Love Bailey’s Irish Cream? You need to try making it from scratch! Homemade Irish Cream is so easy and it tastes AMAZING.
I’ve recently begun delving into the world of homemade liqueurs, and it’s a lot of fun. My friend Shannon got me started when she suggested we make a Romanian cherry drink called Vișinată, which is made from freshly picked sour cherries, granulated sugar, and alcohol.
It’s really good. I didn’t document the process for the blog, but it got me curious to see what else I could try.
First on my list? Homemade Irish cream.
I love Bailey’s, both for drinking and for using in recipes such as ice cream and cookies. Now that I know how easy it is to make from scratch, I’m not sure I’ll be purchasing the pre-made stuff anymore unless I’m in a hurry.
It comes together in no time, and when I did a side-by-side taste comparison, there was no contest. The homemade version tasted smoother and more fresh. Serious, you need to try this.
Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Irish whiskey, such as Jameson
- 1 (14-ounce can) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso
- 1 tablespoon good quality chocolate syrup, such as Torani
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently whisk together the whiskey and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add the instant espresso, chocolate syrup, and vanilla, whisking until the espresso dissolves. Finally, gently whisk in the heavy cream until smooth. Don't whisk vigorously, since the idea isn't to beat air into the cream.
- Pour the mixture into a container with a tight fitting lid, and chill for at least 4 hours to allow the flavors to come together. The Irish cream will continue to develop and improve its flavor for the next two weeks, but it tastes wonderful and is ready to serve as soon as it's chilled. Serve plain over ice, in coffee, or in your favorite Irish cream cocktail.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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Oooooh…there it is! This sounds incredible, Jen. Cannot wait to make a batch and have it with a big scoop of ice cream!
I love Baileys, I can’t wait to try this!
I’ve wanted to look into making my own Baileys a few times, but never got round to it. It’s so expensive here, only affordable at Christmas really.
I need to make this, pinning!
I’m excited to try this. I love a creamy liquor to sip in the winter!
Oh, man…This is dangerous! Guess I’m going to have to start buying bigger bottles of Jameson from now on! :)
I love that you made your own irish cream! I gotta try this.
I used to make homemade liqueurs often back in the day, but haven’t in years. You’ve inspired me to get back at it though. Love Irish Cream :)
Ohh I can see this being demolished around March ;) Love this stuff!
Um, genius! I’ve never thought to make my own cream liqueur!!
I wish I could take a sip of this right now, it looks incredible. I’m a huge cherry lover, so I’m counting the days till you post that Vișinată!
I have always wanted to make my own Irish Cream – it looks so simple!! But I’ll definitely be keeping my eye open for that cherry kirsch liqeur this summer!
I also love Baileys and would definitely love a homemade version!! This sounds incredible.
I’ve made this with Hershey’s syrup, but I have a feeling your Torani syrup makes it even better! Can’t wait to see what other liqueurs you come up with :)
You made me smile :) Cooking, here comes a new adventure :D
oh my gawd, homemade Irish cream liqueur!!!! gorgeous!!!!!