Irish mocha latte is a quick and easy recipe that creates a chocolate, Baileys and coffee drink that is sure to delight. Expect plenty of flavour, a buzz of alcohol and a pleasing sweetness to this playful Baileys mocha.

Irish mocha latte. For those days when you’re torn between coffee and hot chocolate and also fancy a drop of alcohol. This Baileys mocha ticks all three boxes.
Slightly bolder and less sweet than an Irish cream hot chocolate but milder than a straight Irish coffee, this chocolate, Baileys and coffee drink sits merrily proud in the middle ground. It’s a great drink for snuggling up with.
What is a mocha latte?
If you are sitting here thinking that you know what a mocha is and you know what a latte is but are wondering how the two combine to make a mocha latte, it’s simple: mocha latte is another way of naming a mocha, but the use of the word latte emphasizes the fact that this is a long milky drink rather than a shorter coffee drink.
There are three elements to a mocha latte: espresso coffee, chocolate and steamed milk. Coffee houses, such as Starbucks and Costa will often use chocolate syrup to bring in the chocolate flavour.
My Irish mocha latte does not use chocolate syrup. Instead, I’ve used real chocolate and melted it into the milk to create a truly authentic chocolate taste that is not ridiculously sweet (the curse of relying on syrup to flavour drinks). As such, the sweetness level of this Baileys and coffee drink is not overpowering.
And of course, unlike the Starbucks mocha latte, my hot chocolate based Irish mocha contains a generous glug of Baileys Irish cream. This brings a decadent fourth element of flavour to this popular coffee house drink.
If you don’t fancy the chocolate then try my straight-up Irish latte.
Why you’ll love this Baileys and coffee drink
There are quite a few reasons to love this Baileys mocha latte recipe:
- It’s a quick and simple preparation – ready in 5-10 minutes.
- And it requires just 4 ingredients.
- There’s a rich coffee flavour along with an unmistakable hit of chocolate.
- But the inclusion of Baileys Irish cream liqueur adds in a cosy buzz of boozy warmth.
- The drink is sweet, but not too sweet.
- And it’s a fun interpretation of the mocha latte just for the grown-ups.
- This drink is naturally gluten-free.
- It’s a change from the typical hot Baileys drinks such as Irish-style coffee or hot chocolate.
All-in-all, a little Baileys in coffee is a great way to take things. But if you’re also in need of an exciting non-alcoholic mocha recipe try my Aztec mocha, minty mocha or my white chocolate mocha. They’re all divine.
Ingredients notes
Baileys Irish Cream: call me a drink snob if you like, but I’ve tried plenty of alternative brands over the years and have yet to find an Irish cream that matches up to Baileys. For this reason, I recommend using the original Baileys Liqueur in this Irish cream mocha.
Chocolate: use semi-sweet chocolate with around 60% cocoa solids. It is not too sweet or too bitter and complements the robust coffee and slightly sweet nature of the Irish cream perfectly.
If you cannot get hold of chocolate with 60% cocoa solids try mixing ⅓ milk chocolate (with 30% cocoa solids) and ⅔ dark chocolate (with 70% cocoa solids).
Coffee: the optimal choice is to use coffee beans that have been freshly ground at home. If this is not an option for you, pick up some ground espresso coffee powder and run with that.
There’s no need to get too caught up on premium quality coffee here. This is an easy-going coffee drink and the espresso flavour is somewhat diluted by the other ingredients, so save the expensive beans for a straighter coffee.
Milk: the best option for any latte recipe, in my opinion, is whole (full-fat) milk. This is for 2 reasons.
- Flavour. I still want my latte to taste suitably creamy and decadent once mixed with the espresso coffee. This means that milk with a higher fat content is required. Avoid skimmed milk at all costs – the result is drastically disappointing.
- Texture. Whole milk is the best option for creating a wonderful top that could be used to create some beautiful latte art (a skill I’m yet to master but keen to acquire).
Although latte art might not be your primary objective if intending to add a swirl of cream to your Irish mocha latte, anybody wishing to forego the cream might well like to adjust the recipe slightly (detailed further down) to allow for a little creative latte art.
Step-by-step instructions
This Baileys and coffee drink takes just 5-10 minutes to make:
- Brew the espresso coffee.
- Heat the milk in a pan with the chocolate and stir until melted.
- Add the Baileys Irish cream and the coffee.
- Optional: blend using a milk frother or an immersion blender to create froth.
- Pour the drink into a mug.
- Optional: top with whipped cream and a few chocolate flakes.
Expert tips
- Warm your coffee mug or glass by filling with very hot water whilst you make the drink. Discard the hot water when you are ready to serve the mocha.
- If you intend to create some latte art for this Baileys and coffee drink, reserve half of the milk before adding the chocolate. Steam the reserved portion using the wand on your coffee machine and pour into the drink at the end to create a stylish cream-free top to your hot Baileys drink.
- To ensure that the chocolate does not catch and burn on the bottom of the pan, warm the milk over moderate heat and stir it often. Avoid blasting it on high heat.
