I first brought you homemade shimmery liqueur (homemade Viniq) last year. Now I’m sharing with you how to make your own FLAVORED shimmery liqueur at home (Fruit infused shimmery liqueur) in all the colors of the rainbow, using homemade vodka infusions. You’ll never have this much fun making Halloween cocktails ever again! 🙂
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I first showed you how to create shimmery liqueur (homemade Viniq) last year. Having come across Viniq at the liquor store, I wanted to figure out how to make shimmery cocktails myself at home, and I did. 🙂 The Flavor Bender was the first place where this cool trick and the science behind it was explained, and I decided to take it to the next level this time with FLAVORED SHIMMERY LIQUEUR – made with homemade infused vodka!
And I’m so excited to share it with you guys!
I explained how and why shimmery liqueur works in my original post. The short version is that liquids with high viscosity and less density than water work really well for this effect, because those two properties enable the kind of light refraction that you need to see that beautiful shimmer when you add Luster petal dust.
In the original post, I made shimmery liqueur by mixing vodka and sugar syrup. So in order to get different flavors, I used flavored vodka.
Luster petal dust – is used in cake decorations. It’s basically a fine powder of colored pigment MIXED with fine luster particles to make it shimmer. You can find the normal powdered pigment, but you want to look for the LUSTER powder pigment (or Luster Petal Dust). I buy mine online, but you might be able to find them in your cake decorating store too.
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(UPDATED RECIPE VIDEO for the fruit infused Shimmery Liqueur)
However I wanted something cheaper than having to buy vodka with different flavors, and I also wanted natural flavors, so I decided to make my own infused vodka to make flavored shimmery liqueur this time! And I made a RAINBOW of colors and flavors! 🙂
Here are the colors/flavors that I made.
GREEN – Creme de Menthe / Mint shimmery liqueur (mint infused vodka + sugar syrup)
BLUE – Butterfly Pea infused Vodka (or Gin) liqueur. I used gin for this, because the butterfly pea doesn’t turn purple in this liqueur. This liqueur doesn’t have a taste of it’s own, BUT it does, as a bonus, change color to make really fun cocktails when you add something acidic (Read about it more here!).
PURPLE – Blackberry shimmery liqueur (blackberry infused vodka + sugar syrup) – this is the closest to the color (not flavor) of purple Viniq
RED – Strawberry shimmery liqueur (strawberry infused vodka + sugar syrup)
ORANGE – Orange shimmery liqueur (orange infused vodka + sugar syrup)
YELLOW/GOLD – Pineapple shimmery Liqueur (Pineapple + Rum) You can use Vodka instead of Rum as well, but this liqueur tastes AMAZING especially a cocktail made with this liqueur + coconut water!
I made an extra version of the gold liqueur, by just adding gold luster dust to St Germain Liqueur (Elderflower liqueur) and created a beautiful gold cocktail. You can check it out here.
Another version which I will be sharing soon is Butterscotch shimmery liqueur (vanilla + salt + brown sugar + butter infused vodka). This liqueur uses another special technique called Fat Washing, which I have explained separately in another post here. You can go ahead and subscribe if you’d like to get the recipe for that butterscotch shimmery liqueur when it’s published.
I used fresh fruits and herbs to infuse the vodka and let the infusion take place for about 5 days (with the exception of the blue shimmery liqueur where I simply used a wine for the color, so it’s not actually an infusion).
Once the flavors were infused, I added cooled sugar syrup (1 part sugar syrup to 3 parts infused vodka) and then mixed in the luster petal dust to create those magical, mesmerizing swirls!
For some of the liqueurs you may need to add a drop of food coloring to really enhance the color, but that’s optional. Since luster petal dust comes in all the colors of the rainbow, it will add color to your infused liqueur as well.
I have shared 6 of the recipes here in this post, but the Butterscotch shimmery liqueur recipe will be shared separately soon, along with a really fun way to use that liqueur! So make sure you don’t miss out. 🙂
The flavors in each of these fruit infused shimmery liqueurs are so fresh, robust and delicious. You could easily make your favorite cocktails with these and WOW your guests with that hypnotic shimmer. 🙂
Some inspiration to use the shimmery liqueur – how about this Unicorn’s Blood Cocktail?
Just like with Viniq, the luster petal dust here settles to the bottom after a short while. You need to give the bottle a shake to mix and re-disperse the petal dust to get that dazzling shimmer again. Another really cool thing you could do for a party or special occasion is to purchase some dry ice and then add a little piece of dry ice to the flavored shimmery liqueur bottle when you’re serving it to your guests. The dry ice needs to be just heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the bottle and it’ll “come alive and dance” inside the liquid, giving rise to an incredible shimmering and bubbling effect. This effect will last for as long as there’s some dry ice is inside the bottle/drink before it completely disappears.
