Coffee Drink
Barraquito: Tenerife’s Coffee with Licor 43, Recipe and Calories
Barraquito is a Tenerife coffee often made with condensed milk, liqueur, espresso, hot milk, lemon peel and cinnamon. This guide makes the version with Licor 43 and explains the local names used to order it.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- About 75 mg (reference)36 g prepared espresso; generic USDA referenceThe estimate uses USDA prepared-espresso composition; beans and extraction affect caffeine.
- Calories
- About 140 kcalDefined ingredients; liqueur energy from alcohol and sugarLiqueur calories are an approximation, not a manufacturer calorie declaration. Lemon-peel garnish is excluded.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 1 home drink: 36 g espresso, 20 g (1 US tbsp) condensed milk, 40 g (2 US tbsp + 2 US tsp) milk and 15 ml (0.5 US fl oz) liqueur, plus garnish
- Made with
- Espresso, two milks, Licor 43, lemon peel and cinnamon
- Sugar
- About 18.7 g total sugar. Includes condensed milk, plain milk and liqueur. Added sugar is present, but the cited labels do not declare a separate added-sugar quantity.
- Preparation
- About 5 minutes; espresso equipment ready
Tenerife Tourism, Carnation UK, Licor 43, Systembolaget and USDA references. Contains alcohol; caffeine does not remove alcohol impairment. Checked 25 September 2026. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- 1For the liqueur version, ask what the café includes. Tenerife Tourism records local use of zaperoco or barraquito especial.
- 2This home serving combines espresso, two milks and 15 ml (0.5 US fl oz) Licor 43, with lemon and cinnamon: about 140 kcal and 18.7 g total sugar.
- 3The espresso contributes about 75 mg reference caffeine. The defined liqueur portion contains about 4.7 ml pure alcohol.
On This Page10 Sections
Barraquito, Zaperoco and Leche Y Leche
Ask whether the drink includes liqueur. Tenerife Tourism describes a coffee with condensed milk, ordinary milk, coffee, lemon, cinnamon and Licor 43, while also noting that café recipes differ. Its local café interview records zaperoco or barraquito especial as useful names for the liqueur version in some parts of Tenerife. A plain order of barraquito may instead bring coffee with the two milks.
“¿Lleva licor?” is a direct way to check. If avoiding alcohol, request it explicitly without liqueur rather than relying on the name.
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Drink on this site | Main ingredients | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Barraquito, this recipe | Espresso, condensed milk, whole milk, Licor 43, lemon peel and cinnamon | Contains alcohol |
| Leche y leche | Coffee, condensed milk and ordinary milk | No liqueur in our recipe |
| Café bombón | Coffee and condensed milk | No additional plain milk in our base recipe |
| Carajillo | Coffee and a spirit or liqueur | A coffee-and-alcohol family with different spirits and serving styles |
How to Make a Barraquito
Use a 150 ml (5.1 US fl oz) heatproof glass and leave room for foam. The five-minute timing assumes the espresso equipment is ready.
The cinnamon amount is a small-pinch approximation; an ordinary 1 g kitchen scale cannot measure 0.2 g accurately. The peel is aromatic garnish, not an ingredient to eat. Use a small saucepan and handheld frother for this modest milk portion if your steam pitcher needs more milk.
Recipe
Barraquito with Licor 43
- Makes:
- 1 serving
- Time:
- 5 minutes; espresso equipment ready
Ingredients
- 20 g (1 US tbsp) sweetened condensed milk
- 15 ml (0.5 US fl oz) Licor 43 Original (31% ABV)
- 18 g finely ground coffee, brewed to 36 g espresso
- 40 g (2 US tbsp + 2 US tsp) whole milk, weighed before heating
- Small pinch ground cinnamon (about 0.2 g)
- 1 thin strip washed lemon peel, for garnish
Equipment
- Espresso brewer, scale, 15 ml (0.5 US fl oz) measure, milk heater/frother, spoon, 150 ml (5.1 US fl oz) heatproof glass
Method
- Spoon 20 g (1 US tbsp) condensed milk into a 150 ml (5.1 US fl oz) heatproof glass.
- Measure 15 ml (0.5 US fl oz) Licor 43 Original and gently add it.
- Brew 18 g coffee to collect 36 g espresso; pour slowly over a spoon into the glass.
- Warm 40 g (2 US tbsp + 2 US tsp) milk gently without boiling, lightly froth, then add all the milk and foam.
- Add a small pinch of cinnamon and the lemon peel, avoiding thick white pith.
- Serve promptly with a spoon. Stir before drinking; set the peel aside.
Estimated nutrition per serving: 140 calories; total sugar 18.7 g. Serving: 1 drink with 15 ml (0.5 US fl oz) Licor 43 Original.
Recipe notes
Milk weight is before heating. Contains alcohol. About 140 kcal, 18.7 g total sugar; 75 mg generic caffeine reference. Peel excluded.
What Does a Barraquito Taste Like?
Condensed milk supplies concentrated sweetness and a thick texture. Licor 43 Original brings the brand’s citrus-and-vanilla character, while lemon peel and cinnamon add aroma at the surface. The coffee’s roast and extraction also shape the flavor.
I take a moment to enjoy the layers, then stir. For me, the drink comes together when condensed milk, coffee and liqueur reach the same sip; tasting one layer alone tells me very little about the balance. A blurred boundary does not mean the ingredients or flavor are wrong.
