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Homemade Amaretto

One of the most popular spirits, nothing beats a good glass of Amaretto. What if I told you it's super simple to make your own homemade Amaretto? It's true, read on to see how easy it is!

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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.

Homemade Amaretto in a bottle in the background with a glass poured in front.
Homemade Amaretto

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.

  1. 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.

  2. Add vanilla, almond extract and vodka.

    Add the vanilla extract, almond extract and vodka to the pot and stir.

  3. 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.

  4. Pour and enjoy.

    Now give it a try and rate this recipe 5 stars because it’s so delicious! 😉

Homemade Amaretto in an Owl Glass

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

One of the most popular spirits, nothing beats a good glass of Amaretto. What if I told you it's super simple to make your own homemade Amaretto? It's true, read on to see how easy it is!
5 from 6 votes
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

Calories: 2399kcal, Carbohydrates: 312g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 52mg, Potassium: 205mg, Sugar: 311g, Calcium: 104mg, Iron: 1mg

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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Hey everyone! I'm Mike (Mr. Kitchen Magpie). When I'm not sharing cocktail recipes here and on my Instagram (@mrkitchenmagpie), I'm enjoying a nice bottle of scotch in a vintage glass from my barware collection.

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Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

    • Mr. Kitchen Magpie says

      Awesome! That works well too. Glad you like it!

    • Ann Caffrey says

      Had a request to make this again, panic, couldn’t find my recipe. Thank goodness you still have it. It is now written in my recipe book. Friends love it and can’t believe it is homemade.5 stars

  1. Mary L Johnson says

    ? How would on make this recipe Non-Alcholic?
    TU!5 stars

    • 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.

  2. Ann Caffrey says

    Have made the Amaretto and it was a success, thank you for the recipe.5 stars

    • 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!

  3. 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

  4. Beverley says

    I’m having difficulties printing the recipe as well.

  5. 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.

  6. 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!

  7. 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.

5 from 6 votes

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