Homemade Black Forest chocolate liqueur is the ultimate winter tipple. It is very easy to make and tastes decadent, rich, creamy & chocolatey, with a hint of cherries to boot. This chocolate cream liqueur recipe also makes a great edible gift for the holidays!
Have you seen my chocolate orange cream liqueur too? It’s a more recent addition to my collection of chocolate liqueur recipes and it’s extremely tasty.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll receive my trusted recipes each week!
Jump to:
I’ve got a sneaky little libation that plays on the classic chocolate and cherry flavour pairing. Please say a big friendly hello to my amazing homemade Black Forest cherry chocolate liqueur recipe. First published in 2018, this drink has proved a favourite amongst my readers ever since.
This is the ideal drink to take comfort in when the weather turns cold and festivities such as Halloween and Bonfire Night are on the horizon again. At this time of year, when there’s no denying that it will soon be time to dig out the gloves and forego any notion that winter is far away, there’s only one way to go for me: embrace the upcoming chilly season and all the glitz it has to offer and go full-throttle on the comfort food. Or in today’s case, comfort drink.
I am partial to a glass of cream liqueur around this time of year through to around, oh um… February 28th. It’s a classic winter treat for me. I blame my Dad, he got me into it (thanks Dad).
Within each sip of this homemade chocolate cream liqueur, you’ll find that deeply satisfying chocolate flavour enhanced with a hint of cherry.
Other warming winter tipples I enjoy are the bombardino, Baileys espresso martini and a winter Aperol spritz.
Why you’ll love this chocolate cream liqueur
This speedy-to-make chocolate cherry liqueur is all of the following:
- rich
- dark
- chocolatey
- sweet
- boozy
- decadent
- comforting
It is also rather disarming on the looks front.
Packaged into pretty bottles this homemade chocolate cream liqueur makes a charming food gift. That’s if you can bear to part with it. My recipe makes around 450ml, but if you do intend to gift it, or serve it in miniature bottles as favours for dinner guests, it’s easy to scale up the recipe.
If you fancy knocking up a cream-free tipple too then have a go at my damson gin liqueur. It’s delicious.
Ingredients notes
Alcohol: the base alcohols in this chocolate liqueur recipe are brandy and cherry brandy, so expect a mellow, well-rounded, but decidedly boozy hit.
I recommend seeking out a decent quality brandy rather than the cheapest one the supermarket has to offer. Your efforts really will make a noticeable difference and the result will be a much more pleasant, smooth and mellow drink.
Chocolate: use dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids). Milk or white chocolate would be too sweet in this chocolate liqueur recipe.
Cream: I’ve used single cream, which is an 18% fat cream available here in the UK. Elsewhere in the world, look out for a suitable alternative with a similar level of fat content – half and half would be ideal.
Condensed milk: this sweetens the brandy and dark chocolate flavours slightly and a little makes a huge difference to the final flavour, so don’t leave it out. Luckily, the leftover condensed milk can be stored in the fridge for several weeks and used in drinks such as a Spanish latte or my iced coconut coffee.
Milk: I’ve incorporated a small amount of whole milk into the recipe to thin the drink slightly too. However, if you prefer a thicker liqueur you can omit the milk and keep it ultra-thick – you’ll need a spoon (or a long finger) to scrape the glass if you do.
Step by step instructions
When making any cream liqueur at home, the first step should be to clean your equipment (pan, bowls, jugs, sieve and spoons) thoroughly. This step is vital to ensure that no trace of anything acidic, such as lemon juice, is present as this will cause the liqueur to split.
So, wash everything in warm, soapy water then rinse and pat dry using a clean tea towel.
Once your equipment is ready, making this chocolate liqueur recipe is very straightforward:
- Warm half of the cream in a saucepan until hot but not boiling.
- Place the finely chopped chocolate into a heatproof jug and pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for 30 seconds to allow it to melt, then beat with a mini balloon whisk until smooth.
- Mix in the condensed milk, followed by the remaining cream.
- Add the alcohols (and milk if using) and stir well.
- Strain through a piece of muslin or a nut bag to ensure the final drink is smooth.
