Try thisHomemade Amaretto recipe instead of buying it at the store! It’s so easy to make and your co*cktails will taste ten times better! If you want to learn what Amaretto is & how to make it from scratch keep on reading.
What drinks can you use amaretto in? You can drink amaretto on its own, or use it in co*cktails like The Godfather, or an Island Champagne co*cktail.
What Is Amaretto?
Amaretto is a sweet liquor that originated in Italy. Originally, Amaretto was flavored with butter almonds, but these days commercial brands can be made from apricot stones, peach stones or almonds.
Amaretto can be mixed with co*cktails or sipped on its own. While we have many, many different co*cktails to make with Amaretto, this delicious homemade version is so delicious as an after dinner drink or aperitif.
The History Of Amaretto
The name “Amaretto” comes from the Italian word amaro which means “bitter”. A funny little fact is that cyanide is found naturally in almonds and it has to be processed out of the almonds before its use in this liquor.
A old tale tells the story of a student of Leonardo da Vinci’s students was painting a church and needed a model to paint his Madonna. The women he found became his model and lover and in turn, because of how poor she was, she gifted him a liquor that was made from apricot kernels steeped in brandy.
Why Homemade Amaretto Is Best
Typically we find modern day Amaretto to be on the sweeter side, which is one of the reasons why making it from scratch is totally the way to go. You can balance out the level of sweetness that you like and how long you let the liquor steep. This homemade Amaretto isn’t very bitter at all, which is the way we like it.
Another reason that you should try making this recipe at home is because it is much more cost effective than buying a bottle at the store. Obviously stores mark up the prices of everything, so when you can save a few bucks and make a quality product at home you should!
Amaretto Ingredients
The basic ingredients that you’ll need to make homemade amaretto are:
Plain Vodka
Vanilla Beans
Brown Sugar
White Sugar
Almond Extract
When you’re making a recipe like this, you should make sure that you’re ingredients are the best quality that you can get. Use good vodka, not super expensive but not the lowest end, either. Extracts come in all price points, so make sure that whatever you buy is “real” almond extract and not imitation.
The process is easy, you start out with plain (good quality) vodka. Then you add in the flavoring – vanilla beans, almond extract and sugar.That’s basically it – and then you let it sit.
The longer you let it sit, the better it gets. But you definitely have to give it a few days or up to a week before trying it.
Once you’re ready to drink it though you can remove the vanilla bean if the flavor is right for you, or leave it in and let it flavor the amaretto some more. I took the vanilla bean out after a week since for me the flavor tasted right on target.
I’m telling you this tastes as good if not better than the expensive store bought brand–I like that it’s less sweet and also has more almond flavor.
Our Favorite co*cktails To Make With Amaretto
Eggnog co*cktail
Seven Seas Martini
Christmas (or any party!) Champagne Mimosa
Chocolate Chip Cookie Shots
RumChata Toasted Almond co*cktail
More Ways To Use Amaretto
You can swap out Amaretto for most recipes that call for rum or a flavored liquor. Just keep in mind that Amaretto has a vanilla and almond flavor so if whatever you’re cooking pairs with those flavors you’ll be good to go!
Savory dishes like Orange Chicken or Coconut Shrimp
Desserts like Tiramisu or Bananas Foster
Poke Cake Recipes
Pancakes and other breakfast recipes like muffins or scones
Homemade amaretto liqueur made with only 3 ingredients: apricot pits, vodka, and sugar. It's a quick and fuss-free recipe for amaretto: Let the pits steep in vodka, add sugar and that's it.
Depending on the brand, it may be made from apricot kernels, bitter almonds, peach stones, or almonds, all of which are natural sources of the benzaldehyde that provides the almond-like flavour of the liqueur. It generally contains 21 to 28 percent alcohol by volume.
You can use almond extract to replace almond liqueur or amaretto liqueur in a recipe. OliveNation Almond Extract's flavor is more concentrated than amaretto or almond liqueur. Our recommended substitution ratio is 4 to 8 times liqueur to extract.
The liqueur is obtained from bitter apricot kernels, almonds, vanilla and sugar, which are mixed and macerated in neutral alcohol. The mixture is then distilled to extract the aromas and flavors.
This liqueur has a sweet, nutty flavor that's often used to tame the bite of many spirits. Despite its almond flavor, it doesn't always contain almonds — it's made from either apricot pits or almonds or both. Amaretto is Italian for "little bitter" as amaretto has a sweetened flavor with slightly bitter notes.
Disaronno is a brand of Amaretto, a liqueur made from Italian amber and almond flavours. In conclusion, the primary distinction between Amaretto and Disaronno is their almond content. Disaronno does not contain almonds despite its almond flavour.
The base is made from either apricot kernels or almonds or both. Apricot kernels contain poisonous compounds but alcohol extracts the benzaldehyde (bitter almond flavour) so the toxic hydrogen cyanide is not present in the liqueur. The end product is then sweetened sometimes using sweet almonds.
According to the company, the liqueur is an infusion of apricot kernel oil with "absolute alcohol, burnt sugar, and the pure essence of seventeen selected herbs and fruits". The liqueur is sold in an oblong glass decanter designed by a craftsman from Murano.
Amaretto is a fragrant almond flavoured liqueur. Traditionally, the almond flavour and slight bitterness come from oil extracted from bitter apricot kernels. However, sufferers of nut allergies should be aware that some amarettos are now made using almonds.
Some recipes do use almonds and others employ a combination of the two. The flavor is often from an extract added to a base liqueur. Some amarettos infuse or distill other botanicals, such as vanilla, into the liqueur. They're often sweetened with dark or burnt sugar and that gives the liqueur its dark amber color.
Hazelnut liqueur is very similar to amaretto since it is also nutty in flavor, and might pair well with other sweet ingredients such as chocolate or coffee – start off with small amounts to ensure the flavor works well.
Disaronno Liqueur is a multi-generational masterpiece, said to have been the first drink of its kind. Made with apricot, alcohol, sugar and a selection of secret herbs and fruits.
Some of that is certainly attributed to savvy marketing, and Illva Saronno is almost certainly going to pull in higher margins from the pricier liqueur. But Disaronno also says part of the cost is due to the more complex manufacturing process for Riserva.
While the recipe remains a secret, Disaronno Amaretto is made from apricot kernel oil. This is what gives the final product its signature almond flavour, even though there are no almonds used.
Amaretto is a fragrant almond flavoured liqueur. Traditionally, the almond flavour and slight bitterness come from oil extracted from bitter apricot kernels. However, sufferers of nut allergies should be aware that some amarettos are now made using almonds.
Amaretto is a sweetened distilled spirit. It gets its character from steeped almonds, apricot pits (which have a distinct almond flavor), peach stones, or a mix of the three. Most producers are secretive about their recipes. But traditionally, the ingredients are steeped for anywhere between a week to several months.
You can drink amaretto straight by itself, or mix it with scotch, bourbon, rum, and other alcoholic drinks. Amaretto also mixes well with non-alcoholic drinks, like coffee, hot chocolate, and ginger beer. To drink amaretto straight, pour it over ice. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime for extra flavor.
Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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