Homemade Irish Cream Recipe (2024)

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This quick and easy homemade Irish cream recipe is the one you’ve been looking for! You’ll never have to buy a bottle at the liquor store again when all it takes is 5 minutes and 6 ingredients to make the perfect copycat version of your favorite silky-smooth Irish cream liqueur!

Homemade Irish Cream Recipe (1)

DIYing your own homemade Irish cream recipe is really too hard to pass up.

Six ingredients? That you probably already have on hand?

This recipe is absolutely delicious! I’m always so happy with the results of a copycat recipe, and I promise you will be too once you whip up a batch or three.

This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Homemade Irish Cream Recipe (2)

What is Irish cream?

Irish cream is a cream-based liqueur that can be enjoyed on its own, or mixed in co*cktails, coffee, or used in desserts. Typically made with Irish whiskey, the drink is lightly sweetened and also contains hints of coffee, chocolate, and vanilla flavors.

It has been made popular mostly in the form of Baileys Irish Cream, a well known store-bought brand. I’m a big fan of all of their flavors, and I use it a lot in baking, so our liquor cabinet is never without a bottle.

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Ingredients

Your homemade Baileys will blow that 2-year shelf life stuff out of the water. Plus, it’s ridiculously quick and easy to make. You don’t even need any special blender or strainer – a bowl and a whisk will do the job as well as any high-powered small kitchen appliance.

  • Sweetened condensed milk – keep a few extra cans of this on hands for whim recipes like this.
  • Irish whiskey – it IS boozy, after all.
  • Heavy cream
  • Instant coffee
  • Chocolate syrup
  • Vanilla extract
Homemade Irish Cream Recipe (4)

How to make homemade Irish cream

  1. In a blender, combine the all of the ingredients and blend on high speed until combined, about 30 to 60 seconds.
  2. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container or glass bottle. Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 months. Shake well before using and serve chilled over ice or splashed in your morning coffee.
Homemade Irish Cream Recipe (5)

The best ways to use homemade Irish cream

So what will you do with your homemade Irish cream? Aside from sipping it as a dessert co*cktail with a little ice or using it in an Irish coffee, of course!?

It adds a nice kick to festive co*cktails like my mint chocolate Guinness float, and jazzes up a creamy espresso martini or Baileys Grasshopper, as well. As far as baking, you can add it to just about anything from cupcakes to lava cake to truffles. It’s the star in this Irish Cream Coffee Mud Pie.

Even more delicious Irish recipes to enjoy!

  • The Best Slow Cooker Irish Guinness Beef Stew
  • Easy Irish Soda Bread with Caraway
  • Small Batch Irish Coffee Cupcakes
  • Dublin Coddle: Classic Irish Stew
Homemade Irish Cream Recipe (6)

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Homemade Irish Cream

This quick and easy homemade Irish cream recipe is the one you’ve been looking for! You’ll never have to buy a bottle at the liquor store again when all it takes is 5 minutes and 6 ingredients to make the perfect copycat version of your favorite silky-smooth Irish cream liqueur!

4.55 from 57 votes

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Course: co*cktail, Ingredient

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: homemade irish cream

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 364kcal

Author: Erica

Ingredients

  • 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cups Irish whiskey
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee
  • 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  • In a blender, combine the all of the ingredients and blend on high speed until combined, 30-60 seconds.

  • Transfer mixture to an airtight container or glass bottle. Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 months. Shake well before using and serve chilled over ice or splashed in your morning coffee.

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 237mg | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a pic, post it, and mention @CrumbyKitchen or tag #crumbykitchen for some Instagram love!

Homemade Irish Cream Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in Baileys Irish Cream? ›

Baileys Irish Cream is an Irish cream liqueur made of cream, cocoa and Irish whiskey emulsified together with vegetable oil. Baileys is made by Diageo at Nangor Road, in Dublin, Ireland and in Mallusk, Northern Ireland.

What is the emulsifier in Bailey's Irish cream? ›

Emulsifier: E471, Acidity regulator: E331.

Can you drink Baileys 3 years out of date? ›

Generally as long as you don't subject it to temperature extremes it will last well beyond the official 2 year "best taste before" date. Over time the taste will change and the liquid tends to go a bit darker but only really noticeable if you do a side by side comparison.

