Homemade Irish Cream

Before you start

Irish cream is a creamy liqueur made from Irish whiskey, dairy cream and sweetener, often with chocolate and coffee notes. A homemade version takes about five minutes with a blender and tastes fresher than many bottled brands. It works on its own over ice, in coffee and as a dessert drizzle.

The essential thing to understand is shelf life. Commercial cream liqueurs use processing and emulsifiers to stay shelf-stable; homemade does not. It is a dairy product with alcohol, and it must be kept cold and used within about two weeks. This recipe contains no raw egg. Blend only briefly on low speed, because overblending can whip the cream and make the liqueur thick and grainy.

Ingredients

• 240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream — cold
• 1 can (397 g / 14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 300 ml (10 oz) Irish whiskey — 40% ABV
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) chocolate syrup
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Put the instant espresso powder in the blender with 1 tablespoon of the whiskey and swirl to dissolve.
2. Add the cream, condensed milk, remaining whiskey, chocolate syrup and vanilla.
3. Blend on low speed for 20 to 30 seconds, just until smooth and uniform. Do not blend longer, or the cream may start to whip.
4. Taste and adjust: add more chocolate syrup for sweetness or a splash more whiskey for strength.
5. Pour into clean bottles, seal and refrigerate immediately. Shake gently before serving over ice or in coffee.

Tips for success

• Chill the cream and whiskey first; cold ingredients emulsify more smoothly.
• For a smoother texture, let the bottle sit in the fridge overnight before serving.
• Make smaller batches if you won't use it within two weeks.

Substitutions

Irish whiskey

Bourbon gives a sweeter, vanilla-forward liqueur; blended Scotch adds a light smoky note.

Heavy cream

Half-and-half makes a thinner liqueur that separates more readily.

Sweetened condensed milk

Coconut condensed milk with coconut cream makes a dairy-free version with a coconut flavor.

Troubleshooting

The liqueur is thick and grainy

It was overblended and the cream started whipping. Blend less next time; strain this batch if needed.

It separated in the fridge

Some separation is normal. Shake gently to recombine. If it has curdled or smells sour, discard it.

It curdled in hot coffee

Very acidic coffee can curdle cream. Let the coffee cool slightly before adding.

Storage

Refrigerate at 4°C (40°F) or below and use within about 2 weeks. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Discard it if it smells sour, curdles or develops an off flavor.

Safety notes

This Irish cream is about 14% ABV; a 60 ml serving contains about 0.5 U.S. standard drinks (one standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol), and the batch holds about 7. Contains dairy. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and never drink and drive.