10 INCREDIBLE COFFEE COCKTAILS WITH KAHLUA
If you love coffee cocktails, chances are you’re no stranger to one of the most well-known brands of coffee liqueur: Kahlua.
The name itself, Kahlua, is said to be slang for coffee in Arabic!
This coffee infused liqueur has actually been around for decades, originating with an idea, a love for coffee, and some extensive chemistry knowledge between a few guys in Mexico in the late 1930’s.
And, as we also, of course, have an intense love for coffee here at Lifeboost, we thought it interesting that Kahlua’s coffee component actually shares some similarities with Lifeboost coffee.
Just as Lifeboost coffee is grown in the shaded mountains of the rainforest, Kahlua also recognizes the benefit of shade when it comes to great tasting coffee.
Growing coffee in the shade causes the cherries to mature at a much slower rate, meaning the natural sugars in the coffee increase and the resulting flavor is greatly enhanced.
Kahlua uses shade grown coffee, sugar, and rum, made from sugarcane, to result in the sweet, great tasting coffee liqueur that folks from all around the world love to use when creating delicious coffee cocktails.
In classic Mexican coffee, Kahlua is used in combination with tequila, whipped cream, coffee, and sometimes cinnamon.
In many classic coffee martini drinks Kahlua is incorporated to bring a bit of sweetness and an extra level of coffee flavoring to the cocktail.
As coffee is the base for Kahlua, this liqueur enhances just about any coffee cocktail!
So, here we’ve shared ten coffee cocktail recipes, each including a Lifeboost coffee selection, Kahlua, and other tasty ingredients all paired together to make truly delicious cocktails.
Some are hot, some are cold.
Some are great for parties, others are perfect for an after-dinner treat.
Some could easily be classified as dessert, while others are just simple, no fuss combinations to elevate your favorite cup of coffee to new heights.
...and all are absolutely delicious!
The Whipped White Russian
One famous cocktail that is known for its delicious coffee component is the white russian.
Here, we take this classic coffee cocktail up a notch by using whipped coffee instead of the classic cream that typically tops a white russian.
Frothy, creamy, coffee and boozy...yummy!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost White Russian Coffee
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ½ ounces Kahlua
- 2 ounces whole milk (or almond milk for a dairy free option)
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Ice
Directions
- Combine hot water, sugar, and instant coffee in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add ice to a glass, then pour in cold brewed coffee, vodka, Kahlua, milk, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Top the cocktail with the whipped coffee mixture, stir slightly. Enjoy!
2- Khaleesi’s Cup
While a hot cup of coffee is certainly a morning staple for most people, cold brewed or iced coffee is nothing shy of amazing.
But, when you add the subtle sweetness of coffee liqueur to your chilled java, now that’s a cup fit for a queen...or a khaleesi for all you GOT fans!
Bonus: dust this cocktail with a little bit of cinnamon for extraordinary flavor and a healthy boost of antioxidants.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cold brewed (or brewed and chilled) Lifeboost White Russian Coffee
- 2 ounces Kahlua
- 2 ounces heavy cream (or nondairy milk)
- Ice
Directions
- Add ice to a drinking glass.
- Pour in cold brew, Kahlua, and milk.
- Stir to combine, and enjoy!
Looking for a great homemade alternative to Kahlua? This homemade Kahlua is fantastic!!
Homemade Kahlua
- 2 ½ cups strong, freshly brewed Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee
- 4 cups cane sugar
- 2 ¼ cups aged rum
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Stir sugar and hot coffee together until dissolved. Let cool completely, then add rum and vanilla. Store in an airtight container.
3- Boozy Joe
Sometimes you just want a nice, relaxing, tasty cup of coffee. No frills. And, sometimes you just want a nice, relaxing, tasty cocktail. No frills.
Here, you get both. Just a boozy cup of joe. All flavor, no fuss!
Actually, you could skip the measurements altogether in this one. I did say “no fuss,” right?
We’ll give some general measurements, but once you sample this one, feel free to change things up and add a little more booze or a little more joe to your liking.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces freshly brewed Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee
- 2 ounces Kahlua
Directions
Add freshly brewed coffee to a mug, pour in Kahlua, stir, and enjoy!
4- I’rish You Were Here
If you were here with me, we’d be sharing this drink.
Kidding...I don’t share coffee. But, I would pour you your own glass, with a splash of cream and Kahlua, of course!
