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How to Make Homemade Fruit Liqueur
3.5 from 313 votes

How to Make Homemade Fruit Liqueur

This Homemade Fruit Liqueur recipe uses fresh fruit cooked briefly with sugar and water, then pureed and combined with vodka. After steeping for 24 hours, the mixture is strained to remove solids, yielding a flavored liqueur that is chilled before use. It captures the natural essence and color of the chosen fruit and can be customized with various fruits or herbal notes for different flavor profiles.

Prep Time
1 d 20 mins
Total Time
1 d 20 mins
Servings: 2 pints
Calories: 99 kcal
Course: Cocktails
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb Fresh fruit choose strawberries, apricots, rhubarb, pluots, white peaches, or other fruit
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups vodka any brand

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Start with clean fruit. Depending on what fruit you are using, hull the berries, pit the stone fruit, or trim rough ends from the rhubarb. Do not peel stone fruit, much flavor and color comes from the skins.
  2. Chop the fruit into bite sized pieces and add to a saucepan, along with the sugar. Add 1/4 cup water, and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. If your fruit is dry you may need to add a bit more water. Cook for about 5 minutes, just enough to soften the fruit.
  3. Puree the fruit using an immersion blender, a regular blender, or food processor.
  4. Add the fruit puree to the vodka and give it a stir. Let sit on the counter, covered, for 24 hours.
  5. Strain through a nut bag, or several layers of cheesecloth, squeezing to get all the liquid out. Discard the solids.
  6. Keep the liqueur in the refrigerator until needed. Note: these liqueurs need to be refrigerated because of the fresh fruit component, and should be consumed within 2 weeks.

Notes

  • Use affordable vodka as the fruit flavor will dominate the liqueur.
  • Various fruits can be used, including berries, stone fruit, and rhubarb, with skins intact for color and flavor.
  • A nut bag or fine nylon mesh is ideal for straining the liqueur more efficiently than coffee filters or cheesecloth.
  • Sugar is optional but helps enhance fruit flavor and sweetness.
  • Herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, or lavender can be added to create herbal notes.
  • Keep the finished liqueur refrigerated and consume within 2 weeks to ensure freshness.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1.5ounces Calories 99kcal (5%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 pints

Amount Per Serving

Calories 99

% Daily Value*

Serving 1.5ounces
Calories 99kcal 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.