DIY Ginger Liqueur Recipe (2024)

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This homemade ginger liqueur can compete with Domaine de Canton on flavor—for less than half the cost and only 20 minutes of work.

By

Marcia Simmons

Marcia Simmons

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Updated December 02, 2022

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DIY Ginger Liqueur Recipe (1)

In This Recipe

  • What's Available to Buy?

  • Why DIY?

  • How to Use It

Why It Works

  • This homemade ginger liqueur can compete with Domaine de Canton on flavor—for less than half the cost and only 20 minutes of work.
  • Steeping time is very short, so this is a perfect DIY holiday gift.
  • Unleash your creativity by experimenting with different flavor combinations in small batches to make something you won't find on a liquor store shelf.

Ginger liqueur offers an exciting blend of sweet and spicy flavors. It can turn a basic drink into an intricately layered cocktail experience. Sure, you can use ginger liqueur all year (it's great with sparkling wine, especially when muddled with peaches in the summer) but this potion especially calls to us in winter, when it's just the thing to spice up our drinks.

What's Available to Buy?

Domaine de Cantonis the most common ginger liqueur on the market. The ginger kick in Canton is balanced with vanilla, honey, and Cognac—it's elegant, but a bit sweet.Snapis a bolder ginger liqueur featuring nutmeg, cinnamon, and Rooibos tea in its mix of spices. It reminds me of a hearty gingerbread. Both cost about $30 a bottle—though I think Domaine de Canton is a more flexible cocktail ingredient. TheKing's Gingeris a slightly more expensive high-proof ginger liqueur with an intense bite—smooth but barely sweet.

Stirrings also offers a less complex ginger liqueur for half the price. Though it has a lovely flavor, I find that it doesn't add any more dimension to mixed drinks than a well-made ginger simple syrup would.

Why DIY?

As easy as it is to buy a bottle of Canton, my recipe for DIY ginger liqueur takes only 30 minutes of work and tastes just as delicious and refined. The steeping time is very short, so this is a perfect homemade holiday gift. (Hear that, procrastinators?)

It's also fun to play with different flavor combinations in small batches. Add some cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom for an earthier liqueur that's a good match for ciders and warm holiday drinks. A little lemon zest and lemongrass will give you a bright, Asian-inspired flavor. The beauty of homemade liqueur is unleashing your creativity to make something you won't see on the shelf at some liquor store.

Use It!

Your homemade liqueur is perfect for jazzing up all sorts of cocktails. The simpleTom Collinssuddenly tastes exotic with a bit of ginger, but you can also get more complicated than that. Add a little to a hot toddy on a cold night. And yes, it's goodin eggnog, or shaken up withrosemary and pears.

Ginger pairs well with so many flavors—think about food recipes that you like that include ginger, and then use those flavors in a cocktail. Carrots, oranges, lemons, apples, pumpkin, green tea—these things are natural partners for ginger and could be the basis for a great new drink. If you give your liqueur as a gift, you can include some handwritten recipe cards featuring your favorite ginger liqueur cocktails. That is, if you can bear to part with some of it.

December 2011

Recipe Details

DIY Ginger Liqueur Recipe

Prep5 mins

Cook25 mins

Active25 mins

Infusing Time72 hrs

Total72 hrs 30 mins

Serves16 servings

Makes2 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces ginger root

  • 1 vanilla bean

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 1 orange

  • 1 1/2 cups brandy

Directions

  1. Peel ginger and cut it into thin slices. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise.

    DIY Ginger Liqueur Recipe (2)

  2. Bring ginger, vanilla, sugar, and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until ginger is soft—about 20 minutes. Let the syrup cool. Do not strain yet.

    DIY Ginger Liqueur Recipe (3)

  3. Zest orange and place zest only in a sealable glass container along with the syrup and brandy. Seal and shake, then let this mixture steep for one day.

    DIY Ginger Liqueur Recipe (4)

  4. After one day, remove vanilla bean and let mixture steep for an additional day.

    DIY Ginger Liqueur Recipe (5)

  5. Strain mixture through a coffee filter into your bottle or jar for storage. Let it sit for one more day before using to let flavors mellow.

    DIY Ginger Liqueur Recipe (6)

Notes

Peeling ginger with a spoon allows you to navigate the curves and bumps more easily than using a peeler.

Store as you would any liqueur—no refrigeration is required. This should keep for a year, but if it develops off flavors or a cloudy appearance, discard it.