- Decant into a sealable bottle and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- Shake the bottle vigorously before pouring to re-blend any chocolate that has settled back into the drink.
Expert tips
- My top tip for making any creamy drink is to ensure that all pans and storage bottles are scrupulously clean. There’s nothing worse than having a batch of expensive, cream-based ingredients curdle because they have come into contact with a drop of lemon juice or vinegar residue. If in doubt, give the equipment a thorough wash again just before using.
- Do use quality ingredients (alcohol and chocolate) – it makes the world of difference to this homemade chocolate liqueur.
- Don’t forget to store it in the fridge once made to keep it in tip-top condition.
- If, once chilled, the drink is too thick for your liking, whisk in a little more milk until the desired consistency is reached.
Frequently asked questions
There’s only one reason that this chocolate cream liqueur will split (curdle) and that is if there is a trace of something acidic (e.g. lemon juice or vinegar) on the equipment or within the bottle it is stored in.
Heed my advice to wash everything well before beginning to ensure that your precious ingredients are not wasted.
If stored in the fridge this dark chocolate cherry liqueur will keep for at least a month. However, I do recommend using the freshest cream and milk you can rather than leftovers already near their use-by date.
Expect to give the bottle a good hard shake before serving to ensure all ingredients amalgamate again after settling in the fridge.
Sadly, this chocolate cream liqueur is not suitable for freezing. While the alcohol will not freeze, the cream can freeze and the texture will change significantly after thawing.
This chocolate cream liqueur is not the same as crème de cacoa.
Crème de cacao is made from cocoa beans and vodka. It is not a cream-based liqueur and its primary use is as a cocktail ingredient.
This homemade chocolate cherry liqueur is not the same as Baileys.
Whilst my Black Forest-inspired chocolate liqueur recipe is brandy-based, Baileys Irish Cream is made from whisky.
The dark chocolate liqueur I’m presenting to you also has a much more pronounced chocolate flavour than that present in a glass of Baileys.
Serving suggestons
- As this drink must be stored in the fridge to keep it fresh, you can get away with pouring a glass of this dark chocolate liqueur into a glass with no ice.
- That said, there’s nothing wrong with pouring it into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- All good drinks require a garnish and this Black Forest liqueur is no exception. Grab a nostalgic red and juicy cocktail cherry or go all suave and sophisticated with a (paid link) Luxardo Maraschino Cherry or two. They are alluringly dark & sticky, making them the perfect partner for a glass of Black Forest Chocolate Liqueur.
- Talking of perfect partners, try a slice of chocolate salami with this lovely drink for the ultimate chocolate indulgence.
Alternative uses
This Black Forest cherry chocolate liqueur is not just for sipping on. Try it as follows:
- Try it over ice cream – affogato style (in place of coffee).
- Whip some into double cream and use to top hot chocolate.
- Or use the spiked whipped cream to adorn a chocolate cream cake.
Variations
Play around with the flavour profile by omitting the cherry brandy and replacing with one of the following:
- Grand Marnier – for a wonderful chocolate orange liqueur.
- Amaretto – for a subtle nutty flavour.
- Coffee liqueur – to make a delicious mocha version.
More liqueurs to make at home
Have you made this homemade dark chocolate liqueur recipe? Please do leave a comment or rating – it really does help other readers know that they can trust my recipes when they see comments from fellow readers.
Stay in touch: sign up to receive LittleSugarSnaps newsletters to hear when new recipes are published. Or follow me on social media:
📖 Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll receive my trusted recipes each week!
Black Forest Chocolate Liqueur
Ingredients
- 50 g/ ⅓ cup Dark chocolate (finely chopped)
- 3 tablespoon Condensed Milk (sweetened)
- 175 ml/ ¾ cup Single cream (US equivalent: light cream)
- 75 ml/ ⅓ cup Cherry Brandy
- 100 ml/ ⅓ cup + 5 tsp Brandy
- 1 tablespoon Whole (full fat) milk optional
Instructions
- Warm half of the cream in a saucepan until hot but not boiling
- Meanwhile, place the finely chopped chocolate into a heatproof jug
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for 30 seconds to allow it to melt, then beat with a mini balloon whisk until smooth
- Mix in the condensed milk, followed by the remaining cream
- Add the cherry brandy and brandy, stir well
- Optional step: to thin the drink stir in the milk
- Strain through a piece of muslin or a nut bag to ensure the final drink is smooth
- Decant into a sealable bottle and store in the fridge for up to 1 month
- Shake the bottle vigorously before pouring to re-blend any chocolate that has settled back into the drink
Notes
- My top tip for making any creamy drink is to ensure that all pans and storage bottles are scrupulously clean. There’s nothing worse than having a batch of expensive, cream-based ingredients curdle because they have come into contact with a drop of lemon juice or vinegar residue. If in doubt, give the equipment a thorough wash again just before using.
