Home
Recipes
Cocktails
Coffee Cocktails & Alcoholic
Café Amaretto Recipe

Café Amaretto Recipe

By What’s Baking

A seductive blend of rich coffee liqueur, smooth amaretto, and fresh cream creates a dessert-worthy cocktail that's both indulgent and remarkably balanced.
Difficulty:
Beginner
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
Serves:
1 cocktail
A close-up shot of a Café Amaretto in a crystal-clear rocks glass, showcasing distinct layers of dark coffee liqueur and cream crowned with a light dusting of cocoa powder. The lighting is warm and intimate, resembling the amber glow of a sophisticated cocktail lounge. Ice cubes glisten as they slowly melt, with condensation forming on the exterior of the glass. A whole coffee bean garnish rests on top of the cream, while a cinnamon stick leans against the rim, providing texture contrast. The cocktail sits atop a polished wooden bar surface with soft focus bar bottles in the background, creating depth and context.

Ingredients

<ul class="ingredients-main-list"><li class="ingredients-single-item">30ml coffee liqueur (Kahlúa)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">30ml amaretto liqueur (Disaronno)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">45ml fresh cream</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml simple syrup</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">Ice cubes</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">Cocoa powder for garnish</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 coffee bean for garnish (optional)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 cinnamon stick for garnish (optional)</li></ul>

Equipment

<ul class="equipment-main-list"><li class="equipment-single-item">Rocks glass</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Bar spoon</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Jigger for measuring</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Fine mesh strainer (optional for smoother texture)</li></ul>
BAKE SMARTER

Kitchen Converter

Quickly switch between common baking units without leaving the recipe.

Convert
⇄
Result—

Volume uses US cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons. Converting weight to volume depends on the ingredient.

Directions

<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>Fill your rocks glass with ice cubes to chill it thoroughly while you prepare the ingredients. After about 30 seconds, discard the water and ice.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>Add fresh ice to your now-chilled glass. The quality of ice matters here - larger cubes will melt more slowly, preventing unwanted dilution of your cocktail.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>Pour 30ml of coffee liqueur directly over the ice. The liqueur should smoothly coat the ice cubes as it settles at the bottom of the glass.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>Next, add 30ml of amaretto liqueur on top. Pour slowly to maintain a slight layering effect with the coffee liqueur. The sweet almond notes will complement the coffee beautifully.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>Add 15ml of simple syrup. This balances the alcohol strength and enhances the dessert-like quality of the drink. You can adjust this to your sweetness preference.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>Gently stir with a bar spoon to incorporate all the alcohol elements without disturbing the ice too much. About 5-7 rotations should be sufficient for proper mixing.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>For the final layer, slowly pour 45ml of fresh cream over the back of a bar spoon so it floats on top of the mixture. The spoon technique is crucial - hold it just above the surface and pour slowly to create a clean layer.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>Garnish with a light dusting of cocoa powder across the top of the cream. For an extra touch of elegance, add a single coffee bean and/or a cinnamon stick. The aromatics will enhance the drinking experience.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4>Serve immediately while the temperature contrast between the cold alcohol and the fresh cream is at its peak. Encourage your guest to sip through the cream layer to experience all flavors simultaneously.</li></ol>

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

🍽️ Serving Size: 1 cocktail
🔥 Calories: 215 calories
🥑 Fat: 5 g
🧈 Saturated Fat: 3 g
🍞 Carbohydrates: 15 g
🍭 Sugar: 13 g
🍗 Protein: 1 g
🫀 Cholesterol: 20 mg
🧂 Sodium: 5 mg

Chef’s Notes

A few helpful details for making this recipe.

Can I create a dairy-free version of this creamy coffee cocktail?

Absolutely! Substitute the fresh cream with coconut cream, oat cream, or almond milk creamer for a dairy-free alternative. These options maintain the cocktail's luxurious mouthfeel and layering effect while offering a complementary flavour profile to the coffee and amaretto.

What's the best way to achieve perfect layering in this cocktail?

The key to perfect layering is pouring the cream slowly over the back of a bar spoon held just above the liquid surface. Ensure your cream is cold and fresh (not ultra-pasteurised) for optimal floating. Pour gently and with patience—rushing will cause ingredients to mix prematurely.

Which coffee liqueur works best for a premium after-dinner drink?

While Kahlúa is widely available, consider Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur for a more intense coffee flavour with less sweetness. Other excellent options include Tia Maria, St. George NOLA Coffee Liqueur, or homemade coffee liqueur using espresso and your preferred base spirit.

Want to try something else in ...

More recipes you might like

Keep exploring with more recipes from What's Baking.