Or this Witch’s Heart Cocktail?
You may prefer this EXTRA magical COLOR CHANGING SHIMMERY COCKTAIL instead – The Phoenix Cocktail!
Or this simple Gold Shimmery Champagne Cocktail instead?
AN IMPORTANT NOTE on dry ice – Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. So DO NOT CONSUME DRY ICE! Only use food grade dry ice, which is usually what’s available at grocery stores that have it (but ask anyway to make sure). Wait for the dry ice to disappear (melt) completely before you drink your cocktail/alcohol (which you will know when the bubbling stops). This does NOT equate to consuming dry ice because when dry ice “melts” it goes straight from solid to gas (sublimation), so it actually bubbles out of your drink. So remember never to close a bottle with dry ice inside to avoid that pressure build up. Use tongs when you handle dry ice and crush it or only add small chips of dry ice to your drink. The smaller it is, the quicker it will melt/disappear. The gas that bubbles out of your drink will form a smoke/fog and settle around your drink creating a fantastic “smokey cauldron” effect that’s perfect for Halloween parties, as you can see in the pictures and the GIFs here.
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Flavored Shimmery Liqueur (VIDEO AND THE SCIENCE!)
Ingredients:
- 4 cups 80 proof vodka
- 1 cup gin
- 1 cup white rum
- 2 cups simple syrup simple syrup is made by dissolving sugar with water at a 2:1 ratio over medium heat
- 6 - 7 strawberries cut in half
- 6 - 7 blackberries
- ½ cup packed mint leaves
- 1 rind of a large orange or 2 small oranges
- 6 dried butterfly pea flowers
- 2 slices fresh pineapple 1 inch thick each
- Luster petal dust in Red, Yellow, White, Purple, Green, and Orange
- Crushed dry ice to serve plus small pellets (optional)
Instructions:
- Use 6 jars with 2 cup capacity. Divide the vodka into 4 different jars (2 cup capacity). Add the gin to one of the jars, and the white rum to another.4 cups 80 proof vodka, 1 cup gin, 1 cup white rum
Strawberry Red Shimmery Liqueur
- Place the strawberries in 1 of the vodka jars. Cover the jar with the lid and let it infuse for 1 week (up to 2 weeks) at room temperature.6 - 7 strawberries
- Next, strain the infused liqueur through a cheesecloth to remove the fruits and any small particles.
- Mix the infused liqueur with ⅓ cup of simple syrup (or more or less to suit your preferences).2 cups simple syrup
- Add a small amount of RED LUSTER PETAL DUST to the liqueur and mix to combine.Luster petal dust
- Add more luster petal dust to get the desired shimmery effect.
Blackberry Purple Shimmery Liqueur
- Place the blackberries in 1 of the vodka jars. Cover the jar with the lid and let it infuse for 1 week (up to 2 weeks) at room temperature.6 - 7 blackberries
- Next, strain the infused liqueur through a cheesecloth to remove the fruits and any small particles.
- Mix the infused liqueur with ⅓ cup of simple syrup (or more or less to suit your preferences).2 cups simple syrup
- Add a small amount of PURPLE LUSTER PETAL DUST (or a mix of blue and red) to the liqueur and mix to combine.Luster petal dust
- Add more luster petal dust to get the desired shimmery effect.
Mint Green Shimmery Liqueur
- Place the mint in 1 of the vodka jars. Cover the jar with the lid and let it infuse for 1 week (up to 2 weeks) at room temperature.½ cup packed mint leaves
- Next, strain the liqueur through a cheesecloth to remove the leaves and any small particles, and gently press the leaves to remove any alcohol.
- Mix the infused liqueur with ¼ -⅓ cup of simple syrup (or more or less to suit your preferences).2 cups simple syrup
- Add a small amount of GREEN LUSTER PETAL DUST (or a mix of blue and yellow) to the liqueur and mix to combine.Luster petal dust
- Add more luster petal dust to get the desired shimmery effect.
Orange Shimmery Liqueur
- Place the (fresh) rind of 1 large orange in 1 of the vodka jars. Cover the jar with the lid and let it infuse for 1 week (up to 2 weeks) at room temperature.1 rind of a large orange
- Next, strain the liqueur through a cheesecloth to remove the rind and any small particles.
