- January 15, 2021
- Cocktails
How To Make Homemade Keto Kahlua
This easy to make, homemade keto coffee liqueur recipe is the perfect copycat Kahlua syrup. Mix it into your favorite Kahlua based cocktails for a sugar free low carb keto riff on this classic mixer.
I’ve spent the last few years working to recreate popular cocktail mixers to be sugar free or low carb and keto friendly. Mixers are often the biggest culprit in why cocktails have more pesky carbs, you can read more about that in my guide on How To Drink Alcohol on a Keto Diet.
Other great mixers are my super popular (and bar staple) Keto Simple Syrup recipe and my Keto Grenadine. While I love these recipes, I really wanted to try and recreate a sugar free coffee liqueur in the form of a low carb Kahlua.
Now, traditional Kahlua is a sweet coffee and alcohol infused liqueur that’s commonly seen in recipes like a classic White Russian (or my keto pumpkin spiced white Russian) and can be used in so many ways. It does contain a base spirit alcohol (like vodka) in the coffee syrup but you could easily modify this recipe to make homemade sugar free coffee syrup recipes instead to flavor your favorite morning brew!
With a handful of ingredients, a few helpful tips for which ingredients work best, cooking tips, and storage ideas, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to add this mixer to your bars stock! Grab all the details below, let’s dive in!
Supplies Needed
- Measuring Cups/ Spoons
- Small Pot
- Whisk
- Jars for Storage
Keto Kahlua Recipe Ingredients:
Brewed Coffee – For this, you can use standard drip coffee. I sometimes have leftover coffee left in my coffee pot pitcher and will save it for iced coffee. Leftovers are perfect for reusing in this recipe. You can also use freshly brewed or even instant coffee. I suggest using a coffee you enjoy for this, however, because it’s the main flavor of the homemade coffee syrup.
Some recipes for homemade Kahlua call for adding a cup of water to the sugar when you create the simple syrup. I don’t personally do this, because the coffee is enough liquid and prevents it from watering down the liqueur.
Allulose Sweetener – Allulose has been my go-to for all my keto cocktail mixers. Why? Because it works great for making authentic tasting flavored syrups and doesn’t recrystallize or have a funky aftertaste to it once it cools (I find this is the case with other low carb sweeteners). I purchase mine in bulk or some brands can now be found at retailers like Target.
Can you use other sweeteners? Yes, but note you may not get the same outcome as I do here and it could be gritty and somewhat unpleasant. If you use erythritol or monk fruit, do not boil but just shake it all together with standard hot coffee in a jar to dissolve instead.
Vanilla Bean or Vanilla Extract – Use a good store bought vanilla of your choice. Traditional Kahlua is made with with a bean and aged. I don’t typically opt for this method because it’s more expensive for one and also takes more time. Save that for making a creamer or vanilla syrup if you prefer, but a simple extract here works just fine to help amplify the coffee notes!
Vodka – Now, if you prefer to just make a coffee syrup you can omit the vodka. However, this is a coffee liqueur so I add a few cups of a somewhat cheaper vodka. Put more into the quality of your coffee for this and go cheaper on the vodka (my humble opinion). The vodka will also act as a preservative and make this shelf stable.
Cooking Method:
If you have ever made any type of flavored syrup, then you know it’s just all the ingredients mixed and heated in a pot. SO EASY! I follow this method for making all my flavored syrup mixers.
Combine the coffee of your choice in a small pot and heat over medium low heat. Once the mixture starts to get hot (or maybe it already is) you can add in your allulose sweetener. Whisk it all until it dissolves.
Let it cook until it hits a light simmer and then remove it from the heat to cool a bit. After 10 minutes or so of cooling, mix in your vanilla extract (or the paste from a vanilla bean). Let the coffee syrup cool completely to room temperature before adding the vodka.
In the same pot, I pour a few cups of the vodka in and then quickly mix with a whisk. You can then pour it into a glass jar with a lid and store it on your bar, in the fridge, or on your counter just fine!
What Can I Use Keto Kahlua In?
Here are a few fun ideas –
- Sip on it as is over ice with a splash of cream.
- Add it to a special morning cup of coffee to sweeten it and add a little booze.
- Mix it with my Keto Irish Coffee Martini
- Make a White Russian with this as a replacement or try my Keto Pumpkin Spice Syrup with and this Kahlua for a low carb Pumpkin White Russian
- Mix into these Keto Irish Cream Brownies or into my Keto Marble Pound Cake for a coffee liqueur flavor instead.
Full recipe ingredients below with directions and nutritional information.
How To Make Homemade Keto Kahlua
Ingredients
- 2 cups Strong Brewed Coffee
- [1 1/2 cups Allulose Sweetener]
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract or Paste from One Bean
- 2 cups Vodka
Instructions
- In a pot, bring coffee up to a slow simmer on medium low heat. Add the allulose sweetener and whisk it in until dissolved. Let it come back up to a slow simmer and then remove from the heat. This takes about 5 minutes.
- Let it cool 10-15 minutes then whisk in the vanilla. Let it cool another 30 minutes and whisk in the vodka.
- Once cool, add the mixture to a jar or container to store it. Serve over ice for sipping or use as a cocktail mixer.
How long does it stay good and how should it be stored?
Hi Jenna,
This will keep for several months if you keep it stored in the fridge.
Enjoy!
Hi, under ‘Nutrition,’ you list a serving as 1g. Do you mean 1 fl. oz.?
Yes, that’s correct.
Will you clarify the nutritional info? Is it only 1 gram. That isn’t even a tea spoon. I think. Thank you
Hi Tina! Thanks for letting me know. This is an older recipe and sometimes the conversions to my new site don’t transfer. The calculation is updated for a standard shot (3 tbsp).