Carajillo (Spanish Coffee Cocktail)
A warm and cozy, low-alcohol, coffee cocktail! The Carajillo is a Spanish coffee cocktail that is simply hot coffee with a spirit. In this case, it's Licor 43, a Spanish liqueur from Cartagena.
Like most cocktails, carajillo's possible origin stories are muddled, convoluted, and slightly rebellious. Everything from Spanish soldiers consuming coffee and liqueur for courage, to Catalonians wanting to drink something in a hurry before leaving, to Andalusian workers imbibing in a morning coffee with alcohol because "why not."
Traditionally, the coffee cocktail was hot coffee plus a spirit such as brandy, rum, or more recently, the vanilla-like spirit Licor 43. Many restaurants in Spain and Latin America served it as an after-dinner drink in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, carajillo poured over ice is a popular cold cocktail everywhere, especially in Mexico.
I love this easy, low ABV drink, especially for weekend brunches or relaxing evenings.
Some delicious sweets to pair with this include Apple Galette with Frangipane, Banana Cookies with Brown Butter, and Small Batch Basque Cheesecake.
Lessons Learned
- Because this drink only has two ingredients (and one of them is coffee), you want them to be of good quality. I like a bold dark roast coffee (preferably pour-over), but choose the coffee you like best.
- Drinking this in the evening? Sub in decaf coffee so you can actually go to sleep later.
- Licor 43 has complex vanilla, citrus, and herbal flavor notes. If you don't have it and don't want to buy it, sub in your favorite brandy or rum. Equally delish!
Hat Tips
Many thanks to Licor 43 for the carajillo recipe which I adapted.
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Carajillo (Spanish Coffee Cocktail)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
Description
A warm and cozy, low-alcohol, coffee cocktail! The Carajillo is a Spanish coffee cocktail that is simply hot coffee with a spirit like Licor 43.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dark roast hot coffee
- ½ ounce Licor 43
- Optional: 1 strip orange peel
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Pour coffee and Licor 43 into a mug.
- Hold the orange peel, colored side facing the coffee, and squeeze to express the aromatic oils into the drink. Rub the peel around the rim of the mug. Sip and enjoy.
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