Irish Coffee

5 from 3

This classic Irish Coffee drink is a double whammy of caffeine and booze that immediately warms you up on a chilly evening. It's cozy, delicious, and can be made in minutes!

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: coffee cocktails, Irish coffee

Servings: drinks

Ingredients

1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
1/4 cup Jameson Irish whiskey
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cups strong brewed hot coffee
chocolate shavings for garnish, completely optional but why not?!

Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the heavy cream and Baileys. Whip together until fluffy soft peaks are reached. Set aside.
Warm up 2 heatproof glass coffee mugs: pour hot water into each glass, then discard.
To each glass add 2 tablespoons whiskey, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 cup hot coffee. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Gently dollop the whipped cream high over the top, being careful not to break the coffee’s surface, so you end up with a thick, very generous layer above the coffee.
Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired. Drink the hot coffee through the cream - do not stir! So delish!

Notes

Preheating the glass. This helps prevent the glass from cracking and also keeps the drink warm a bit longer. Optional, but highly recommended.

Frothy cream collar. If you prefer a light cream top instead of whipped cream piled high, you'll whip the cream and Bailey's lightly just before you get to soft peaks. Then very slowly pour it over a warm spoon onto the coffee, being careful not to break the surface of the coffee. This can take some practice.

Sugar. White sugar, brown sugar, or a combination of the two can be used to sweeten the coffee. We prefer brown sugar because of its caramel molasses flavor that pairs so well with whiskey, but using a little of both also gives the drink a good balance of sweetness.

Baileys Irish Coffee. This version uses Baileys in place of the Irish whiskey. It's sweeter, richer, and a bit thicker.

Nutrition