- Mix the infused liqueur with ¼ -⅓ cup of simple syrup (or more or less to suit your preferences).2 cups simple syrup
- Add a small amount of ORANGE LUSTER PETAL DUST (or a mix of red and yellow) to the liqueur and mix to combine.Luster petal dust
- Add more luster petal dust to get the desired shimmery effect.
Color Changing Blue Shimmery Liqueur
- Place the butterfly pea flowers with the gin in 1 of the jars. Leave it overnight (does not require multiple days to infuse).6 dried butterfly pea flowers
- Next, strain the liqueur through a strainer to remove the flowers.
- Add ¼ -⅓ cup of simple syrup to make it a liqueur OR keep it as is to use as a straight alcohol for color changing cocktails.2 cups simple syrup
- Add a dash of WHITE LUSTER PETAL DUST to the liqueur and mix to combine. This is so that the color change can occur without interference from the color of the luster dust.Luster petal dust
- Add more luster petal dust / coloring to get the shimmery effect you like.
Pineapple infused Shimmery Liqueur
- Place the pineapple in 1 of the rum jars. Cover the jar with the lid and let it infuse for 1 week (up to 2 weeks) at room temperature.2 slices fresh pineapple
- Next, strain the liqueur through a cheesecloth to remove the pinapple and any small particles.
- Mix the infused liqueur with ¼ -⅓ cup of simple syrup (or more or less to suit your preferences).2 cups simple syrup
- Add a small amount of YELLOW LUSTER PETAL DUST to the liqueur and mix to combine.Luster petal dust
- Add more luster petal dust to get the desired shimmery effect.
For All Shimmery Liqueurs
- Use these as you would any liqueur, or serve them straight in shot glasses.
- You can add a little powdered dry ice for a smoky effect (see GIFs and photos in the post).Crushed dry ice to serve
- While serving - you can drop a small chip of dry ice into the bottles to keep the liqueur swirling (but remember not to close the bottle with dry ice inside!).Crushed dry ice to serve
Video:
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Delzora M Clark says
Thank you so very much for the recipes!!!
Susan D says
I made the strawberry liqueur for Christmas gifts for my neighbors and they came out great! I wish I could post a picture because I am so very happy with the results and can’t wait to give them out. Thank you!
Lorie says
The drinks are very imaginative and look really good
Sara says
Hi! How long does the sweetened liqueur last? Should it be stored in the fridge?
viz says
hi would like to know where to buy the glitter and whats the name of the glitter in market search …
is theres a diy i would love to know the recipe for sugar or gelatin gillter
Kendall says
Beautiful recipe! Do you muddle the blackberries or add them whole to the vodka?
Dini says
Hi Kendall!
Thank you 🙂 I add them whole, so it’s easier to fish them out after the vodka is infused.
Sara says
This post is old but I was wondering if you could make black ones? Have you tried? Does it depend on whether you can get black lustre dust?
Dini says
Hi Sara
If you want to make a black colored version, you can use black food coloring to color the vodka, and then add pearl luster dust. Pearl luster dust is just the shimmer with no color, so it add luster to any colored spirit. It will look pearl in color in the tub, but will be “colorless” in the liquid.
Hope that helps!
Robin Freeman says
Can these be made into mocktails? I don’t drink alcohol but the drinks are beautiful.
Dini says
Hi Robin!
Thank you! 🙂
It won’t be the same, but you could get a similar (but not identical) effect with mocktails, provided you use liquids that are transparent – fruit juices with absolutely no pulp.
Pulp will cloud the drink and make it hard to see the shimmer. Also, without the viscosity of the alcohol, the dust will settle at the bottom much faster as well – so you may have to stir it often to keep the shimmery dust floating in the drink.
I hope that helps!
Sheilla Pereira Sabbag Uberti says
Seems playfull, very good and beautiful. Can it be made with sugar cane spirit?
Dini says
Hi Sheilla!
I haven’t used sugar cane spirit before, so I can’t be certain if it will work exactly the same way. If it’s a clear spirit though, there’s no reason why it couldn’t. 🙂
alicia says
Quick Question.
I would love to make some of these as non-alcoholic for those no quite legal or unable or choose not to drink. Any suggestions? What to infuse? Thank you.
Side not… I made bacon infused Vodka, added your magical touch of gold and gave it as a Christmas gift for a couple whom loves Bloody Marys. They absolute loved it! Thank you for the awesome idea
Dini says
Hi Alicia!
