Black Forest Chocolate Cherry Liqueur

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!

This recipe was first published in 2018 but updated in 2022 with step-by-step instructions & images and a frequently asked questions section.

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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.

If you fancy knocking up a cream-free tipple too then have a go at my damson gin liqueur. It’s delicious.

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 foodie 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.

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:

1. Warm half of the cream in a saucepan until hot but not boiling.
2. 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.
3. Mix in the condensed milk, followed by the remaining cream.
4. Add the alcohols (and milk if using) and stir well.
5. Strain through a piece of muslin or a nut bag to ensure the final drink is smooth.
6. Decant into a sealable bottle and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.
7. 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

How to serve this homemade chocolate liqueur

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 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 cake.

Variations

Play around with the flavour profile by omitting the cherry brandy and replacing with one of the following:

1. Grand Marnier – for a wonderful chocolate orange liqueur.
2. Amaretto – for a subtle nutty flavour.
3. Coffee liqueur – to make a delicious mocha version.

More creamy 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.

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