Coffee Drink
Carajillo: Hot Coffee with Brandy and the Iced Licor 43 Style
Carajillo can mean a small hot coffee with a spirit or an iced, sweeter cocktail. Choose the style before choosing the recipe.
What Is Carajillo?
A carajillo combines coffee and alcohol. The Spanish dictionary definition describes hot coffee mixed with a spirit; a popular contemporary variation combines espresso and Licor 43 over ice. This guide’s primary recipe is a small, unflamed hot carajillo with brandy.
Jump to: Hot recipe · Iced Licor 43 version · Troubleshooting · Caffeine and sugar
Key Takeaways
- 1Hot brandy carajillo and iced Licor 43 carajillo are different preparations.
- 2The primary home recipe uses 30 ml espresso and 30 ml brandy, with optional sugar.
- 3Cool espresso before shaking an iced version in a closed shaker.
Drink Snapshot
- Primary style
- Hot and unflamed
- Coffee
- 30 ml espresso
- Spirit
- 30 ml brandy
- Time
- About 5 minutes
On This Page10 Sections
Flavor and Tasting Notes
The hot brandy version is compact and spirit-forward. Espresso brings bitterness and roasted aromas; brandy can add fruit and oak character. It does not automatically taste smoky, and sweetness depends on whether you add sugar.
Licor 43 changes the profile substantially. The maker describes citrus and vanilla among its flavors. Combined with espresso and ice, it produces a sweeter, cooler drink with more dilution and, when shaken, a foamy surface.
Preparation and Recipe
Hot Brandy Carajillo
Makes one small serving; allow about 5 minutes, excluding machine warm-up. You need espresso equipment, a small liquid measure, a teaspoon and a 100–120 ml heatproof glass or cup. These are home proportions, not a universal regional standard.
Ingredients
- 30 ml freshly prepared espresso
- 30 ml brandy, around 40% ABV
- 4 g granulated sugar, optional
- 1 small strip lemon peel, optional
Method
- Warm a 100–120 ml heatproof glass or cup with hot water, then empty it. Measure 30 ml brandy.
- Prepare 30 ml espresso. If using the optional 4 g sugar, dissolve it in the hot espresso.
- Pour the espresso and measured brandy into the warm glass and stir gently. If using lemon peel, bend it over the drink to release its oils, then add it. Serve hot without igniting the spirit.
Hot Carajillo vs. Iced Licor 43 Carajillo
This table scrolls horizontally on smaller screens.
| Style | Coffee and alcohol | Serving |
|---|---|---|
| Hot home recipe above | 30 ml espresso and 30 ml brandy | Small warm glass; optional sugar and peel |
| Licor 43 maker’s iced formulation | 50 ml espresso and 50 ml Licor 43 | Shaken or mixed over ice |
For the second style, Licor 43 publishes a 50:50 recipe. At home, cool the prepared espresso to room temperature first, then shake it with the measured liqueur and plenty of ice for about 10–15 seconds. Strain into a 250 ml rocks glass over fresh ice. The coffee volume here is larger than the hot recipe’s; neither “one shot” nor “one carajillo” guarantees a fixed caffeine amount.
If you do not have a shaker, stir the cooled coffee and liqueur over ice. The drink will have less foam, but the same core ingredients. Extra sugar is usually unnecessary with this liqueur.
Dialing in and Troubleshooting
- Hot version tastes too strong: use 15 ml brandy in the next serving, or choose the smaller-spirit caffè corretto format.
- Iced version is watery: cool the coffee before it meets the ice and serve promptly after mixing.
- Iced version is too sweet: leave out syrup and sugar; a smaller liqueur addition changes the maker’s recipe but lets you choose your own balance.
- Little foam after shaking: use freshly brewed, then cooled espresso and shake firmly with solid ice. Foam varies with the coffee and equipment.
History and Culture
The RAE–ASALE dictionary anchors the hot coffee-and-spirit meaning. Licor 43 documents its own iced coffee cocktail, associated in the brand’s account with Mexico. These sources support two recognizable styles without requiring a single origin legend to explain them both.
The hot carajillo also differs from the cream-topped Spanish coffee cocktail served in some American bars. Those names should not be treated as interchangeable.
Caffeine, Alcohol and Sugar
Coffee supplies caffeine in both versions. Shot size and coffee preparation matter more than whether the drink is hot or iced. The brandy recipe can omit added sugar; Licor 43 contributes sweetness even without syrup. Check the bottle for alcohol strength and nutrition rather than assigning one calorie number to every carajillo.