Make Your Evening Carajillo Caffeine-Free With One Ingredient Swap

If you're unfamiliar, the carajillo is a coffee-based cocktail that features just two ingredients: strong brewed coffee or espresso and a Spanish liqueur called Licor 43. Licor 43 gets its name because of the 43 different botanicals that make up the liqueur — overall, it mostly tastes like vanilla with some citrus and cinnamon. The carajillo most likely originated in Spain, but it was Mexico that boosted its popularity as an iced counterpart. The drink — which is often served after dinner — is so delicious that you may just find yourself swapping out the espresso martini for the carajillo whenever you want a coffee cocktail.

For all of the drink's merits, however, there is one problem: the caffeine. There are plenty of people out there who have to avoid caffeine in the evening because, if they don't, they won't be able to sleep at a normal hour. If this is you, you may be thinking that the carajillo won't work as an after-dinner drink. Luckily, there's a solution to this: decaf coffee.

You are completely free to enjoy a carajillo after dinner with this easy swap — use either decaffeinated cold brew or decaf espresso in place of the regular coffee at a one to one ratio and you're good to go.

Add 2 ounces of either decaf cold brew or decaf espresso and 2 ounces of Licor 43 to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake thoroughly. Next, strain it into a cocktail glass filled with ice — the cocktail should have a small amount of foam at the top. For garnish, you can add a few coffee beans or even something to match the citrus notes of the Licor 43, such as an orange peel or an orange slice.

Some versions of the recipe actually use 4 ounces of espresso or cold brew to 2 ounces of Licor 43. This will yield a much stronger coffee taste, with the vanilla-citrus notes of the Licor 43 being much more subtle. You can also play around with the ratio to see what suits your taste the best — perhaps 3 ounces of coffee to 2 ounces of Licor 43 or even 3 ounces of liqueur to 2 ounces coffee. Additionally, there are also versions out there that make the drink a bit stronger by adding just a little bit of vodka — around ⅓ to ½ ounce — which also balances out the sweetness from the Licor 43.

Or, if you're looking for a more complex drink that still features all of the flavors of the carajillo, you can make the barraquito. The barraquito features espresso, whole milk, Licor 43, condensed milk, cinnamon, and citrus zest — so, all in all, it's a sweeter, creamier version of the carajillo.