I am SO glad that the bacon vodka was a hit! The bacon vodka sounds absolutely amazing too! 🙂
You can make shimmery cordials, but you have to make sure that the cordial / flavored syrup is clear with no pulp so it doesn’t interfere with the luster dust. I have added luster dust to elderflower syrup and used it to make drinks and it came out well! The swirls aren’t as prominent in non alcoholic drinks as in alcoholic drinks, but it should still show up! I hope that helps 🙂
Cattrina Hopper says
Will edible gold dust work?
Dini says
Hi Cattrina
I think edible gold dust would be the same as edible gold luster dust.
If it’s gold glitter pieces, it won’t work the same as dust.
Hope that helps!
e says
Can you just used already flavored vodka? Instead of infusing it yourself? Seems MUCH Easier to just buy it done.
Dini says
Hi e
You can use flavored vodka. I just personally prefer the taste and quality of vodka that I infuse myself. But flavored vodka can certainly be used instead, and mixed with any luster petal dust color of your choice.
Hope that helps!
Johanna says
Hi Do I have to Make this a week before or could i just add it as i make the drinks ?
an it will have that same effect?
also Could I add Dry Ice To It?
Dini says
Hi Johanna
If you want the fruits to infuse into the alcohol, it is recommended to allow the fruit to sit in the alcohol at least a for a few days. You can add the shimmery luster dust as you make the drinks.
If you are adding dry ice, PLEASE be mindful that it SHOULD NOT BE SWALLOWED. MAKE SURE the dry ice has COMPLETELY dissolved / disappeared before serving it to your guests as they should not swallow chunks of dry ice. Please read the note on dry ice in the post 🙂
Hope that helps!
kathryn says
I was wondering what kind of Luster petal dust you use and where you get it fromand where can i find the butterfly pea flowers.
Joyce says
Disappointed. No matter how much luster petal dust I added, it never got “shimmery,” just a flat purple. Is there a particular brand of the petal dust that needs to be used? Thanks!
Dini says
Hi Joyce!
That’s so disappointing to hear for me too! 🙁
I have personally used two brands of luster dust, but I have many others who have used what they have been able to get their hands on and have had great results! Would you be able to let me know what brand you used and what it says on the pot? (Or if it’s easier, you can send me an email to – theflavorbender (at) gmail (dot) com too!)
I would love to help you figure out what went wrong!
Joyce says
My bad! I found your recipe too close to the date I needed it. I couldn’t find the luster dust locally, so I ordered the only one on Amazon that would arrive in time. Now that I’m looking at it more closely, I realize that it is petal dust but not “luster” petal dust. The description says it has a “matte finish.” So next time, I’ll be sure to order the right thing well ahead of time. Thanks!
https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Purple-Petal-Dust-container/dp/B01AMDREY4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1509291353&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=royal+purple+petal+dust&psc=1
Dini says
Oh no Joyce!! It’s easy to miss the “luster” in these tiny pots! Unfortunately most of the luster petal dusts don’t have prime delivery on Amazon either! I hope next time you will have better results! I would also recommend getting the white or pearl luster dust too, because this can be added to any of the liqueurs to make them shimmery as they are neutral luster dusts! 🙂
Brandi says
This was a super interesting recipe. What can be done for someone who doesn’t drink?
Dini says
Hi Brandi!
I have tried this with lemonade and it does work. However you need to make sure you strain the drink through a fine sieve or nut milk bag to remove any pulp. The shimmer settles very quickly, but when you shake it, you can see the luster dust shimmering in the drink.
Hope that helps 🙂
kathryn says
I’m going to try these for christmas. I was wondering where you got the bottles you used for them
Dini says
Hi Kathryn! I’m so glad you will be making these for Christmas! They make excellent gifts 🙂 I bought these bottles from Amazon – here is the link to the exact product I used – https://www.amazon.com/Estilo-Swing-Clear-Bottles-Square/dp/B01I476CRK/
I hope you love the liqueurs and I would love to know how they turned out!
Kathryn says
Thanyou
Jordan says
i can’t wait for the butterscotch shimmer liquor! yesssssss.
Susan Burd says
where are you purchasing your luster dust, the colors are amazing
Dini says
Hi Susan! I used to buy my luster dust from a local cake decorating supply store, but there is no store where I live currently. So I purchase my luster dust from Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=edible+luster+dust&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aedible+luster+dust
🙂 I hope that helps!
sita says
Hi there.
Where can I find luster dust
Dini says
Hi Sita! You can find luster dust on Amazon (that’s where I buy it currently), but I used to be able to buy it at local cake decorating stores too! Hope that helps 🙂
Mary says
Have not made it yet, but wanted to know it’s shelf life?
Dini says
Hi Mary!
I have kept mine in air tight bottles for upto 7 months in the fridge, without a problem! 🙂
Hope that helps!