Barraquito Calories, Sugar, Caffeine and Alcohol
For the ingredients above, the estimate is about 140 kcal, 18.7 g total sugar and 75 mg reference caffeine. It includes the small cinnamon pinch and excludes the lemon peel.
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Ingredient in one drink | Estimated calories | Total sugar |
|---|---|---|
| 20 g (1 US tbsp) Carnation UK condensed milk | About 64 kcal | 11 g |
| 40 g (2 US tbsp + 2 US tsp) whole milk | About 24 kcal | About 2 g |
| 36 g generic prepared espresso | About 3 kcal | 0 g |
| 15 ml (0.5 US fl oz) Licor 43 Original | About 49 kcal, calculated | About 5.7 g |
| Small cinnamon pinch, about 0.2 g | Less than 1 kcal | Trace |
Total sugar is not the same as added sugar: the condensed-milk and liqueur records report totals without a separate added-sugar breakdown.
The liqueur energy calculation is shown below. Changing milk or liqueur while keeping the same coffee leaves coffee caffeine unchanged.
Serving calculation and source assumptions
Carnation declares 322 kcal per 100 g and 27.5 g total sugar per 50 g. USDA whole milk contributes 61 kcal and 5.05 g sugar per 100 g; its generic prepared espresso contributes 9 kcal and 0 g sugar per 100 g.
For the liqueur calculation, Licor 43 confirms 31% ABV for Original; Systembolaget’s named product record reports 38.1 g sugar per 100 ml. Thus 15 ml supplies 4.65 ml pure alcohol and 5.715 g sugar. Using approximately 0.79 g ethanol per ml and energy factors of 7 kcal/g alcohol and 4 kcal/g sugar gives about 49 kcal. This estimates the energy supplied by alcohol and sugar. The full ingredient sum is approximately 141 kcal before rounding.
The 75 mg caffeine reference comes from 36 × 212 ÷ 100 = 76.32 mg using USDA’s generic prepared-espresso record. Beans and extraction affect the actual caffeine.
Barraquito Troubleshooting
| What you notice | Useful change |
|---|---|
| Too sweet | Reduce condensed milk from 20 g (1 US tbsp) to 10 g (½ US tbsp) next time; this removes about 32 kcal and 5.5 g total sugar. |
| Liqueur dominates | Use less liqueur or choose leche y leche. This changes the alcohol and nutrition totals. |
| Layers mix during pouring | Pour slowly over a spoon. Some mixing is normal; do not repeatedly reheat the drink to chase a perfect photograph. |
| Foam is too stiff | Aerate less. Serve the warm milk as well as its foam, rather than replacing the measured milk with a large dry cap. |
| Lemon tastes bitter | Use a thin peel with little white pith and remove it before drinking. |
History and Culture
Tenerife’s café service makes the glass part of the presentation: coffee, sweet milk and foam arrive visibly layered, with citrus and spice in the liqueur version. The tourism board’s published recipe also allows for house variations. When exploring different cafés, compare the ingredients and sweetness rather than expecting identical bands or one fixed order of pouring.
Practical Detail
Omitting the liqueur from this recipe lowers the estimate to about 95 kcal and 13 g total sugar. It also removes the liqueur’s flavor. Decaf espresso is another independent choice, with residual caffeine requiring its own reference.
Common Questions
Does Barraquito always contain alcohol?
Which Licor 43 should I use?
Is Barraquito the same as leche y leche?
Should I stir it?
How much caffeine does it contain?
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
11 references
External links open in a new tab
Identity and ordering
- Tenerife TourismBarraquito recipeOfficial ingredient and service context. This page uses its own measured home quantities.(opens in a new tab)
- Tenerife TourismHow to prepare a BarraquitoCafé interview and local naming caveat: zaperoco or barraquito especial may distinguish the liqueur version.(opens in a new tab)
Serving calculations
- Carnation UKCondensed Milk 397 g TinManufacturer: 322 kcal per 100 g and 27.5 g total sugar per 50 g. Added sugar is an ingredient.(opens in a new tab)
- USDA Standard ReferencePrepared espresso, NDB 14210Pages 540–541, per 100 g: 9 kcal, 0 g sugar and 212 mg caffeine. Applied to the 36 g prepared-espresso portion.(opens in a new tab)
- USDA Standard ReferenceWhole milk, NDB 01077Per 100 g: 61 kcal and 5.05 g total sugar. Milk is weighed before heating and all of it is served.(opens in a new tab)
- USDA Standard ReferenceGround cinnamon, NDB 02010Per 100 g: 247 kcal and 2.17 g sugar. A small pinch is approximated as 0.2 g.(opens in a new tab)
Liqueur and alcohol
- Licor 43Licor 43 Original FAQManufacturer confirms Original is 31% ABV.(opens in a new tab)
- SystembolagetLicor 43 Original, product 78902Defined Swedish 500 ml product record: 31% ABV and 38.1 g sugar per 100 ml. Used for 15 ml, not 15 g.(opens in a new tab)
- European UnionFood information regulation, Annex XIVEnergy factors: alcohol 7 kcal/g and carbohydrate 4 kcal/g. Liqueur energy is calculated, not a declared bottle value.(opens in a new tab)
- NIAAAWhat counts as a drinkAbout 14 g ethanol per 0.6 US fl oz supports the approximate 0.79 g/ml conversion used for energy.(opens in a new tab)
- CDCAlcohol and caffeineCaffeine does not reduce alcohol’s effects on the body.(opens in a new tab)