---
title: "Homemade Triple Sec — French-Style Orange Liqueur Recipe"
description: "Versión en Español. Homemade triple sec is an orange liqueur made by hanging an organic orange above 400 ml of vodka in a sealed jar for at least 21 days so its aroma infuses the spirit, then mixing t..."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/homemade-triple-sec-orange-liqueur-recipe/
date: 2026-09-27
modified: 2026-09-27
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/homemade-triple-sec-orange-liqueur-featured.jpg
categories: ["Beverages"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Homemade Triple Sec — French-Style Orange Liqueur Recipe

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-licor-triple-sec-casero-frances/)

![Bottle of homemade triple sec orange liqueur for cocktails](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/homemade-triple-sec-orange-liqueur-featured.jpg)*Homemade triple sec*

Homemade triple sec is an orange liqueur made by hanging an organic orange above 400 ml of vodka in a sealed jar for at least 21 days so its aroma infuses the spirit, then mixing the vodka with an equal amount of sugar syrup and resting the liqueur for another 7 days. It takes 30 minutes of preparation plus about 30 days of resting and makes 8 servings.

Triple sec is a French-style orange liqueur, citrusy and sweet, used in many classic cocktails.

## How to Make Triple Sec at Home?

Making triple sec at home takes patience but is simple: the orange peel perfumes the vodka through the vapor in the jar, and the infused spirit is then sweetened with syrup and aged briefly.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of triple sec contains approximately 215 kcal, 38 g of carbohydrates, 0 g of fat, 0 g of protein, 38 g of sugars, and 0 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

## Homemade Triple Sec Recipe

**Preparation:** 30 minutes
**Resting:** 30 days
**Servings:** 8

### Ingredients

- 1 organic orange
- 400 ml (1 2/3 cups) of vodka
- 500 g (2 1/2 cups) of sugar
- 500 ml (2 cups) of water

### Instructions

1. Make a hole in the lid of a large wide-mouth glass jar and tie an organic orange with string so it hangs inside. Mark the outside of the jar 3 cm (1 1/4 in) below the bottom of the orange.

![Organic orange hanging inside a jar above vodka](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/orange-suspended-vodka-jar-triple-sec.jpg)*Orange infusion*

1. Fill the jar with vodka up to the mark, close tightly so the orange does not touch the liquid, and leave in a cool, dark place for at least 21 days so the orange peel infuses the vodka.

![Vodka, the base spirit for triple sec](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/vodka-base-homemade-triple-sec.jpg)*Vodka*

1. Carefully remove the orange and strain the infused vodka. In a pot, heat the water and sugar, stirring until dissolved into a syrup. Let cool to room temperature.

![Sugar for the triple sec syrup](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/granulated-sugar-jam.jpg)*Sugar*

1. In a glass pitcher, mix the infused vodka with an equal amount of syrup, stir, and pour into a clean, dry bottle. Seal and rest for 7 more days so the flavors blend. Store in a cool, dark place.

## Additional Tips

### Try other citrus

Mandarin, grapefruit, or organic lime peel give different aromas; always use fruit without wax or pesticides.

### Age it longer

Resting the bottled liqueur for 2 to 3 extra weeks softens the alcohol and rounds the flavors.

### Keep leftover syrup

Extra syrup keeps in the refrigerator for cocktails and desserts.

| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Vodka | Neutral grape spirit or pisco | 1:1 | Different aroma |
| White sugar | Cane sugar | 1:1 | Deeper color |
| Orange | Mandarin | 1:1 | Sweeter aroma |
| Vapor infusion | Peel soaked in the vodka | Peel of 2 oranges | Faster, more bitter |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. Why hang the orange instead of soaking it?

The vapor carries the orange’s essential oils into the vodka for a clean aroma without bitterness from the white pith.

### 2. How long does it keep?

Well sealed in a cool, dark place, it keeps for months.

### 3. What cocktails use triple sec?

Margaritas, cosmopolitans, sidecars, and many sours.

### 4. Can I make it less sweet?

Yes, use less syrup when mixing, to taste.

## What Is Triple Sec?

Triple sec is a clear orange liqueur of French origin, flavored with sweet and bitter orange peels and used widely in cocktails.

## Using Triple Sec

It adds citrus sweetness to cocktails such as the margarita and cosmopolitan and to desserts like crêpes and fruit salads.

## Did You Know?

Triple sec means triple dry in French, a name whose exact origin is debated, as the liqueur itself is sweet.

## Recommended

- [Chilean Quince Liqueur](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-homemade-quince-liqueur-licor-de-membrillo-recipe/)
- [Chilean Maqui Berry Liqueur](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-maqui-berry-liqueur-recipe/)
- [Chilean Calafate Liqueur](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-calafate-liqueur-recipe/)
- [Homemade Irish Cream](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/homemade-irish-cream-baileys-style-liqueur-recipe/)