- Do use quality ingredients (alcohol and chocolate) – it makes the world of difference to this homemade chocolate liqueur.
- Don’t forget to store it in the fridge once made to keep it in tip-top condition.
- If, once chilled, the drink is too thick for your liking, whisk in a little more milk until the desired consistency is reached.
June perks
I have just made this, it is delicious. Thank you
Jane Coupland
Ih lucky you June – just what freezing January calls for 🙂 Thanks so much for your kind comment.
Barb
Love the pairing of chocolate with cherry brandy! And such a special gift! Where did you find the beautiful glass bottles?
Thank you so much for sharing such a lovely recipe.
Jane Saunders
Thankyou so much Barb. I’m pretty sure I got the bottle from The Drink Shop.
Sara
This looks amazing! In the US would light cream be regular whipping cream or half and half? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen light cream. If you’re not sure do you know the fat percentage of the cream you use? I’d be able to compare using that. Thank you!!
Jane Saunders
Hi Sara, I’m pleased you like the recipe. I used 18% fat single cream, so slightly richer than half and half. Sorry for the confusion – I was researching equivalent products and light cream was mentioned, so I assumed it was a common ingredient. It will probably work fine with half and half, but I’d definitely omit the optional milk. Let me know how you get along if you give it a go.
Sara
I ended up using the half and half with a little bit of heavy cream to make it richer and Omitted the milk. It was absolutely delicious! I made enough for 7 bottles and gave them away as holiday presents. Everyone loved it. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe and help!
Jane Saunders
Thankyou so so much for letting me know how you got along. I’m thrilled everybody enjoyed it. Have a wonderful 2019.
Cat | Curly’s Cooking
This looks absolutely delicious. Such a fantastic Christmas treat and perfect to give as presents. I love the flavours and your photos are beautiful.
Jane Saunders
Thanks so much Cat
Melissa
Hi, just wanted to say I’ve been eyeing your recipe for a while now, and I finally made it today. Had to make my own cherry brandy too, as I couldn’t find it where I live. Turned out even better than I expected, and the cherry flavour was very nice, thanks for sharing!
Jane Coupland
Hi Melissa, thanks for letting me know. I’m kind of jealous of your homemade cherry brandy now. I bet that is delicious too.
Angela Roberts
This is great stuff to have around the holidays. I love chocolate and I’ll pin to my cocktails board.
Jane Saunders
Thankyou Angela – much appreciated.
JB
Even though I used some leftover inferior booze it still wowed me. I can’t wait to try your choc cherry liqueur. Great thanks.
Jane Saunders
ah, thankyou – so pleased you’re enjoying it – I’ve got a few other cream liqueurs floating around – take a look in my drinks section nd you’ll find them 🙂
Nickki
Oh my goodness, this looks absolutely gorgeous! I love cherry brandy so it’s right up my street! I’m definitely going to try this for Christmas – pinned and will share on my Facebook page!
Jane Saunders
That’s so very kind of you, Nikki – Thankyou.
Mandy
I love the idea of making this for Christmas gifts. I’m so over all the pointless rubbish people buy and get given – homemade is surely the way forwards!
Jane Saunders
Oh I hear you on that note. You can’t go wrong with a good food gift.
Anna
Oh Jane, I love this!!! The idea of black forest liqueur makes my mouth salivate! Such a great drink to get you into festive period , and you have styled it so beautifully, love that little bottle!
Jane Saunders
Ah thankyou Anna. Just add a flaming fire and a pair of comfy slippers 😉