Homemade Baileys
This homemade Baileys takes one blender and about five minutes to make. It’s rich, creamy, and ready for sipping, gifting, or stirring into coffee.
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We keep a bottle of Jameson in the liquor cabinet most of the year, and a good amount of it ends up in this Irish cream instead of a glass over ice.
This recipe started as a way to stretch a bottle of store-bought Baileys a little further. These days, we skip the store-bought bottle and make our own.
Pour it over ice, stir it into coffee, or use it in desserts. We do all three, depending on the day. You can also serve it with a slice of Irish apple cake or an Irish soda bread scone.
Making Homemade Baileys Irish Cream
Pour everything into a blender and blend on low just until the mixture is smooth and combined.
Heavy cream gives the Irish cream its thick consistency. Half and half works as a substitute, but regular milk makes it too thin. Be sure to use sweetened condensed milk rather than evaporated milk, which looks similar but is not sweetened.
Instant espresso or instant coffee both work. Smaller granules dissolve more easily and are less likely to leave flecks behind. We use Jameson, but any Irish whiskey you enjoy drinking will work.
Avoid blending longer than necessary. The heavy cream can begin to whip, making the mixture thick and clumpy instead of smooth and pourable.
Pour the Irish cream into a bottle or jar with a tight lid. A funnel helps if the opening is narrow.
Over Ice, in Coffee, or in Dessert
We usually drink homemade Baileys over ice, but it’s also good stirred into coffee. Try it in our Baileys coffee or boozy iced coffee.
It also works well in desserts. We use it in the frosting for our Guinness brownies, in Baileys Irish Cream fudge, and in our Irish Cream whipped cream.
If the Irish cream sits over ice for a while, it may begin to separate slightly. That’s normal. Just give it a stir before drinking.
It also makes a good homemade gift. Keep the bottle refrigerated before and after giving it away.