Special Equipment

Zester

Read More

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
87Calories
0g Fat
13g Carbs
0g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories87
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 1mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 13g5%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg3%
Calcium 1mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
Potassium 3mg0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

DIY Ginger Liqueur Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is ginger liqueur made of? ›

It is very easy to make and requires very few ingredients: ginger root obviously, alcohol, water and sugar. Like with any good liquor, a lengthy maceration and resting time is necessary, so that all the flavors are absorbed and for it to become nice and golden in color.

What can I substitute for ginger liqueur? ›

When you want to lighten up the alcohol content of your ginger cocktails, replace the ginger liqueur with ginger-infused syrup. It's easy to make at home and has a similar sweetness and ginger flavoring, but without the liquor base.

Can you put ginger in alcohol? ›

Combine the vodka and ginger root in a clean container. (Reserve the vodka bottle for storing the infused vodka later.) Seal the container and store in a cool, dark place for 3 days, shaking occasionally. After 3 days, pour the vodka through a strainer and discard the ginger solids.

What is French ginger liqueur? ›

Domaine de Canton is a popular brandy-based ginger liqueur with a brilliant sweet and spicy flavor accented by vanilla and honey.

How long does ginger liqueur last? ›

Most liqueur should be used within 6 months to a year after opening.

Does ginger ferment into alcohol? ›

Brewers would boil ginger, add sugar to the liquid, and then allow the resulting liquid to ferment, resulting in a beverage (ginger beer) with about an 11 percent alcohol content. That's high! Today's ginger beer is rarely fermented, however, so you'll note on the label that it is completely alcohol free.

Does ginger liqueur need to be refrigerated? ›

Peeling ginger with a spoon allows you to navigate the curves and bumps more easily than using a peeler. Store as you would any liqueur—no refrigeration is required. This should keep for a year, but if it develops off flavors or a cloudy appearance, discard it.

What liquor tastes like gingerbread? ›

Gingerbread Flavored Whiskey | Bird Dog Whiskey.

What is the closest flavor to ginger? ›

Galangal. This can be hard to find, it's not usually carried at your local grocery store than ginger is, but it's a great substitute if you're dealing with an allergy or aversion. Galangal, sometimes called "Thai ginger," tastes very similar to ginger but a bit more mellow and slightly citrusy.

What not to mix ginger with? ›

Possible Interactions

Blood-thinning medications: Ginger may increase the risk of bleeding. Talk to your doctor before taking ginger if you take blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix), or aspirin. Diabetes medications: Ginger may lower blood sugar.

What happens when you put ginger into a jar of alcohol? ›

The ginger or turmeric will soften the longer it is left in the alcohol, but the flavour will not deteriorate. And, no need to worry about the alcohol flavouring your dish, it will burn off in the heat of your skillet. If you find yourself thirsty one fine evening, make sure to top up the alcohol to prevent spoilage.

Does ginger dissolve in alcohol? ›

The result is that the skin on the ginger peels slightly and dissolves in alcohol, but overall the ginger is not dissolved in alcohol. The ginger is still solid and doesn't change much unless it gets wet. The ginger also settled at the bottom. Uniquely, ginger usually has several variants of minimal alcohol.

What are the health benefits of ginger liqueur? ›

Ginger Liqueur helps to improve blood circulation and expel “coldness” from the body. It is especially beneficial towards conditions such as cold hands and feet.

What is King's ginger liqueur? ›

The King's Ginger is made using a grain spirit base, lemon, ginger, sugar syrup and water. The recipe was altered when the bottle was redesigned into this beauty, though it remains a liqueur emphatically flavoured with ginger and lemon.

What does ginger liqueur taste like? ›

Fresh ginger tingles your nose when you crack open the bottle's swing-top. Its opaque, yellow liquid is 22 percent ABV, and it tastes almost like you're drinking a chewy, ginger candy with a lovely, big, ginger bite.

What are the ingredients in King's ginger liqueur? ›

The King's Ginger is made using a grain spirit base, lemon, ginger, sugar syrup and water.

What type of alcohol is ginger wine? ›

Ginger wine is a fortified wine often made from a fermented blend of ginger, raisins, sugar and yeast, that is often fortified by being blended with brandy.

What is ginger of the indies liqueur? ›

The Ginger of the Indies Premium Liqueur is made from natural maceration of best ginger from Asia. Sweetened by orange blossom water and a hint of coriander, enhanced with spices.

What is ginger drink made of? ›

It can be made either by boiling fresh ginger slices in water or mixing ginger juice with hot water. Sliced ginger preserved in honey, called saenggang-cheong, can also be mixed with hot water to make ginger tea.

References

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