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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!
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.
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.
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
How to make homemade Irish cream
In a blender, combine the all of the ingredients and blend on high speed until combined, about 30 to 60 seconds.
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.
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
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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!
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.
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.
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.
That being said, Kirkland's Irish cream lacked the hint of cocoa for which Baileys is known and loved. Baileys also boasts a more whiskey-forward flavor that may be preferred by fans of the brown spirit.
Irish cream is a rich liqueur made with Irish whiskey and cream. It can be served straight, on the rocks, or mixed into co*cktails. You can also use it as an ingredient in boozy, decadent desserts.
Certain blenders (particularly the powerful ones) can curdle the mixture slightly as they 'whip' the cream. To avoid this, start your blender on a very low speed and increase slowly to medium-low. Mix until ingredients only just combined.
Gluckman told Irish Central that, after getting the call from the IDV, he and Seymour-Davies went to the nearest grocery store and purchased Jameson Irish Whiskey, Cadbury's Powdered Drinking Chocolate, and cream. They mixed it up in a cleaned-out Schweppes bottle, and the rudimentary recipe for Baileys was born.
Does Bailey's Irish Cream go bad or expire? 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.
Baileys is made from the very best of premium quality dairy cream, triple-distilled whiskey, and fine spirits. It takes about 220 million liters of fresh cream from 38,000 top-bred Irish dairy cows (Baileys Ladies) for the creation of baileys annually.
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.
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.
According to a commenter, Costco's version is "wine-based," while Baileys uses whiskey. This claim is further supported by the label, as Kirkland Irish Country Cream is described as a wine co*cktail, while Baileys is a liqueur.
It's a great substitute when you want something more budget-friendly than Baileys, but still retains the liqueur's desired chocolaty notes and creamy body.
Irish cream liqueur is wonderfully versatile. It's so rich and full of flavour, so one of the best ways to drink it is straight or over ice, and just savour the taste of the liqueur. It's also great as an ingredient in shooters, co*cktails and warm drinks like coffee and hot chocolate. Here are a few of our favourites!
Tips and Tricks: How to Store this Recipe – Keep the Irish Cream in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to one week. 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.
Merrys Irish Cream Liqueur – Merrys cites a sealed shelf life of 18 months from the date of production, refrigerated or not. After opening, it lasts 6 months, refrigerated. Five Farms Irish Cream – The company says Five Farms is good for a shelf life of 3 years unopened, then 6 months after opening if refrigerated.
Transfer mixture to an airtight container or glass bottle with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Shake well before using.
If stored in an air-tight container, homemade Baileys can last up to 2 months in the fridge. The alcohol helps preserve it, but always sniff the mixture first to make sure it hasn't gone off (trust me, you'll know if the half and half has gone sour).
While refrigeration is not necessary, cream liqueurs taste great when they are well chilled, and for most of us, the most convenient cool place of storage is our refrigerator. We would also recommend that cream liqueurs should be consumed within six to twelve months of opening.
Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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