Cheers, Dini
Sandra says
I make Lemon cello every year (lemon infused Vodka) which is drunk straight and ICE cold does it having to be kept ice cold effect it? (I even serve it in ice cube shot glasses that’s how cold it’s supposed to be drank)
Dini says
Hi Sandra!
Cold temperatures should be ok. Since limoncello doesn’t freeze (due to the high alcohol content), I can’t see why the shimmery effect wouldn’t work with it too. However, while I do like to keep my regular vodka in the freezer, I haven’t stored my shimmery liqueur in the freezer – so I cannot be 100% sure. Theoretically, the cold temperatures should not have an impact on the shimmery effect. I hope that helps! 🙂
Kerry says
Any thoughts on a way to make something like this with out using Alcohol? I would love to do something like this at a child’s birthday party. Thanks
Darrellene Craven Robinson says
It’s great in lemonade, punches, even tea
Becky M says
Dini –
I’m so excited about trying this!! I did notice in your list of ingredients that you have moscato listed, but I didn’t see where you used it. What is the moscato for?
Thanks for posting this! I’m definitely trying it!!
Dini says
Hi Becky M!
The Moscato (or any white fruity wine) is added to the Viniq like shimmery liqueur which I colored blue 🙂 I hope that helps! I would love to know how they turned out once you try them. 😀
Thank you!
Dini
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
These are just amazing, Dini – never seen anything like it, and I’m sure they would make great gifts (they – and you – would be the star of the show!)
Emily says
Ahhh these are amazing and so simple!! I can’t wait to have fun making these, thank you so much!!
Dini says
Thank you Emily!! I would love to know how they turned out once you give them a go 🙂
cakespy says
I’m loving this liquid sorcery!
Gale Christensen says
Umm, I just want to point out, Luster dust is NOT supposed to be eaten. It is non toxic, but is not intended to be consumed in large amounts. Hence the reason it’s in such tiny jars and is used to decorate tiny icing flowers. I don’t know if it would hurt you, but I’m also not sure this is a good idea, even if it is beautiful.
Dini says
Hi Gale!
Absolutely, thank you for pointing that out. These edible luster dusts are food grade and marked as edible (not just non toxic) – I don’t like using products that are labeled “non-toxic” in these shimmery liqueurs for the very reason you have pointed out.
Some luster dusts are only labeled as non toxic and I avoid those for this reason. However the edible luster dust is safe to consume, plus you only have to add less than 1/4 tsp (even less than 1/8th of a tsp is enough) for an entire batch/bottle. 🙂
Marlene says
These look amazing, Dini! I make my own apricot liqueur with dried apricots, vodka, and sugar mixed all at once and allowed to steep for 1 week or more. Adding the luster dust would be the crowning touch. Is there a plain luster dust that adds just shimmer and no color? My liqueur is already a very nice color.
Dini says
Hi Marlene! Apricot liqueur sounds absolutely delicious! Unfortunately, I haven’t come across colorless luster dust… since the primary purpose of the luster dust is to decorate edible flowers. However, you could try PEARL LUSTER DUST. I think it will have a white-ish tinge, but I haven’t used them, so I can’t be sure. Another option is to use peach luster dust so it will be a closer color to an Apricot liqueur. If I do find a completely colorless luster dust, I would definitely let you know! If you do use pearl luster dust, I would love to know how it came out and I would love to see your Apricot liqueur too 🙂
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant says
So incredible D. These gifs remind me of sexy hula dancers swinging their hips in their grass skirts! I could watch them all day.
Jennifer says
These are going to be a hit at my next party! I’m thinking Christmas eve dinner and the red and green liqueurs!
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake says
I literally cannot stop looking at these photos and gifs, they’re so beautiful!
I remember being just as mesmerized with this stuff when you originally posted your cocktails last year, but the amazement doesn’t wear off! It just gets better haha!
I have GOT to try these. And I cannot wait to see the recipe for the butterscotch, it sounds delicious, and looks exactly what I always imagined felix felicis to look like!
jane @ littlesugarsnaps says
Utterly brilliant. I’m going with the green since it’s my favourite colour and my favourite flavour. Only problem is my kids might think it’s for them 🙂
Shadi HasanzadeNemati says
I’ve been going back and forth looking at these gorgeous bottles! I would love to try dry ice and work with it! Dini these are just amazing!
Julie says
You are a mad scientist Dini! This looks amazing and would be perfect for a Halloween get-together.
Victoria Sherrard says
Have cranberries infusing now! I love cranberry at Christmas. Such an amazing idea!