This luxurious and creamy Irish latte recipe is a simple blend of robust espresso coffee, creamy steamed milk and Irish cream liqueur. Quick & easy, this Irish cream coffee is a must for winter and Christmas.
This drink pairs well with Irish coffee cake or Baileys white chocolate cake. And if you happen to love a dash of chocolate in your Baileys drinks then take a look at my Irish mocha and my Baileys hot chocolate.
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Why I love this drink
- Quick and easy: This Baileys latte can be ready in 5-10 minutes and uses only 4 ingredients.
- Tasty: This is a delicious grown-up coffee drink that's sweet, but not too sweet. Enjoy it right through autumn and winter.
- Texture: It's deliciously smooth and creamy.
- Fun: Irish cream latte is a fun-loving drink that can either be poured and served just as it is or dressed up to impressive.
- Cheaper than ordering out: Homemade Baileys latte is so much more purse-friendly than buying one in a coffee shop or restaurant.
- Adaptable: Vary the strength of the coffee, use your favourite milk and tailor the amount of alcohol included to suit your own tastes. You can even make it alcohol free or turn it into a Baileys iced coffee latte.
Don't miss my full collection of speciality coffee recipes - there's something for all tastes.
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What is Irish latte?
Quite simply, this drink is a combination of strong espresso coffee, steamed milk and Baileys Irish cream liqueur. Sounds great, doesn't it?
Irish latte can go by other names too, including Bailey's latte, Baileys coffee, Irish cream latte, Irish cream coffee, Irish coffee latte and Baileys Irish latte. It is not, however, an Irish coffee.
What's the difference between an Irish coffee and an Irish latte?
A traditional Irish coffee is black coffee mixed with Irish whiskey served with a float of runny cream on the top. The coffee is sipped through the cream. Unlike the Irish latte, there is no steamed milk present in this drink, nor does it contain Irish cream.
Ingredients notes
Irish cream: I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to Irish cream liqueur and will only contemplate Baileys. To be fair, it's a long time since I've given any other brand a go, perhaps there are some pretty good ones around now. Just feel free to use the one that you prefer.
Espresso coffee: Irish cream latte is best when made with freshly brewed strong espresso coffee. Use a minimum of 18g to brew 60ml of coffee.
Milk: This drink is intended to be decadent and creamy, so use whole (full-fat milk). At a push, you can use semi-skimmed, but I insist that you never use skimmed milk - it's a woefully inferior product and, quite frankly, I consider it an insult to milk.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Pour a measure of Irish cream into a heatproof drinks glass or mug.
- Step 2: Brew your coffee and heat or steam the milk. Pour the coffee over the Irish cream and stir briefly.
- Step 3: Top with the milk.
- Step 4: Garnish if desired and serve straight away.
Serving suggestions
Here are a few ideas for taking your Baileys coffee drink to the next level:
- Without cream: If you prefer your Baileys coffee drink without cream, then simply pour it into a coffee glass or mug and serve it as it is.
- Stencil latte art: Try some easy latte art using a drinks latte stencil and shake some chocolate powder over it.
- Whipped cream: Top your Irish cream latte with a swirl of whipped cream then add a scattering of grated chocolate and a cinnamon stick.
- Baileys whipped cream: For an additional hit of Irish cream add a splash of Baileys into the cream (around 1 tablespoon per 50ml of cream works well).
Expert tips
- Warm your serving glass/ mug: Fill it with hot water whilst you are making your Irish cream latte. It's the best way to ensure that your coffee is served at optimum temperature.
- Use room temperature Irish cream: Using chilled liqueur will cool the coffee down a little too much.
- Taste the drink before adding any sugar to it: This Irish cream coffee might just be sweet enough without the need for added sweetness.
Frequently asked questions
Use the best coffee that you can afford and opt for one with depth of flavour. If you can grind the beans at home this will give your drink a slight edge over using pre-ground coffee.
It's fine to use decaffeinated coffee if you want to.
If you do not have a coffee machine then you can use instant coffee granules. Try dissolving a rounded teaspoon of granules in 60ml of water that has recently boiled.
Yes, you can. You'll need to pick up a bottle of Irish cream flavoured syrup to do this and just add in enough to suit your taste preferences (around 15ml-30ml).
Yes, you can. To make it into a Baileys iced coffee latte simply prepare the coffee then mix in the Baileys. Fill a glass with ice, pour the coffee mixture over it and pour in cold milk. Whipped cream is a lovely addition to this variation.
Either use the steaming wand on a coffee machine or a handheld milk frother. If you have neither, warm your milk in a saucepan then use a handheld immersion blender to froth it up.
Variations
- Make it with less alcohol: Drop the amount of Irish cream liqueur down to 20ml for just a hint of alcohol in your Baileys latte.
- Make it with more alcohol: You can add a little extra Baileys but be careful not to overpower the coffee with a more pronounced punch alcohol.
- Vary the strength of the coffee: Adapt it to suit your tastes.
- Opt for a flavoured version of Baileys: Try salted caramel Baileys or orange truffle Baileys. Both will pair nicely with the coffee.
- Make a peppermint Irish latte: Add in a dash of peppermint extract. Extract strengths do vary considerably, so add it in ⅛ teaspoon at a time and taste the drink until you are happy with the level of mint flavour.
- Make a vegan Irish cream coffee: Use Baileys Almande rather than classic Baileys Irish Cream and replace the milk with either almond milk or oat milk (barista editions are lovely).
More Baileys recipes to try
Have you made this Irish cream latte recipe? Please let me know how you got along by leaving a comment or rating below. And if you're on Instagram, why not post a picture and tag me (@jane_littlesugarsnaps), so I can see how you decided to garnish your Baileys coffee drink?
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Irish Latte (Baileys Latte)
Ingredients
- 120 ml Whole milk (full-fat)
- 60 ml Espresso coffee brewed with around 18g espresso powder
- 40 ml Irish cream liqueur such as Baileys
Optional extras for garnish
- Whipped cream
- Grated chocolate
- Cinnamon sticks
- Marshmallows
Instructions
- Warm your serving glass or mug by pouring hot water into it and leaving it to stand whilst you make the drink.
- Brew the coffee using around 9g of espresso coffee powder per 30ml water.
- Steam the milk, heating it to around 70℃ (158℉).
- Tip the hot water out of the serving cup/ glass and pour in the Irish cream and vanilla extract.
- Add the coffee and mix well.
- Pour in the steamed milk.
- Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use room temperature Irish cream. Using chilled liqueur will cool the coffee down a little too much.
- Taste the drink before adding any sugar to it. This Irish coffee latte might just be sweet enough without the need for added sweetness.
- Make it alcohol-free by replacing the Irish cream with 15-30ml Irish cream flavoured syrup.
- Turn it into a Baileys iced coffee latte simply prepare the coffee then mix in the Baileys. Fill a glass with ice, pour the coffee mixture over it and pour in cold milk.
- Make a vegan Irish latte using Baileys Almande rather than classic Baileys Irish Cream and replacing the milk with either almond milk or oat milk (barista editions are lovely).
Jane Coupland says
I don't often drink coffee late at night now but the addition of Baileys is welcome when I do - it pairs so well with a milky coffee.