If you want a sweet dessert cocktail, then chocolate liqueur will never steer you wrong. Choosing the best chocolate liqueur is a matter of personal taste and budget, but curiosity is an important part of the process. Some chocolate liqueurs are pretty much universally beloved, some are highly rated, and a few are a bit of both. Some will surprise you, and others will become that comforting friend you can always rely on in a cocktail.
1. Tempus Fugit Spirits Crème de Cacao a la Vanilla - Best Chocolate Liqueur Overall
With a hint of vanilla to go with the rich, chocolatey flavor of this crème de cacao, the Tempus Fugit Spirits crème de cacao a la vanilla is Wine Enthusiast's highest-rated chocolate liqueur, receiving a rating of 95 out of 100 points. There will be no quiz or requirement to use its full name when you enjoy it, thankfully. You'll pay just over $50 for this Swiss chocolate liqueur. It's 24% alcohol by volume and an absolutely delicious addition to cocktails.
2. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur - Best Top Shelf Chocolate Liqueur
It's perhaps no surprise that one of the world's best makers of Belgian chocolates also makes one of the top chocolate liqueurs. Godiva chocolate liqueur is sweet and chocolatey, that's a given, and it's the perfect premium ingredient for the Godiva chocolate martini. The liqueur is 30% ABV, and you'll pay about $35.
3. Van Meer's Chocolate Liqueur - Best Cheap Chocolate Liqueur
For a reasonable $16 a bottle, Van Meer's chocolate liqueur is as delicious as it is affordable. In fact, its chocolate flavors make it perfect for sipping solo or adding to drinks. The Dutch chocolate liqueur is low in alcohol at 15% ABV, and customers at Total Wine & More rated it 4.3 out of 5 stars, a high rating for such an affordable chocolate cordial. This just goes to prove if it ain't Dutch, it ain't much.
4. Chopin Dorda Double Chocolate Liqueur - Best Dark Chocolate Liqueur
Made with dark chocolate blended with Chopin vodka, a premium Polish vodka, the Chopin Dorda double chocolate liqueur is delicious in mixed drinks or even sipped solo. It's complex and balanced and not overwhelmingly sweet like some chocolate liqueurs can be. Reviewers at Total Wine & More rated it 4.7 out of 5 stars, and this cordial is perched on a number of "best" lists for chocolate liqueurs. It only costs $27, so run, don't walk, to the store for it.
5. Mozart Chocolate Cream Liqueur - Best Creamy Chocolate Liqueur
This creamy bottle of chocolate liqueur comes wrapped in gold foil like a bonbon. Absolutely genius, full stop. Unwrapping it will be a blissful experience, just like snacking on creamy chocolate candy. The Beverage Tasting Institute called Mozart chocolate cream liqueur a "pure, tasty, and rather elegant chocolate liqueur." It costs around $25, and it's low in alcohol at 17% ABV. It's perfect for sipping all night long.
6. Marie Brizard Crème de Cacao - Best Crème de Cacao
Marie Brizard crème de cacao comes in both white and brown to enable all of your cocktail dreams, and it's a sweet, flavorful, and aromatic chocolate liqueur. Reviewers on Spirits Review rated it 9 out of 10, and it'll only cost about $20 for a bottle. The crème de cacao is 28% ABV, and it's perfect in mixed drinks as it holds its own with other ingredients.
7. Sheelin White Chocolate - Best White Chocolate Liqueur
Sheelin white chocolate liqueur is the ideal combination of deliciousness and a good price. Both are important when it comes to stocking your home bar or avoiding a shocking price tag when you're out having a drink. The Beverage Tasting Institute rated it 93 out of 100 points, and it won a silver medal at the San Francisco Spirits Competition. All those accolades, but it only costs about $14. The Irish whiskey-based cordial is under 14% ABV, and it's tasty whether you sip it over ice or add it to a cocktail.
8. ChocoLat Deluxe Peanut Butter Chocolate Liqueur - Best Chocolate Plus Flavor
A mix of chocolate and peanut butter flavors, ChocoLat deluxe peanut butter chocolate liqueur will add richness and depth to your chocolate cocktails without any extra ingredients. Talk about a double threat, and it's delicious to boot. It only clocks in at a 15% ABV so you could even add a splash to your brunch coffee, some afternoon hot chocolate, or enjoy as an after-dinner sip on some ice. Grab a bottle for $15 and live your best life.
Enjoy Chocolate Liqueur in Mixed Drinks
Whether you prefer to sip your chocolate cordials by themselves or blend them to craft delicious chocolate-flavored cocktails such as a Bailey's chocolate martini, having one or two good bottles in your liquor cabinet is essential for any well-rounded cocktail lover. Or for a quick and lazy drink. Life should be easy.
