vanilla extract, almond extract and vodka to the pot and stir.
- Cool in the fridge.
Transfer to an air tight container or bottle and place in the fridge to cool. This can take as little as 2 hours or as long as you like. Ideally, overnight is best.
- Pour and enjoy.
Now give it a try and rate this recipe 5 stars because it’s so delicious! 😉
How long does Homemade Amaretto last?
Homemade Amaretto is a spirit so it can last quite a while as the vodka will keep it from spoiling. Ideally, around a month or so is best. You don’t need to worry about keeping it in the fridge past the initial cooling stage, just store it with the rest of your spirits and it will be fine. The key is ensuring that the container you keep it in is air-tight.
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Homemade Amaretto
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 minutes
- Course
- Spirit
- Cuisine
- Italian
- Servings
- 1 bottle
- Calories
- 2399
- Author
- Karlynn Johnston
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 cups vodka
- 2 tablespoons almond extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of water to a pot and bring to a boil. Stir occassionally until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Once it's cooled a bit, add vanilla extract, almond extract and vodka.
- Let cool fully then transfer into an air-tight bottle or container and place it in the fridge.
- Leave for 2 hours to overnight and then enjoy.
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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Please rate this recipe in the comments below to help out your fellow cooks!
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Mai says
Yum, yum…. I used Stevia for the white sugar.
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
Awesome! That works well too. Glad you like it!
Donna says
Wonderful and sooo delish!!
Mary L Johnson says
? How would on make this recipe Non-Alcholic?
TU!
Mike Johnston says
Hmm good question. Theoretically you could use water instead of vodka and it would work but I make no guarantee on how good it tastes.
Ann Caffrey says
Have made the Amaretto and it was a success, thank you for the recipe.
Mike Johnston says
No prob, glad it worked out!
Charlotte says
Can I use lakanto monk fruit sweetner
Mike Johnston says
Yes you can, and I’ve done this myself with a different low carb sweetener. The only thing that will happen is it will crystallize at the bottom. It doesn’t effect the taste much but just expect that. You can always make a small low carb batch instead and enjoy it before it crystallizes. We did!
Andrea says
If this is not all used in one sitting how long does it last and does it need to stay in the fridge?
Mike Johnston says
It’s alcohol so it’s good for months. It does not need to be refrigerated
Beverley says
I’m having difficulties printing the recipe as well.
Karen says
Thank you for the recipe Can’t wait to try! Although I have to wait a few months, because my own vanilla and almond extracts are still in the “brewing” stage.
Annette says
Could not jump to the recipe and print it. All 16 pages printed. 🙁
Some kind of a glick???
I love your recipes.
Thanks for sharing them.
Mike Johnston says
I think it must have been. Let me know if it happens on any other recipes and thanks for the kind words!
Barbara Karr says
Okay, Mr. Magpie! Amaretto is my favorite nightcap. So I’m gonna trust you on this. My hope is this is not going to be super sweet. Some of the commercial brands are just like drinking syrup.
Mike Johnston says
Honestly I found it to be nice and smooth but you can scale the sugar to reduce the sweetness so feel free to adjust.
Candy L Hamilton says
Thank you so much i love your recipes
Mike Johnston says
No worries thank you!