- Taste the drink before adding any sugar to it. This Baileys and coffee drink is sweet enough for my tastes, but feel free to add a little extra sweetness if you think otherwise.
- To achieve a frothy top to the hot chocolate element, use a milk frother or a handheld immersion blender to agitate the liquid until frothy. Use a large pan so the liquid comes well below halfway to avoid it splashing over the edge.
- See my suggestions below for how to serve this chocolate, Baileys and coffee drink and how to vary the flavour slightly.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can. A white chocolate mocha latte is sweeter than the version I’ve presented here, but it does work.
Similarly, milk chocolate is also an option. Again, it will result in a sweeter Irish mocha drink.
Yes, you can. A coffee machine is a quick and easy way to brew espresso, but if you don’t have one then feel free to brew your coffee using an Aeropress or cafetiere instead.
Yes! I’d always recommend using freshly brewed espresso coffee for the best tasting drink, but if that is not an option for you feel free to use instant coffee granules. Try dissolving a rounded teaspoon of granules in 60ml of water that has recently boiled.
Although I have specified 40ml in the recipe listed below, this can be varied according to your taste preferences. Drop it down to 20ml for just a hint of alcohol or increase it slightly. Just beware of overpowering the chocolate and coffee with a more pronounced punch of boozy flavour.
How to serve Irish mocha
Drinks such as this Baileys mocha are light-hearted and fun. They don’t take the coffee element too seriously. And that means that we are at liberty to introduce a little frivolity when it comes to the presentation. And by frivolity, I do, of course, mean embellishments.
My favourite way to serve this Baileys and coffee drink is to pour it into a heatproof coffee glass, top it with whipped cream and then sprinkle liberally with flaked chocolate and marshmallows. It’s utterly indulgent and totally blissful.
If you are looking for more ways to round this drink off in style then consider some of the following ideas:
- A side helping of Baileys truffles – the ultimate in Irish Cream indulgence.
- Sieved cocoa powder or drinking chocolate.
- Shattered chocolate-covered coffee beans (hit them briefly using a pestle and mortar).
- A drizzle of chocolate sauce.
- Baileys whipped cream – add a splash of the good stuff to the cream before whipping.
Baileys mocha variations
- Make a vegan Irish mocha using Baileys Almande rather than classic Baileys Irish Cream, replacing the milk with either almond milk or oat milk (look for the barista edition) and using vegan chocolate.
- Get fruity with an orange truffle Bailey Irish Cream mocha or use some orange infused dark chocolate.
- Try a salted caramel mocha latte by using salted caramel Baileys.
- Or opt for a luxuriously rich and chocolatey hot Baileys drink by using Baileys Chocolat Lux in place of regular Baileys Irish Cream.
- Add a small dash of peppermint extract to turn it into a boozy peppermint mocha latte. As extracts can vary in strength, I suggest adding ⅛ teaspoon of extract at a time and tasting until you are happy with the level of mint flavour.
More Baileys recipes to try
Have you made this Irish mocha latte featuring real chocolate and Baileys with coffee? I hope you enjoyed it – please leave a comment and/ or rating below if you did. I do value hearing how readers get along with my recipes.
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📖 Recipe
Irish Mocha Latte (A Baileys and Coffee Drink)
Ingredients
- 15 g Ground espresso coffee
- 30 g Dark chocolate 60% cocoa solids
- 140 ml Whole (full-fat) milk
- 40 ml Baileys Irish cream liqueur
Instructions
- Brew the ground coffee, ideally using a coffee machine to make 60ml espresso coffee. If you do not have a coffee machine use an Aeropress or a cafetiere instead.
- Gently heat the milk in a pan with the chocolate and stir until melted.
- Add the Baileys Irish cream and the coffee.
- Optional: blend using a milk frother or an immersion blender to create froth.
- Pour the drink into a warmed mug or heatproof glass.
- Optional: top with whipped cream and a few chocolate flakes.
Notes
- Warm your coffee mug or glass by filling with very hot water whilst you make the drink. Discard the hot water when you are ready to serve the mocha.
- If you intend to create some latte art for this Baileys and coffee drink, reserve half of the milk before adding the chocolate. Steam the reserved portion using the wand on your coffee machine and pour into the drink at the end to create a stylish cream-free top to your hot Baileys drink.
- To ensure that the chocolate does not catch and burn on the bottom of the pan, warm the milk over moderate heat and stir it often. Avoid blasting it on high heat.
- Taste the drink before adding any sugar to it. This Baileys and coffee drink is sweet enough for my tastes, but feel free to add a little extra sweetness if you think otherwise.
- To achieve a frothy top to the hot chocolate element, use a milk frother or a handheld immersion blender to agitate the liquid until frothy. Use a large pan so the liquid comes well below halfway to avoid it splashing over the edge.
- To make a vegan Baileys mocha use Baileys Almande rather than classic Baileys Irish Cream, replace the milk with your favourite vegan milk and use vegan chocolate. Top with vegan whipped cream and garnishes if desired.
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