This vegan take on a classic Irish coffee, incorporating Kahlua instead of Irish whiskey is absolutely delicious! In fact, it may be more of a dessert than a cocktail!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces freshly brewed Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee
- 1 ½ ounces Kahlua
- 1 teaspoon real maple syrup
- Whipped coconut cream to top (see recipe below)
- Grated vegan dark chocolate (for topping)
Directions
Add hot coffee, Kahlua, and maple syrup to a mug. Stir to combine.
Spoon whipped coconut cream on top of the coffee mixture, let settle slightly, then grate dark chocolate onto the top of the whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!
Whipped Coconut Cream
To make whipped coconut cream:
- Refrigerate a 15 ounce can of coconut cream. Once chilled, open the can and scoop out the top layer of cream. Discard the water from underneath the cream in the can.
- Add cream to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the cream becomes stiff. You can sweeten your coconut whipped cream by adding 1 tablespoon of maple syrup prior to mixing.
5- Shake Your Brew Thing
Since this shake doesn’t contain any peaches and is seriously lacking in the herb category, I suppose we’ll just skip the groove and get straight to the brew.
The coffee, and coffee liqueur, is sure to get you groovin’ in this fabulous (no, seriously, this
is
fabulous) adults-only milkshake!
Ingredients
*yields 6 servings
- 4 cups cold brewed Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee
- 8 ounces Chocolate milk
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream
- ½ cup Kahlua
- ½ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
- Whipped Cream (for garnish)
- Chocolate Syrup (for garnish)
Directions
- Pour chocolate milk into an ice cube tray and place in the freezer for 3-4 hours or until frozen.
- After chocolate milk ice cubes are ready, add cubes, vanilla ice cream, coffee, Kahlua, and Baileys into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
- Serve and enjoy immediately.
6- Creamy Mochatini
This is a coffee cocktail that would sit in the exact center of a venn diagram as it brings together the following loves:
- Coffee
- Vodka
- Chocolate
These three winners combine in this cocktail to bring you a creamy, chocolatey, java infused, boozy treat...one that will definitely have you coming back for more!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces cold brewed or brewed then chilled Lifeboost White Russian Coffee
- 1 ½ ounces vodka
- 1 ½ ounces Kahlua (see recipe below for a homemade option)
- 1 ½ ounces Baileys Irish Cream
- ½ ounce simple syrup (see recipe below)
- 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup, plus extra for drizzling (garnish)
- Ice
Directions
- Add ice, coffee, Kahlua, Baileys, simple syrup, and 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup to a cocktail shaker.
- Before shaking your ingredients in the cocktail shaker, prep a martini glass by drizzling chocolate syrup on the inside of the glass.
- Then, shake the ingredients in the cocktail shaker vigorously until well chilled. The outside of the cocktail shaker should be frosted.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared martini glass, and enjoy!
Homemade Kahlua
- 2 ½ cups strong, freshly brewed Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee
- 4 cups cane sugar
- 2 ¼ cups aged rum
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Stir sugar and hot coffee together until dissolved. Let cool completely, then add rum and vanilla. Store in an airtight container.
Homemade Kahlua
- ½ cup cane sugar
- ½ cup water
Heat water and cane sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Once sugar is dissolved, simmer (do not boil) for approximately 5 minutes allowing mixture to slightly thicken. Cool completely.
7- Moscow’s Mug
Between the piping hot coffee, the warm cream, and the warming effects of the alcohol, this tasty cocktail is the perfect drink for those bitterly cold winter days that call for a cozy blanket, your favorite chair near a warm fireplace, and a mug full of hot deliciousness in your hands.
So, forget about your snow shoveling duties for tonight, fill your mug with this cocktail, and warm up with your significant other by the fire.
And, if those shoveling duties can’t wait, simply reward yourself with this treat after you finish!
Ingredients
- 5 ounces freshly brewed Lifeboost White Russian Coffee
- 1 ½ ounces Kahlua
- ¾ ounce vodka
- ¼ cup heavy cream (for topping...you don’t have to use all of it, but you’ll need ¼ cup to be able to warm and froth)
Directions
- Pour hot coffee, Kahlua, and vodka into a mug, stir to combine.
- Add heavy cream to an electric frother. Froth on heat and froth setting.
