Drinks Spirits Liqueurs Homemade Nocino with Espresso Beans and Lemon Be the first to rate & review! This iconic Italian liqueur takes six months to make but is worth the wait. By Lucy Simon Lucy Simon Lucy Simon is a New York-based wine, spirits, and food writer has been with Food & Wine since the spring of 2021. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 22, 2024 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Food & Wine / Matt Taylor Gross Prep Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 30 drinks Jump to recipe Nocino is an aromatic, bittersweet liquor made from unripe, green walnuts steeped for months in a strong alcohol base and then sweetened. The resulting liqueur has a complex caramel, slightly astringent flavor. It can be enjoyed on its own, served chilled in a cordial glass, or mixed into a cocktail like a Nocino Sour. Everything You Need to Know About Nocino, an Italian Walnut Liqueur In Emilia-Romagna, the region of Central Italy where this digestivo originates, the liqueur is made simply with green walnuts. However, Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito, co-owners of New York City’s Don Angie and San Sabino restaurants, created this signature version that gains additional flavors from lemon peel, coffee beans, and cinnamon, to create depth and complexity. What you need to know before making nocino Food & Wine / Photo by Hannah Hufham Green walnuts are available only for a brief window of about 2 weeks, usually in late June. Since this digestivo takes 4–6 months to steep, it’s typically consumed around Christmastime. The liqueur can be stored indefinitely in the freezer and makes for a fabulous gift for the holidays. Funnel into resealable bottles and you’re good to go. While walnuts grow in the wild in many parts of the world, underripe green walnuts can be difficult to source as many walnut retailers grow the nuts to full maturity. Talk to local farm market vendors for sources near you. Pro Tip: You’ll want to wear gloves when you cut the green walnuts as they secrete a clear gel that can stain your hands and clothes black if you aren’t careful. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 (750 ml) bottle 190-proof grain alcohol or neutral spirit, such as Everclear 20 green walnuts, cut into quarters 8 strips lemon zest (from 1 lemon) 1/4 cup medium or dark roast coffee beans 2 cinnamon sticks 2 cups sugar 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt Directions Clean and dry a gallon glass jar large enough to accommodate all the ingredients without being filled to the brim – there should be about 2 inches of space for air. Food & Wine / Matt Taylor Gross Add alcohol, walnuts, lemon zest, coffee beans, and cinnamon sticks to the jar and seal tightly. Let ingredients steep at room temperature in a cool, dry place for at least 4 months and up to 1 year. The liquid will turn very dark brown in color. Food & Wine / Matt Taylor Gross When ready to bottle and consume, combine sugar, salt, and 2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir well, ensuring all the sugar is dissolved. Transfer mixture to a heatproof bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool. Food & Wine / Matt Taylor Gross Strain the alcohol infusion through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean, dry bowl. Add the chilled sugar syrup and whisk well to combine. Food & Wine / Matt Taylor Gross Using a funnel, transfer to smaller bottles. Service nocino chilled in a cordial glass. Nocino can be stored indefinitely in a freezer. Rate It Print