Bailey's Irish Coffee - NeighborFood (2024)

This Bailey’s Irish Coffee combines hot coffee with rich, sweet Bailey’s Irish Cream for a dreamy coffee co*cktail you can enjoy any time of day.

Start the Day off Cozy with Bailey’s Coffee

This Bailey’s Irish Cream Coffee is the equivalent of a warm blanket on a cold winter morning. If you want to start your day off with all the cozy vibes, this is where it’s at.

This is the kind of drink you’ll want to linger over, letting the warmth of the mug sink into your hands and the foamy whipped cream coat the top of your lips.

“Nothing is sexier than a whipped cream mustache.” -An Irishman somewhere, probably.

While Bailey’s and coffee is an obvious choice for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, it’s also the perfect way to warm up any winter day. Pair it with Toasted Coconut Shortbread or Canestrelli Cookies for a delightful breakfast or mid afternoon snack.

This also makes a lovely night cap, though the more sensitive among us will have to sub decaf coffee if we don’t wish to be awake until 3 AM.

Maybe make some Stove Top Hot Chocolate for the kids, while the grown ups enjoy their own special holiday drink. However you choose to indulge, we think you’ll love this Bailey’s Irish Coffee.

How to Make Bailey’s Coffee

1. Prepare your favorite hot coffee blend. I recommend a stronger brew to stand up to the Irish cream.
2. Pour 8 ounces of hot coffee into a prepared glass. Stir in 2 teaspoons brown sugar.
3. Add 2 ounces of Bailey’s Irish Cream.
4. Top with homemade whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg.

Notes and Tips for Baileys Irish Coffee

The best thing about preparing coffee at home is being able to control the strength and sweetness!

• Feel free to decrease the sweetness (some may prefer it without any added sugar at all), or increase based on your tastes.
• I love the richness of brown sugar as a sweetener, but vanilla simple syrup, granulated sugar, and honey also work.
• We preferred the 1:4 ratio of Bailey’s to coffee, but if you want it stronger, try a 1:3 ratio of 2 ounces Bailey’s to 6 ounces of hot coffee.
• You can just plop the homemade whipped cream on top, but I actually like to warm the drink in the microwave for 20 seconds so the cream melts, forming a foamy top that is similar to steamed milk, but sweeter and richer.
• Be sure to use Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur, not the line of non-alcoholic creamers.
• We have a nutmeg grinder similar to this one that we use for this and other festive drinks, like Bourbon Eggnog.

How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream

Canned whipped cream is fine in a pinch, but nothing compares to homemade whipped cream, and it’s really easy to make!

• Add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to the bowl of a stand mixer. If desired, add 2-3 Tablespoons of powdered sugar.
• Beat on high speed with the whisk attachment until the cream is thick and billowy. You can stop when it’s soft set or continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Whipped cream will keep in the fridge for at least a week and is perfect for adding to coffee, or serving alongside cream cheese pound cake, mini pecan pies, or chocolate bundt cake.

Variations on Irish Coffee

• Traditional Irish Coffee: Add the brown sugar to the brewed coffee, but substitute 2 ounces Jameson whiskey for the Bailey’s. Top with whipped cream.
• Iced Bailey’s Coffee: Stir the sugar into the hot brewed coffee, then pour over ice before stirring in the Bailey’s. Cold brew coffee is also perfect for this.
• Irish Mocha Latte: Combine 6 ounces (3/4 cup) strong brewed coffee + sugar + 1.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate + 1/4 cup steamed and frothed milk + 1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream.

More Festive St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

• Frozen Irish Mudslides
• Reuben Pull Apart Bread
• Guinness Beef Pot Pie
• Guinness Beef Stew
• Lucky Charms Treats