Irish cream liqueur, such as Baileys, is a creamy addition to tasty cocktails that’s perfect for cozy nights, St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans or a nightcap anytime. Transform a classic recipe or discover a new favorite!
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Your ultimate guide to Baileys cocktails
Green cocktails steal the show come mid-March (looking at you, green beer), but there’s another ingredient that will bring the luck of the Irish to your drinks: Irish cream liqueur.
This spirit has become synonymous with the most commonly purchased brand-name, Baileys. With Irish whiskey and cream, notes of chocolate, coffee and vanilla dominate. You can mix it into one of these recipes or enjoy it solo — either way it’s a win!
Unlike coffee liqueur, this boozy drink adds not only flavor but a creamy element to drinks and desserts. Whether you pour it, shake it or blend it, I think you’ll find it’s a new favorite.
How to choose Irish cream
When it comes to Irish cream, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Baileys Irish cream was the first on the market and remains the most popular choice. They’ve evolved from just offering the original Irish cream to include flavors like like peppermint, vanilla, pumpkin spice, piña colada, cinnamon, s’mores and even birthday cake. I personally prefer to stick to the OG, but if you’re curious you can certainly use one of these others in your drinks!
There is also a dairy-free Irish cream from this brand called Baileys Almande. It’s a great substitute for anyone who may have a dairy restriction, and it’s my mom’s favorite.
Outside of Baileys, other brands make Irish cream too. Like with most bar cart * essentials, you can try a few different bottles until you find your personal favorite — it may differ from person to person. Molly’s Irish Cream, Ryan’s Irish Cream, The Whistler Irish Cream and Carolans Irish Cream are all common options at the liquor store.
My personal favorite is Five Farms Irish Cream, but it’s not for everyone. It needs to be refrigerated (and comes in a cute milk bottle) and has to be used more quickly than the commercial versions, which have a shelf life of about a year.
You can also make your own Irish cream, which allows you to customize it to fit your needs. Swap the dairy for your favorite and even use zero-proof whiskey for a mocktail option. Irish cream syrup will also give you the distinct flavors of the liqueur and is especially great for things like coffee drinks.
What to mix with Baileys
Baileys plays well with so many flavors, hence the delicious drinks it can create!
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Use mixers with flavors that play well with its prominent notes, like vanilla, chocolate and coffee for your cocktails. Mint, almond and caramel are also great choices. Since dessert drinks contain many of these flavors, you’ll find a lot of those on this list.
You can also keep it simple by adding a splash to a cup of hot coffee or hot chocolate (don’t forget Baileys whipped cream on top) or adding chocolate sauce to the rim of your glass of Irish cream with a dusting of nutmeg for a garnish.
Don’t stop with just drinks — Irish cream also works well in dessert recipes or drizzled over treats like vanilla ice cream. I like to use it in Baileys chocolate chip cookies for an added depth of flavor in boozy treat form. Since it’s so creamy, it would work well as a milk substitute in some recipes. This Baileys ice cream looks divine too!
The best Irish cream cocktails
One of these creamy cocktails is sure to be a new favorite!
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