Kahlua is a rich coffee liquor that is the main ingredient in many cocktails and desserts! If you love White Russians and other popular drinks made with Kahlua, it is important to ask, Is Kahlua gluten free?
What Is Kahlua?
Kahlua is a coffee liquor that was created in Mexico in 1936. It is made with traditional ingredients, including 100% Arabica coffee beans and rum.
Once the coffee is roasted and harvested, manufacturers use sugar cane to make rum. This rum is distilled with the coffee and then aged for four weeks. It is then bottled and distributed to liquor stores and distributors for sale.
Kahlua is not only used in cocktails like White Russians and Irish Coffee but is also used in both sweet and savory recipes.
Answer: Is Kahlua Gluten Free?
Although Kahlua is not certified gluten free, it should be safe for those on a gluten free diet. Kahlua is like any distilled liquor; no remaining gluten ingredients should exist. The coffee used is gluten free, and the distilled rum alcohol they use is also gluten free.
You can read more about the alcohol distillation process and how it removes gluten in this U Chicago article.
You can read the statement below from Kahlua's website:
"The processes of distillation should eliminate cereal proteins from distilled spirits drinks, and therefore distilled drinks are generally accepted for a gluten-free diet. We do not add any known gluten ingredients in Kahlúa Original or the Kahlúa Flavors. Please note, however, that we cannot offer specific advice and recommend that you discuss these matters with your medical or dietetic advisors." Kahlua website.
Kahlua is not made with any gluten ingredients. If you like to drink occasional alcoholic beverages, be sure to check out which liquors are gluten free on my Alcohol List.
It is important to know if any drink or food is gluten free when you are gluten free due to celiac disease or gluten intolerance. If you accidentally ingest gluten, the consequences can be painful and miserable.
If food is gluten free, but you still feel sick, it can be other ingredients causing issues. Often, whether a gluten free product causes problems can be very individualized. Always listen to your body.
Kahlua Ingredients:
As you can see, none of these ingredients is a red flag for gluten.
- Cane Spirits
- Coffee Extract
- Sugar
- Vanilla (? Kahlua doesn't list the ingredients on their website but alludes to vanilla)
If you enjoy alcoholic beverages, be sure to read more of my research, including, Is Tequila Gluten Free and Is Brandy Gluten Free?
If you love the recipes you find on my blog, I would love for you to sign up for my newsletter (and get my free gluten free lemon dessert e-cookbook!)
This post was updated from an older June 2015 post with more details and easier-to-follow directions.
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