- Pour desired amount of heated, frothed heavy cream on top of the prepared cocktail, and enjoy!
8- A Bit Hazy
One too many of these delicious cocktails could make your judgment a bit hazy, so this is your fair warning!
The addition of hazelnut to this cocktail makes the drink feel more like a dessert, but whether you call it a dessert or a drink, either way, it’s delicious!
Delicious, dessert, drink...triple D...I like that...and, you’ll love this!!
Ingredients
- 1 ounce chilled Lifeboost Espresso Coffee
- ⅔ ounce vodka
- ⅔ ounce Kahlua
- ⅔ ounce hazelnut liqueur
- 1 ounce half and half
- Ice
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until frost forms on the outside of the shaker.
- Strain mixture into a cocktail glass, and enjoy!
9- Caramel’s Not Salty
...or is it?
Salted caramel has become a flavor pairing of sweet and savory that is craved by the masses!
From candies to baked goods to dessert-like drinks, a little bit of salt combined with sweet, gooey caramel is just delicious.
My grandma used to tell me the reason salt was added to recipes in many baked goods was for the purpose of “cutting the sweetness.”
So, when I see anything labeled as “salted caramel” I am reminded of the contrast, and I immediately think of her.
Whether this flavor combo was created with the intention of cutting sweetness or not, I don’t know, but when combined with coffee and Kahlua, it sure is tasty!!
Ingredients
Yields 2 servings
- 3 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost Light Roast Coffee
- 3 ounces Baileys Irish Cream
- 3 ounces Kahlua
- 3 ounces vodka
- 1 tablespoon caramel sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon flaked sea salt
- Ice
Directions
- Drizzle caramel sauce inside two cocktail glasses.
- Add Baileys, Kahlua, coffee, vodka, and ice into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
- Add ice to prepared cocktail glasses and strain mixture from the cocktail shaker into the glasses.
- Top cocktails with flaked sea salt, and enjoy!
10- Coconutty Cocoa
What’s better than hot cocoa? Hot cocoa with coffee in it!
And, what’s better than hot cocoa with coffee in it? Hot cocoa with coffee, booze, and coconut!!
This flavor combo is out of this world!
The coconut is subtle, but if you’d really like to take the coconut flavoring up a notch, simply add about ⅛ teaspoon of coconut extract. (Or, use Lifeboost Coconut Truffle Medium Roast Coffee in place of our regular Medium Roast Coffee in this recipe to really tantalize your taste buds!)
Ingredients
Yields 2 servings
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk (the kind in a carton, not a can)
- 1 cup freshly brewed Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 ½ ounce Kahlua (see homemade option below)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions
- Bring coconut milk to a low boil in a medium sized saucepan on the stovetop.
- When milk begins to boil, add in sugar and cocoa powder and stir to dissolve.
- Remove from heat, and stir in coffee and Kahlua.
- Divide between two mugs, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Homamade Kahlua
- Homemade Kahlua
- 2 ½ cups strong, freshly brewed Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee
- 4 cups cane sugar
- 2 ¼ cups aged rum
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Stir sugar and hot coffee together until dissolved. Let cool completely, then add rum and vanilla. Store in an airtight container.
1x White Russian Coffee 12 oz Bag
3x White Russian Medium Roast Coffee 12 oz Bag - Bundle
6x White Russian Coffee 12 oz Bag - Bundle
References:
https://veganinthefreezer.com/homemade-kahlua/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/whipped-coffee-white-russian/#bo-recipe
https://www.kahlua.com/us/drinks/classic/kahlua-iced-coffee/
https://www.kahlua.com/us/drinks/just-add-kahlua/kahlua-coffee/
https://lovingitvegan.com/kahlua-coffee/#tasty-recipes-5092
https://www.annsentitledlife.com/wine-and-liquor/baileys-kahlua-iced-coffee-shake/
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/coffee-cream-martini/
https://thespicyapron.com/recipe/hot-white-russian-cocktail-warm/
https://drinkinghobby.com/insomniac-cocktail-recipe/
https://www.missinthekitchen.com/salted-caramel-mudslide/
https://healthynibblesandbits.com/coconut-kahlua-hot-chocolate/
https://www.kahlua.com/us/kahlua-news/history/
https://www.kahlua.com/us/kahlua-news/how-we-make-kahlua/
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Charles Livingston nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.