DIY Bailey's Irish Cream Recipe

By Hannah Sullivan, Bon Appétit

There aren't a lot of holidays my dad gets excited about, but in mid-March the Irishman in him comes out to celebrate St. Paddy's. He buys some whiskey, gets the blender out of the cupboard, and makes big batches of silky, delicious Irish cream. For the next few weeks, if you stop by his house, you are guaranteed to leave with a glass bottle of the stuff.

Good for a month in the fridge, homemade Irish cream makes a great hostess gift or party favor. It holds its own served neat and on the rocks, but I'm especially fond of a little shake of it in a shot of espresso.

I live on the other side of the country now, so I asked my dad to share his recipe. It may not have the heritage that, say, Guinness does (Bailey's was only invented in the 70s), but it feels like tradition to me.

Irish Cream


Makes about 1.5 pints; good for up to a month

**Note this recipe has not been tested or edited by the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen**

1 cup Irish whiskey
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coconut extract
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

Measure out all of the ingredients into the blender and mix until frothy and uniform in color. Using a funnel, pour into bottles, and share liberally.

A few notes: A good whiskey really elevates this recipe, so while you don't need to spend a fortune, don't skimp, either. If traditional Irish cream is too sweet for your liking, you can swap out 1/3 of a cup of the sweetened condensed milk for heavy cream. Finally, don't be scared of the raw eggs--but do keep this refrigerated at all times.

You can package it in any sterilized glass bottle that strikes your fancy, but I especially like this DIY idea from Design*Sponge.

A few ideas for baking and mixing drinks with Irish cream:

Maloneys Irish Cream

Coffee with Baileys and Frangelico

Baileys Pudding Parfaits with Oatmeal Walnut Crunch

Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse Cake


Photo Credit: Hannah Sullivan

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