Homemade Allspice Liqueur

Allspice liqueur, also known as allspice dram or pimento dram, is a simple liqueur that is flavored with allspice berries and cinnamon. It’s a great winter liqueur and I’m working on a fun cocktail using it that I’ll share with you tomorrow. What I love about it is it has a nice sweetness balanced with a strong spiced flavor that just makes me think of the holidays.

You can buy your own allspice liqueur, but it’s really easy and cheap to make and I’m sure it probably tastes better homemade (most things do). It does take a little planning, as the rum needs to steep for 12 days, but the amount of time you put into is minimal. All you have to do is remember to shake the jar occasionally. Have you ever made a liqueur or infused alcohol at home?

Homemade Allspice Liqueur

Adapted from Serious Eats

Ingredients

1 cup light rum
1/4 cup whole allspice berries
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 cup water
2/3 cup brown sugar

Instructions

Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, crush allspice berries into large pieces.
Put the crushed allspice berries into a sealable glass container. Pour the rum over them, seal the container, and shake it to mix everything together.
Let the rum steep for 4 days, shaking it daily. On the 5th day, crush the cinnamon stick into large pieces and add it to the rum.
After 7 more days (12 total days of steeping), strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook water and sugar until boiling. Stir until sugar is dissolved (around 5 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Add cooled syrup to infused rum and pour into a sealable glass container. Shake to combine and let liqueur sit for 2 days before using. Store for up to 2 months.

https://www.52kitchenadventures.com/2012/11/18/homemade-allspice-liqueur/

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12 Comments on Homemade Allspice Liqueur

Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet
November 18, 2012 at 8:56 am (12 years ago)

I have never made a homemade liqueur but this sounds perfect for the season! Now I need to find the berries allspice. 🙂
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet recently posted Easy Dinner Rolls
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- Stephanie Nuccitelli
  November 18, 2012 at 9:22 am (12 years ago)
  
  Anna, I found allspice berries in the bulk spices section of my local food co-op, but you can get them on Amazon or spice websites like Spice Sage.
Ellen
November 18, 2012 at 10:34 am (12 years ago)

Wow, I just finished the final stages of blueberry liqueur last night. 🙂 This looks amazing and yields a much smaller and more manageable quantity than most liqueur recipes I’ve found. And, I like that it calls for rum. Most call for everclear or 100 proof vodka. Great job! I bet this is not only great in a cocktail, but would make a killer cupcake and amazing frosting! Happy holidays!!
P.S. I also linked your ombre’ cake post to my lasted so folks get the lowdown from the ombre’ master! 🙂
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- Stephanie Nuccitelli
  November 18, 2012 at 5:14 pm (12 years ago)
  
  Ellen, I like your thinking! Allspice cupcakes – yum! I’m envious of your blueberry liqueur (that’s my favorite fruit!). I can’t wait to see what you make with it. Thanks for sharing the ombré cake link!
Stef
November 18, 2012 at 5:04 pm (12 years ago)

Neat recipe! Totally different from anything I’ve seen before. Love it!
Stef recently posted Sweet and Salty Toasted Pumpkin Seeds – Easy and Addictive
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- Stephanie Nuccitelli
  November 18, 2012 at 5:15 pm (12 years ago)
  
  Stef, thanks! I’m really excited to try your sweet and salty pumpkin seeds btw!
The Omnivore
November 20, 2012 at 8:28 am (12 years ago)

I’ve been on an allspice kick too! I’ve never made liqueur before — I’ll definitely have to try my hand at that one of these days. 🙂

This would probably be amazing in hot apple cider.
The Omnivore recently posted Monthly Cooking Adventure: Stuffed Potatoes
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Aaron
December 30, 2012 at 3:56 pm (12 years ago)

Thanks for the recipe! Perfect quantity. I just finished, and it tastes great. I would recommend though, for those that wish to drink it straight, that the total steeping time be reduced – maybe in half (six days). For me, it’s a little bitter. I’m sure it’s perfect as a mixer though.
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Miriam
January 26, 2013 at 10:49 am (12 years ago)

Hi!

I made this as a holiday gift for my bf’s mother. It was the first time I had ever heard of this stuff, but it sounded like something she’d enjoy, so I threw it together for her. As soon as she opened it, she ran and got liqueur glasses for all of us to try it. It. was. delicious. (if I do say so myself.) I’ve just put together two more batches– one for my bf and one for me. 🙂 This stuff is just so yummy!

Thanks for the great recipe.
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Sandy Sockett
June 17, 2013 at 6:02 am (11 years ago)

Great recipe!! I made it with dark rum and then made a rum cocktail with 2 oz. Dark rum (I use Ron Zacapa) 1 oz. Allspice liqueur 1 to 2 oz. of lime juice and vanilla simple syrup to taste, and it is amazing! Vanilla simple syrup is easy, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water and a split vanilla bean, cook the water and sugar until dissolved and then add the vanilla bean. Store in the fridge in a jar and keeps for 2 weeks. The longer it sits the stronger the vanilla flavor. Cheers!
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Ross
December 17, 2016 at 11:38 pm (8 years ago)

While this is steeping for 12 days, does any care need to be taken regarding where it steeps? e.g. In or out of sunlight? in or out of fridge/freezer?

I’ve been on a kick making spiced cider all winter, and after dropping $30 on a small bottle of st. elizabeth’s, I’m happy to be making my own!
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