Is homemade Irish cream shelf stable? ›

Remember, you can typically store your homemade Irish cream in the refrigerator for up to two months. However, that's not to say that it will always last that long. Some recipes may last for just a few weeks to a month rather than a full two months.

What is the base liquor in Baileys Irish Cream? ›

This is where it all began! Original Irish Cream blends Irish whiskey and spirits with Irish dairy cream and a touch of rich chocolate and vanilla flavours. Pour over ice cream, mix into coffee, or enjoy it with ice for an originally delish Baileys moment.

Why not mix Baileys with citrus? ›

The acidic lime juice causes the cream-based Baileys to curdle. The curdled Baileys does not taste sour, but it does rapidly gain viscosity and stick to the drinker's teeth, reminiscent of cement.

What does Baileys not mix with? ›

Baileys can be easily mixed with all manner of beverages to make a simple, creamy drink. The only rule is to avoid citrus or anything with a lot of citric acid, which makes it curdle. That means avoid juices and soda.

What milk is in Baileys? ›

Every year, roughly 200 million litres of fresh Irish milk are required to produce the creamiest of cream used in the production of Baileys. That's enough to make about 3.3 billion Baileys milkshakes, give or take. This milk is mostly supplied from small, family-owned farms.

Does Kahlua go bad after opening? ›

After opening your Kahlua drink, it may not necessarily go bad. However, it will lose its flavor and richness over time, so you should consume the beverage within a month or two after opening. Nonetheless, the drink can still be good to drink after a few months of opening.

Do Baileys contain caffeine? ›

If you are talking about a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, the miniscule amount of caffeine is wiped out by the alcohol.

Can you freeze Baileys? ›

Simply Called Food doesn't recommend freezing Baileys because it will make it hard to pour. If placed in the freezer, the alcohol in the Baileys will not freeze, but the cream will. So go ahead and open a bottle of Baileys and enjoy now and later.

Why did my homemade Irish cream curdle? ›

Recipe Tip

Avoid curdling – I did some research as to ensure a life free of curdling and it's all about adding the alcohol slowly and being sure to use heavy cream. Alcohol is an acid so making irish cream with, say, whole milk will definitely break the milk, which could result in some serious coagulation.

How does Irish cream not go bad? ›

Manufacturers of cream liqueurs point to the effective preservative qualities of alcohol as the reason that refrigeration is not required. Baileys™ guarantees it's product for 2 years from the date of manufacture, opened or unopened, and suggests a storage temperature range of 0-25˚Celsius.

What are the major defects in Irish cream liqueur that can occur during their on shelf life? ›

Thus, physical instability is the main defect during storage of cream liqueurs.
  • Age thickening–age gelation. Age thickening or gelation is one of the most serious problems affecting cream liqueurs and other long-life emulsions. ...
  • Neck plugs. ...
  • Granular precipitation. ...
  • Free-fat flecks.

Is there sugar in Baileys? ›

Enjoy over ice, in coffee or blended. *Baileys Deliciously Light - per 2.5 fl. oz. serving - Average Analysis: calories-139; carbs-9.3 g; protein-0.8 g; fat-3.7 g; sugar-7.8 g.

What of alcohol is in Baileys? ›

Bailey's Irish Cream is bottled in the US at 17% ABV, if we assume that a beer is 5% ABV, that means that the Bailey's contains 3.4 times the alcohol as beer. If your beer is 16 oz by volume it would contain 0.8oz of pure ethanol. A 1.5 oz shot of Bailey's would contain 0.255oz of pure ethanol.

Does Baileys have caffeine in it? ›

If so, you'll be pleased to learn that yes - Baileys does contain a minute amount of caffeine! Though it's not something many people tend to think about, having an understanding of what ingredients are in your favorite alcoholic beverage can help keep you safe and informed when enjoying it.

What's the difference between Baileys and Kahlua? ›

Baileys and Kahlua both complement a freshly brewed cup of coffee, but there are distinct differences between the two liqueurs. Baileys is creamy and derives its taste from cream, cocoa, and Irish Whiskey. Kahlua is dark without the creaminess of Baileys and is made with 100 percent arabica coffee, rum, and sugar.

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