This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Italian Cream Liqueur is perfect for sipping, for stirring into hot coffee or tea, for drizzling over a rich cake, or even for serving with berries.
Everyone who tastes this cream liqueur comes back for more and then asks for the recipe.
A few years ago, our friend Tony gifted us a bottle of this liqueur for Christmas. It smelled heavenly when I opened it and I could hardly wait to try it in my coffee the next day. I was hooked from the first sip.
I begged Tony to share the recipe and he was kind enough to send it over to me.
I gave a bottle of this cream liqueur to a friend a few years ago and she called me before I made it home from her house to ask exactly what the “heaven in a bottle” was.
I cracked up laughing and told her to try a splash of it in her coffee the next morning. She then laughed at me and said it was too late, they were sipping it for dessert already.
Best Coffee Creamer Ever
When I tell you that this is completely irresistible, it is. It’s basically the best coffee creamer in the world. You may find it impossible to resist anytime it is in the refrigerator.
I have another friend who calls this “liquid ice cream” and she keeps it in the fridge throughout the holidays. Yes, it’s THAT good.
How To Make Italian Cream Liqueur
- Combine heavy cream, condensed milk, Frangelico liqueur, vodka, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a blender.
- Blend until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Pour into jars, bottles, or airtight containers.
- Store in the refrigerator and serve cold.
Food Gifts
I’ve made this Italian Cream Liqueur repeatedly over the past few years and everyone I’ve shared it with has loved it. It’s a very popular food gift – quite possibly the most popular one I make.
Along with a package of our favorite espresso for Cafe con Leche, or a jar of Homemade Chai Tea, who wouldn’t love having a jar of this delicious sweet creamer tucked away in the refrigerator to enjoy with their morning, afternoon, or evening cup of coffee?
Looking for more food gifts? This Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix it also a great match for a splash of this cream liqueur and this Homemade Peppermint Bark is always a hit at Christmastime too.
Italian Cream Liqueur
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup Frangelico liqueur
- 3/4 cup vodka
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until combined, about 30 seconds. Pour into jars, bottles, or airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator and serve cold. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 12/19/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/25/21}
Hi Mary – Could I substitute a different liquor in place of the Frangelico? If so, what would you suggest? I’m not fond of “Almond flavor”. Thanks!
Frangelico is actually made with hazelnuts, so there isn’t an almond flavor there, Kathy. You can skip the almond extract in the recipe. I hope that helps!
Love a good liqueur especially creamy. Yummo
I’m glad you like it, Kim!
Sounds delicious. Do you think you could sub bourbon for the vodka?
Hi Chip, it will definitely change the flavor of the recipe, as vodka is basically flavorless. However, it should work fine.
Hi there,
How long would it keep for? Must you keep it in the fridge?
Sounds delicious and I will try and make it:)
This does need to be refrigerated, Suzi. I hope that you love it.
Can’t wait to try it sounds wonderful thank you
I hope that you love it as much as we do, Debra!
How long does it last?
This will keep nicely in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, Brandi.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I’m Cuban-American and I made In Cuba Crema de Vie, and I want to do it , sooner!
I hope that you love the liqueur, Maria.
I just know your recipe for the Italian Cream Liquer will be a favorite drink for me and my friends……it looks absolutely delicious…..can’t wait to make this…thanks for sharing…
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, Loretta.
Hi Mary, I just love the idea of this creamer and can’t wait to make it for my own use. I have a question though, since this recipe includes the use of heavy cream, would you know of a way to preserve it? Like a canning process. I would really like to add this to my Christmas baskets this year, but the creamer would have to survive shipping to my loved ones. What are your thoughts? Thank you and many Blessings to you and your family.
Unfortunately, this isn’t something you can preserve that way. It requires refrigeration. I gift it to local friends and family, but do not ship it.
Can you make similar but with out alcohol .?
You can certainly make it without alcohol. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it will be a delicious creamer.
Mary – it’s amazing! Do you have any suggestions on cute gifting jars for Christmas? Also, what type of cakes have you paired with this?
I’m honestly not a cute gift giver, Julie. I tend to just pour this into bottles and hand it to friends. It’s delicious drizzled over chocolate cake or the cranberry cake.
Excellent; it’s my go-to-drink in winter. Receive many requests for this drink. From December thru April, will make at least 30 batches; most times, double or triple the recipe.
Hi Mary,
I made this delicious Italian liqueur last year and just tried making sone again.I mixed everything according to the recipe with the only difference beong that I used a blender to mix it. It did not cane out creany like before, it mixed it into a liquid and a clump of cream (kind of like a nargerine texture). It separated. The cream is fresh. Any idea or suggestions as to why this happened or how to fix this issue?
Thank you so much.
Liz
That’s very strange. I’ve never seen that happen. It sounds like it is spoiled, but I can’t imagine how that happened with fresh cream.
Heavy cream is made into butter by beating (churning) until butter separates. I think your mixture was whipped to long and was beginning to turn into butter. I’ve had that happen when whipping cream for topping dessert. Turned my back to talk to a child, and turned back to find lumpy cream.
Liz, Sometimes heavy cream can be spoiled even if in date per the shipment and grocery store. I have purchased creamer that was in date and has curdled/clumped in my coffee. That’s what could have happened!
Made this today and had it in coffee, delicious! I used my homemade hazelnut, coffee, and chocolate liqueurs and skipped the plain vodka. Subbed vanilla bean paste for extract for deeper vanilla flavor.
I am glad you enjoyed it, Madeleine.
Hi Mary,
Happy New Year!
I’ve made the liqueur. It is delicious. If you omit the vodka ,do you need to substitute the 3/4 cup of vodka for something else? I need to substitute the 3/4 cup with something non alcoholic.
Thank you!
Hi Liz, I’m so glad you like it! I’d probably try replacing it with milk, simply because that’s a good amount of liquid to be removing from the recipe. That said, Frangelico is 20% alcohol by volume, so it won’t be a non-alcoholic liqueur at all. If you’re simply trying to reduce the amount of alcohol in the mixture, milk should work fine. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it will likely be close.
Do you have a recipe decreaser to make smaller amounts?
Hi Carol, the number of servings in the recipe card is actually adjustable. You can easily decrease the portion size by sliding the arrows or just typing the number of servings you’d like to make. Enjoy!
Made it. Loved it!!
It did last a little longer in a refrigerator that is not used/opened a lot.
I will make again.
Highly recommended.
I’m glad it’s a hit, Kimberly.
Absolutely delicious. Put it in my coffee every morning. Needless to say, it did not last long lol.
I’m glad you’ve been loving the liqueur, Tamara! Enjoy.
Mary, can I sub Tuaca for frangelico for people with nut allergies (or just don’t like nuts)? I would love to use this for gifts. This def looks like a 5* recipe!
Thank you!
I bet that would be delicious, Leslie!