Raspberry liqueur (malinovača or malinovac liker) is a lusciously fruity alcoholic beverage made from steeping fresh raspberries in liquor and sugar for a few weeks. The result is a vibrant, aromatic pinkish-red liqueur with an unforgettable sweet yet slightly tart, raspberry flavor. Shall we?
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Background
Raspberry liqueur is a sweet, delicious beverage made by infusing liquor with raspberries and sugar and then leaving the mixture in a sunny spot to ferment. The preparation method is similar to making sour cherry brandy, but the final taste is lighter, tarter, and delightfully refreshing, with a distinctly fruity aroma.
In the Balkans, it goes by malina ('raspberry'), malinovača, and malinovac liker. It's often consumed on its own, or used in cocktails and culinary dishes. Once the fermentation is over and the mixture strained, the remaining raspberries can be further used for jams and desserts.
While famous brands like the exotic Chambord and fizzy Framboise continue to capture the imagination of the world, our easy liqueur recipe will help capture the imagination of your loved ones.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make raspberry liqueur (malinovac liker, malinovača ili malina). As promised, only three ingredients are needed.
Raspberries:
- Look for ripe raspberries. Substitute with frozen raspberries. (Wait for them to thaw before combining with sugar and liquor).
Alcohol:
- Homemade fruit brandy is best for making raspberry liqueur. (Local Balkan plum brandy šljivovica is our top choice!) However, if you can't find it, clear, neutral spirits are perfect substitutions. Think vodka, gin, or white rum.
- Why do we recommend these types of liquors? Clear and neutral brandies provide the best fermentation results because they don't overpower the inherent fruit flavors. These spirits soak up everything the fruit offers while providing a subtly alcoholic taste.
Sugar:
- Opt for granulated white sugar for fermenting. Alternatively, you can use brown sugar to make raspberry liqueur, but use less of it.
(Optional):
- Vanilla in any form (stick, extract, sugar).
Instructions
Here are the malinovac liker instructions. Arm yourself with a little bit of patience, and you're in for a liqueur of your life!
Step 1. Layer sugar and raspberries, alternately into a wide-brimmed jar(s) to the top.
Step 2. Gently pour the liquor into the jar, allowing it to gradually settle at the bottom until it reaches the top. Securely tighten the lids.
Step 3. Leave jar(s) in a relatively sunny place for at least 40 days, and/or longer. (Think window seal, balcony corner, sunny kitchen counter, etc.)
Step 4. When the 40 (or more) days have passed, strain the raspberry liqueur into bottles. Use the remaining raspberries for dessert (keep in the fridge) or make boozy raspberry jam (see below).
Making Boozy Raspberry Jam
You can further use the raspberries after straining the liqueur by making them into a boozy jam.
Step 1. In a wide pot, add the raspberries from the liqueur and 1 cup of sugar. Stir well. Cook on low for 15-30 minutes, until it thickens a bit, stirring frequently.
Step 2. Transfer to a sterilized jar, secure the lid, and leave in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.
- Use over bread, crepes, or for desserts like ice cream or rice pudding.
Handling
Serving: serve anytime and for any occasion! It's a great digestif (after-dinner drink to help with digestion). Alternatively, serve malinovac with dessert and coffee.
This liqueur is best consumed out of shot glasses, one sip at a time. One or two shot glasses are a perfect serving size. This drink is deceptive! Drink a third shot glass and you might find yourself tipsy beyond belief.
Storing: the liqueur can last up to two years when stored correctly. (We like to consume it within the year of making it, if you can make it last that long!) Keep it in the liquor cabinet or a cool dark place that's not the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Raspberry liqueur: a sweet, delicious raspberry-infused spirit.
In the Balkans, homemade raspberry liqueur is called malinovača, malinovac liker, or simply malina ("raspberry").
Commercial raspberry liqueurs include Chambord, made with black raspberry, and Framboise, which is a catchall phrase for all liqueurs made from raspberries minus sugar.
Raspberry liqueur is deceptively strong. It's best when consumed out of shot glasses, and sipped. Only a few of these will cause intoxication.
Liquor is a broad term referring to distilled alcoholic beverages.
Brandy is a type of liquor made by distilling fermented fruit juice or wine.
Liqueurs are made by further fermenting liquor (often a brandy such as plum brandy) with different fruits like cherries, raspberries, lemon, quince, et al. In short, a liqueur is a sweetened, fermented version of liquor.
Other Beverages
Malinovača (malinovac liker) isn't the only amazing beverage on the site. Check these out too!
Thoughts?
If you made our raspberry liqueur, known as malinjača or malinovac liker, and liked it, please consider giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This helps others find the recipe more easily!
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Prijatno and bon appetit!
Raspberry Liqueur (Malinovac Liker)
Equipment
- Two 64-ounce (2 liter) jars with wide brims. (This jar size is optional. All sizes work, but you'll need more jars if you go for smaller ones.)
- Two 32-ounce (500 milliliters) bottles with caps. These are for storing the raspberry liqueur after fermentation.
Ingredients
- 6.5-7 pounds fresh (or frozen) raspberries weight is an approximation, a little less or more raspberries is fine, if frozen, weigh and use after they thaw
- 3.3 pounds white granulated sugar
- 35 ounces clear neutral liquor (.75-1 liter) fruit brandy like plum šljivovica is best, alternatively use vodka, gin, or white rum; (volume is an approximation, you may need even less than this)
- (Optional) One vanilla stick, 1-2 teaspoons vanilla sugar or ½ teaspoon extract
Instructions
Making Homemade Raspberry Liqueur
- Thoroughly wash raspberries, and then layer them in the jar interchangeably with the sugar. Start with raspberries, then generously cover with a few tablespoons of sugar. Repeat until you fill the entire jar.
- Slowly pour the liquor into the jar over sugar and raspberries, as much as the jar will take. This process takes a few minutes as the alcohol needs time to work through the raspberries and sugar to reach the bottom of the jar, and then to fill it up to the top. When the jar is filled, secure the lid. Repeat the steps for the remaining jar(s).
- Take the jars outside, and leave them in a relatively (or partially) sunny place for at least 40 days, and up to 2-2.5 months. (Think window sill, sunny countertop, balcony corner, etc.)
- After it's fermented, strain the raspberry liqueur into glass bottles. (If you dislike the raspberry grit, place a gauze over the strainer so it can pick up the extra pieces as you strain.) Keep the remaining raspberries for desserts, or make a boozy jam out of them.
- Serving: serve raspberry liqueur (malinovac liker, malinovača) with dessert, coffee, or as an aperitif. Storing: store for up to 2 years in a cool, dark place.
(Optional) Making Boozy Jam from Remaining Raspberries
- Step 1. In a wide pot, add raspberries from the raspberry liqueur and 1 cup of sugar. Stir well. Cook on low for 15-30 minutes, until it thickens, stirring frequently. Step 2. Transfer to a sterilized jar, secure the lid, and leave in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks. Consume with bread, crepes, or with a dessert like ice cream or rice pudding.
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