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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How long does this keep? And does it need to be refrigerated?
Hi Cindy! Great questions, I should add this to the post. I know that store bought Irish cream doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but I recommend refrigeration to be safe. The alcohol should extend the life of the dairy past when it would normally last, but I would use your nose as a guide. It should keep for at least 2 weeks if the cream is fresh. Beyond that, give it a sniff to make sure it smells ok but don’t feel the need to toss it prematurely. Enjoy! :)
Thank you so much for your prompt reply. I’m going to give it a try but maybe cut the recipe in half as I would be the only at my house that would drink it.
I wonder how this would freeze, or even if it would freeze. It would extend the shelf life, plus, Irish Cream ice cubes for iced coffee.
I love Bailey’s too and its worth to try it. Thanks
This is so wonderful for the holidays!
This was so good!! I love it!
Great version!
This is my favorite- yum!