View all
An elegant lowball glass featuring a deep amber-brown cocktail with a distinctive creamy nitrogen-infused head, captured from a 45-degree angle that highlights its silky texture. Crystal-clear ice cubes catch the warm, amber bar lighting, creating golden reflections through the drink. A twisted orange peel garnish rests on the glass rim, with tiny essential oil droplets visible on the drink's surface. Moody lighting creates dramatic shadows against a dark wooden bar top, while copper bar tools sit slightly blurred in the background, suggesting the craft that went into creating this nitro-infused twist on a classic.
Cocktails
Coffee Cocktails & Alcoholic

Nitro Coffee Old Fashioned Recipe

A sophisticated fusion of cold brew intensity and whiskey warmth, heightened with nitrogen's velvety texture and punctuated with orange notes for a contemporary classic experience.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
Serves:
1 cocktail
View recipe
A crystal rocks glass showcases dramatic layers where dark espresso cascades over a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, creating mesmerizing coffee-colored swirls. The glass sits on a rustic wooden board against a moody background with warm, low lighting that emphasizes the drink's rich amber-brown tones. Condensation forms on the exterior while a delicate orange twist and coffee bean garnish rest artistically on top. A bottle of artisanal amaro stands blurred in the background, suggesting the cocktail's bittersweet foundation.
Cocktails
Coffee Cocktails & Alcoholic

Amaro Affogato Cocktail Recipe

A decadent fusion of bitter amaro, rich espresso, and velvety ice cream creates a sophisticated dessert cocktail that balances warmth and chill with exquisite complexity.
Difficulty:
Beginner
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
Serves:
1 cocktail
View recipe
An elegant martini glass filled with a dark, glossy espresso cocktail, topped with a perfect layer of silky crema. The deep brown-black liquid catches the light with subtle crimson undertones. A single maraschino cherry speared with a thin chocolate stick rests on the rim, while cocoa powder dusts one side of the glass surface. Shot in moody, atmospheric bar lighting that creates dramatic shadows, emphasizing the luxurious texture of the cocktail. Droplets of condensation bead on the chilled glass, suggesting the perfect temperature. A bottle of cherry liqueur and chocolate bitters sit blurred in the background, hinting at the complex flavors within.
Cocktails
Coffee Cocktails & Alcoholic

Black Forest Espresso Martini Recipe

A decadent fusion of rich espresso, velvety chocolate, and luscious cherry flavors that transforms the classic espresso martini into a boozy Black Forest gateau in a glass.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
Serves:
1 cocktail
View recipe
A crystal-clear rocks glass with a single large ice cube capturing light reflections, filled with an amber-bronze cocktail that hints at both coffee richness and botanical complexity. Golden hour lighting accentuates the warm tones against a dark walnut bar top, while wisps of expressed orange oils hover above the surface. A twisted orange peel garnish rests elegantly on the rim, with coffee beans scattered artfully nearby to hint at the flavor profile. The drink's silky texture is evident in the way it clings slightly to the glass, suggesting both spirit strength and coffee integration.
Cocktails
Coffee Cocktails & Alcoholic

Coffee Negroni Blanco Recipe

A sophisticated fusion of bright white coffee notes with the herbal complexity of a white negroni, creating an invigorating yet smooth aperitivo experience.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
Serves:
1 cocktail
View recipe
A short, heavy-bottomed rocks glass sits against a dark wooden bar top illuminated by warm, amber lighting. The Sombrero cocktail displays perfect layering - a deep, chocolate-brown base of Kahlúa transitioning into a cloud-like layer of pristine white cream that floats delicately on top. A fine dusting of freshly grated coffee beans creates a delicate pattern across the cream's surface, with a single coffee bean garnish resting at the center. The contrast between the dark liqueur and bright white cream is accentuated by droplets of condensation gathering on the glass, suggesting the perfect serving temperature.
Cocktails
Coffee Cocktails & Alcoholic

Sombrero - Kahlúa (Coffee Liqueur) and Cream Recipe

A luscious, velvety cascade of rich coffee liqueur gently blanketed with fresh cream, offering comforting warmth and indulgent sweetness in each sip.
Difficulty:
Beginner
Prep Time:
2 mins
Cook Time:
Serves:
1 cocktail
View recipe
A Coffee Negroni captured in dramatic low-key lighting with sharp highlights accentuating the drink's deep amber-ruby color transitioning to dark coffee tones. The cocktail rests in a crystal rocks glass with a large crystal-clear ice cube, where thin swirls of coffee create mesmerizing patterns within the drink. A perfectly twisted orange peel garnish rests on the rim, with essential oils glistening on the surface. Soft backlighting illuminates the translucent edges of the drink, showcasing its silky texture and complex layering of Campari, gin, vermouth, and cold brew. Condensation beads on the outside of the glass catch ambient light, suggesting the perfect serving temperature.
Cocktails
Coffee Cocktails & Alcoholic

Coffee Negroni Recipe

A bold fusion of classic bitter-sweet Negroni elements with rich cold brew coffee undertones, creating a sophisticated caffeine-infused aperitivo experience.
Difficulty:
Beginner
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
Serves:
1 cocktail
View recipe