How to make Crème de Cacao (Chocolate Liqueur) from the Cocktail Dudes

Though the perfect thing to sip on its own, this rich and delicious chocolate liqueur is an ingredient in many cocktails that we enjoy making. The high-proof spirit is necessary to most efficiently extract the deep chocolate flavor from the cacao nibs. The additional spices we add are there to give the liqueur depth. As with most homemade liqueurs, this tastes discombobulated immediately after mixing the infused spirit with the simple syrup. Taste is initially, of course, but know that it needs to sit for several hours so that the flavor and sweetness can meld. It will continue to deepen in flavor as it sits in your cocktail cabinet. Enjoy!

[@bonniebordahoffecker4390]

This is the best recipe I have used and I share your falernum recipe all of the time. Mine is 2 years old now and still looks great. Everclear makes for a long shelf life in the frig. Thank you.

[@eafarrar]

I've tried the recipe from Steve the Bartender here on TH-cam, which uses 100-proof vodka, and then I experimented with the recipe on the Everclear website. The former turned out great, while the latter was a total failure (the recipe being an absolute mess notwithstanding).
Do you guys think there are instances in which having more water content (i.e. lower proof) is a preferable base for some infusions? Are there compounds which are more water soluble than alcohol soluble?

[@johnroberts9178]

Demerara syrup is usually a 2:1 ratio sugar to water. Is that the ratio you used for the liqueur?

[@cocktaildudes]

Chief Justice Hi! In this recipe we use simple syrup (a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water). Rich Simple Syrup is 2 parts sugar dissolved into 1 part of near boiling water. Demerara Syrup refers to the type of sugar used, not typically the ratio. Cheers & Enjoy!! Jeff

[@duxbury2002]

Hi, how long will this last? Quite a while I guess? Thanks for the videos! Cheers!!

[@cocktaildudes]

Hey Phil,
I would anticipate it should last several months or more. The alcohol will act as a preservative. We store ours on the countertop and are careful to put it in a super-clean bottle (We wash and rinse ours in HOT water and then run the bottles through the dishwasher with out soap on the "sanitize" cycle).. The tiny vanilla seeds pass through the fine mesh sieve and settle to the bottle's bottom. You might wish to strain the infused vodka through a coffee filter if this annoys you. Cheers! Jeff & Phil

[@tomconnell1205]

cocktaildudes I noticed in many of your videos you emphasize washing your bottles using the dishwasher as a autoclave. May I suggest you try Star San. It is a food grade sanitizer used by home brewers and wine makers to keep our equipment, bottles, and kegs free of any organism we didn't deliberately introduce. Even though I also use my dishwasher I use it as a final step before bottling.

[@pulakbhatnagar]

Super helpful video, thanks!

[@demetriusnichols]

I would've most definitely tried it when I was alive.....

[@darymetal]

I don't understand what is officially "Creme de cacao". I've seen it everywhere in cocktails, and i still don't understand. Is it supposed to be creamy or not? If it's not, then why is it called creme and not liquor? I've also seen many recipe making chocolate cream with cocoa powder, milk and cream; which would definitely make it creamy, but is that what i need?

[@cocktaildudes]

Dapix When you see "Créme..." on a bottle it's a fancy way of saying "sweetened liquor "(or a "liqueur)". It's not cream like in dairy. So Créme de Cacao is a sweetened chocolate liquor. Créme de Peach (or peach liqueur) is a sweetened peach liquor. No actual cream is involved. Cheers!

[@cocktaildudes]

Hey Dapix, When you see "Créme..." on a bottle it's a fancy way of saying "sweetened liquor "(or a "liqueur)". It's not cream like in dairy. So Créme de Cacao is a sweetened chocolate liquor. Créme de Peach (or peach liqueur) is a sweetened peach liquor. No actual cream is involved. Cheers!

[@darymetal]

No way! Now, that's really misleading hahhaha. Thank you

[@chocolatechip8732]

can you use chocolate chips?

[@cocktaildudes]

Hey,
We have not tried making a liqueur with chocolate chips. My guess is that the wax component would cause issues with getting a rich chocolate flavor...? If you try it, be certain to let us know how things work out! Good Luck & Cheers!

[@oxstien123]

What's the shelf life

[@cocktaildudes]

Hey!
If you put it into a super-clean bottle and store it in the refrigerator it can keep 3-6 months. If it does turn bad, it will turn moldy. You can see that happening by noticing tiny feathery clumps floating in the liqueur.
Good Luck & Cheers!
Jeff

[@brotegla]

Is any alcohol lost in the process?

[@cocktaildudes]

Brotegla's Channel No alcohol is lost, though the proof is diluted with the addition of the volume of simple syrup. Cheers!

[@brotegla]

Thank you.