Homemade Italian Liqueurs

Advice, 8 Recipes + 1 video

Over the years, without even trying that hard, I’ve become pretty good at making homemade liqueurs. The main reason? It’s a hugely impressive feat for very little effort. I love pulling out a glistening bottle of something special and telling everyone I made it myself. Plus, small bottles make the best gifts ever. Anyone can buy a bottle of wine at the store and bring it to a dinner party, but a bottle of homemade Nocino or Ratafia? Especially when Domenico adds a handmade label? Now that’s impressive.

The Basics

The basic process is more or less the same regardless of what liqueur you’re making. Some kind of fruit (or herb, or nut) is left to macerate in pure alcohol. It’s then drained and diluted with a mixture of sugar, water, and/or wine. And that’s it! The magic, of course, comes from the choice of fruit and spices, as well as the quality and variety of the fruit.

For the most part, my liqueur adventures have been inspired by the fruit I have on hand—either from our own trees or foraged in the woods.

Since the season is approaching for making some of my favorites, I thought it would be a good time to gather the recipes for myself and share them here