You know the old saying that good things come to those that wait? This is a really good thing worth waiting for! (It may not be that long of a wait, either!)
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I fell in love with this liquor the very first time I had it. My parents had brought a bottle back from Greece with them and it didn’t last very long. My love for this is surpassed only by my love of Kumquat spoon sweets. Hmmm… I wonder if there’s a connection?
The island of Corfu is most noted for their production of both treats, almost exclusively. The fact that these were hard to find outside of Greece is what spurred me to grow my own kumquat tree so that I could at least make my own! The spoon sweets are easy, but the liqueur requires a distillery. Or does it?
In Corfu, either whole fruit or only the peels of the kumquat are used for the beverage. The pulp of the fruit can be bitter, but the peels are wonderfully sweet. However, you don’t need to go through the whole distillation process to get a really close approximation of this delightful cordial. You even have two options on how to make them, depending on your preference for taste intensity and sweetness. Either way, you’ll have something you’re sure to enjoy, and one method gives you something extra!
Greek Kumquat Liqueur Recipe
For both methods below, some cloudiness may occur since you are using real fruits and probably don’t have a super sophisticated particle extractor like what’s used for commercial beverage production. If it bothers you, the liquid can be filtered somewhat by pouring it through a paper coffee filter. It may be a slow process and may not get everything out, but it will make for a nicer presentation.
If your liqueur sits for an extended time, you may see clear “blobs” form at the bottom. No worries! This is the natural pectin from the fruit settling out due to the exposure to the alcohol. This can easily be filtered out through a paper coffee filter, as well.
Method 1 (This is a more hand-off process, but takes more time, but it’s also the method with a surprise treat!):
For every 1 1/2 pounds of kumquats you will need three cups of good quality vodka and two or more cups of granulated sugar. You will need to prick the kumquats several times all around with a clean needle (carefully, the kumquats need pricking, not you!). I have a short video in my post on making kumquat spoon sweets that will show you how to do it. Pricking the skin will help to extract flavor from the fruit out, and (fun fun!) allow vodka to get in.
Place the kumquats and vodka into a large jar together. The size and shape of the jar should allow for the kumquats to be able to just float. Add two cups of sugar and swirl the mixture around gently to help it dissolve. It’s okay if it doesn’t dissolve all at once. Place your jar somewhere cool and dark, like a cupboard or pantry, where it will need to stay for the next 40 days. This is a magical number with ties into Orthodox Christianity, but it’s also the perfect amount of time to allow flavors to truly blend and meld together. Gently swirl your jar every once in a while to ensure that everything is getting mixed well.
After the 40 days are done it’s sampling time! If you want your cordial to be sweeter, you can add more sugar. Gently swirl and set aside for a few days again to allow proper blending. I like mine on the sweeter side and usually end up adding about 4 cups of sugar to the mix.
Once you’ve achieved your preferred taste, you can draw from your jar whenever you would like some. The kumquats can be allowed to remain, which will keep them preserved nicely, but these are the bonus treats! Sweetened vodka infused kumquats? Yes, please!
Method 2 (This is more hands on, but gives quicker results, and this one can also have a surprise treat!):
For this method, you will need to make the kumquat spoon sweets. Once you’ve done that, you can simply add some of the syrup to a good quality vodka to your preferred taste. Again, I prefer a sweeter cordial and usually make a mix of 6-ish parts vodka to 4-ish parts syrup. You could also take some of the candied kumquat fruits and allow them to soak in the vodka as well.
You will still want to give time for the flavors of the syrup to blend in with the vodka. It really does make a difference if you allow it to sit for at least a full day, if not longer. If you decide to use some of the candied fruit and soak it, allow them to sit in the vodka for several days, if not at least a week. The flavor will be well worth the wait!
Mostly Greek 
I was trying to find some kumquat liqueur from Corfu online and found your site. I was in Corfu in Sept. 2019 and fell in love with the island. Can’t wait to go back and possibly live and get out of California. I’m going to try your recipe. I have already made numerous batches of Limoncello?????
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Well, you can’t go wrong with Limoncello, now can you?? I love the kumquat liquor from Corfu and I can say the recipes I made are a good enough substitute till I can get more of the original! I hope you like it!
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Can I replace the sugar with honey? If so, how much honey?
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I don’t see why you couldn’t. Obviously the taste and texture will differ but I don’t think it would be bad. I would use the same amount of honey as sugar and you could then adjust the flavor from there.
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How do you store it with the fruit added and how long will it keep?
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It will likely keep indefinitely with the alcohol as a preservative.
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Any good recipes to use the liquored kumquats after making the liqueur above? I’d hate to have them go to waste!
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We eat them! I like to serve them as an “adult dessert”. You could also cut them and sprinkle the pieces over ice cream or bake them in anything calling for candied fruits, like a fruit cake.
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Do I store them with the fruit in the refrigerator or pantry indefinitely? I’m making Christmas gifts
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After they have soaked in a strong enough alcohol they will be shelf-stable for a very long time. In fact, keeping them in the refridgerator might cause them to crystalize.
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probably doubled the kumquats and vodka. Next time I will decrease the sugar by half. Not a fan of overly sweet alcohol drinks. After a couple of days it has a good taste the kumquats have a sweetness on their own, so I think a reduction of sugar will helped
used a fork to pierce the kumquat
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That’s the great thing about these kinds of recipes in that you can adjust to your taste!
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I’ve just raided an overloaded kumquat tree and whipped up a batch. I’ll report back in 40 days!!
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Wonderful!! I hope you enjoy it!
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I just made my first batch. I love the taste of kumquats.
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I hope you enjoy it!
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Thank you very much for sharing this recipe.
I have a 30+ year old kumquat tree that’s been in the family for my entire existence. Im now fortunate enough to have it in my backyard. While my wife and I love to eat Kumquats, we always have more than we know what to do with. I stumbled upon this recipe and decided to give it a try. Day 40 finally rolled around and I popped the lid open on my creation and gave it a sip. The flavor was amazing! Sweet, but not too sweet. The Kumquat flavor was definitely front and center, with no bitterness nor harshness of the Vodka(I used Titos). I eagerly waited for my wife to get off work to get her opinion. I knew her opinion would be slightly biased on the fact she just doesn’t like hard liquor. Much to my surprise she didn’t just like it, she drank the whole jar! Well, I helped a little. No mixer required. Just poured it over ice and we had ourselves a very tasty treat.
I had another jar on standby, and was planning on giving it to my brother the next day at a family get-together. As I enter the room, the crowd gathered in wonder of this brilliant orange hued masterpiece I was holding. Concurrently, samples were given and literally everyone who took a sip gave the exact same expression I first made. The eyes lit up, a smile from ear to ear, matched with several compliments. It was a real hit!
I will be making this ever winter when my Kunquats are ready to harvest. Christmas parties will never be the same. 😏
Thank you again.
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Oh wow!! Thank you for this wonderful review! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, but beware, you will now be expected to make it every year no matter what. Lol! Cheers to you!
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