Amaretto coffee is the ultimate after-dinner treat on a snowy, winter evening. Sweet and aromatic, with a lively zing, but not too strong. It can be served on its own, or with a cookie or bonbon.

The only secret to a good amaretto coffee is to be mindful with measuring the proportions. The flavour of the amaretto should blend harmoniously into the drink rather than tasting of alcohol.

Making spiked coffee

Here’s what you need:

• 8-oz glass

• Raw sugar

To prepare the glass, rub the lip of the glass with a small amount of the liqueur you’re planning to use for your coffee. Then, press the glass upside down on a plate of raw sugar to coat the entire lip.

To make an after-dinner coffee with liqueur, you can start by adding the liqueur and sugar directly to the bottom of your glass before making the espresso. You can heat the milk any way you like. I use a milk frother but for this recipe it’s not necessary to froth the milk. Pour the hot milk on top of the liqueur-coffee mixture.

Amaretto coffee recipe

• 1 to 2 teaspoons of raw sugar

• 1 generous ounce of amaretto liqueur

• 1 shot of espresso

• 3 to 4 ounces of half-and-half or whole milk

Taking a light touch when pouring the liqueur and using whole milk or half-and-half will yield a tasty drink with a robust flavour profile. I rarely use reduced fat milk in any drink, and the flavour benefit of whole milk is particularly pronounced in after-dinner coffees.

Find more recipes for spectacular drinks here.