Homemade Crème de Mûre (Blackberry Liqueur)

This recipe for Crème de Mûre (also known as Blackberry Liqueur) makes about a pint and takes a while to let the flavors really blend together. Be prepared to invest some time into this recipe, as it tastes the best after two months of blending.

It can be drank in two weeks, but the flavors of the liqueur won’t be quite as complex. If you’re as nerdy as I am, make two batches. Store one for two weeks and use it as needed, but keep the other as a backup and let it blend for a couple of months. Once you’re ready to crack into the second one, see if you notice a difference in taste. This has become a staple for our home bar, and for good reason.

I went into a deep dive of brunch recipe brainstorming a couple of months ago, and the blackberry bramble cocktail kept popping onto my radar.  There was just one problem:  it requires blackberry liqueur, and I definitely didn’t have any of that.  So rather than shelling out the cash on having some shipped to me, I decided to make my own.  And now you can have homemade blackberry liqueur, too. 🙂 Because I promise you’ll like it more than the store-bought version.

How do I make Blackberry Liqueur (Creme de Mure)?

1. Thoroughly wash the blackberries.
2. Combine the blackberries and sugar in a sterilized jar and stir to mix.
3. Stir in the water and vodka. (The liquid should completely cover the berries.)
4. Cover and store in a cool, dark place for at least two weeks, upwards of two months.
5. Shake the liqueur every few days if possible.
6. Pour the blackberry liqueur through a fine mesh strainer into a fresh sterilized jar.
7. Use for a variety of cocktails or drink it as is!

I stored the first batch for two months before tasting it, and I loved it.  However, I wanted to see if it was possible to have a delicious blackberry liqueur in a shorter amount of time.  I made a second batch, tasted it after ten days, and loved it, too!  But the differences were noticeable in both taste and color.  The younger liqueur was fresh, vibrant, and brightly colored.  The older one was much less vibrant in color, but much more complex in flavor. In my opinion, the flavor complexity is preferred, and really shines in cocktails. It just takes a bit of patience to wait for a full-flavored end product! But it’s totally worth it.

When researching how to make my own recipe, I found a lot of recipes that called for red wine. We aren’t doing that here.  In my opinion, the red wine can overpower the simple fruit in this liqueur, so we aren’t going that route.  Keeping this recipe simple really lets the blackberry flavor shine, which is exactly what we want.

Use good quality blackberries, specifically locally sourced blackberries, if possible. Because this is such a simple recipe, the quality of the main ingredient really does matter.

The sugar in this recipe helps bring out the juice of the berries, and helps add a touch of sweetness to the recipe so it isn’t too tart.

What is Crème de Mûre?

Crème de Mûre IS blackberry liqueur, made with blackberry juice.  It hails from France, and can be found pretty easily at most liquor stores or online.  It sells for about $20, but if you make your own blackberry liqueur at home, you can save yourself about $15. 🙂  But yes, Crème de Mûre is blackberry liqueur from France.

Homemade blackberry liqueur is also a great substitute for crème de cassis, which is a liqueur made with black currants. It doesn’t tastes exactly the same, but if you want to make a recipe that calls for crème de cassis and you don’t want to add another bottle to your collection, use blackberry liqueur instead.

Crème de Mûre Cocktails

The most popular cocktail recipe with Crème de Mûre is the Blackberry Bramble Cocktail. It has gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and this homemade blackberry liqueur. It’s the ideal summer cocktail, and you can lower the ABV in it by adding a little soda water to the drinks before serving. If you’re a gin fan, I highly recommend making it!

If you want to drink blackberry liqueur without making a cocktail, you could pour an ounce or two over ice then top it with ginger ale or ginger beer. Throw in a sprig of fresh mint or a bit of rosemary for garnish, too. You can also mix it with a little tequila and a squeeze of lime for a totally different approach, and not *quite* a cocktail. 🙂

While you’re waiting for your liqueur to blend, here are some of my other favorite fruit-based cocktails:

• Blueberry Cilantro Margaritas
• Blackberry Bourbon Smash
• skinny blackberry margarita
• Grilled Peach and Bourbon Cocktail
• Man O’ War Bourbon Cocktail with Luxardo Cherry Juice (not so much fruity, but REALLY good!)

This is an ideal liqueur to make in February or March (if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere), when the weather starts to gift you a really warm day every now and then and really makes you yearn for spring. I love to make a couple batches of this Crème de Mûre recipe in late February, that way it’s ready for me to drink on the better days in April!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me directly via email.  And if you get a chance to make this liqueur, tag me on Instagram so I can see!

Cheers! xx Sara