Baileys Irish Cream Coffee (Irish Mocha Latte)

Serving a mocha latte spiked with Baileys and Jameson whiskey with sugar cookies.

This recipe takes a mocha latte to the next level with a splash of Irish cream and whiskey. This quick, easy Irish Cream coffee recipe is lightly sweet with a balanced blend of dark chocolate, coffee, milk, Irish cream and a touch of whiskey. It’s perfect for chilly evenings and especially apropos for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

This Irish mocha latte is like a grown-up hot chocolate. It looks and tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant, but isn’t cloyingly sweet. If you like homemade lattes that are rich with flavor and a nice boozy kick, this is for you.

I love to sip it with one or two thin & crispy sugar cookies or these Coconut Almond Oatmeal Cookies for dessert when it’s chilly out; the hot Irish cream coffee warms you from the inside out.

Living in South Florida, it’s a rare occasion when hot drinks are necessary, but this one is so good that I’ll crank the A/C lower just to give myself an excuse.

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Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • It’s quick and easy to make, ready to sip in about 10 minutes.
  • It can be scaled for one person or 10.
  • This mocha latte is for grown-ups, so you don’t have to share it with the kiddos.
  • Bailey’s Irish cream coffee is a great after-dinner drink to serve to company.

Ingredients:

Ingredients for the mocha latte recipe.
  • Bittersweet Chocolate – I recommend you use a bar of high-quality chocolate such as Ghirardelli, Scharffenberger or Lindt.
  • Whole Milk – will give the mocha latte a richer flavor and mouth-feel.
  • Strong Coffee – make a fresh pot, or if you’ve got a bit left in the pot from the morning, that’s fine, too. The milk and coffee are heated together in this Baileys Irish coffee recipe.
  • Powdered Sugar – I use this because it dissolves faster than granulated sugar, but you can also substitute simple syrup, honey or maple syrup.
  • Irish Cream – I used Bailey’s Irish cream, but other brands will work well.
  • Irish Whiskey – I used Jamesons for this Irish coffee – but use your favorite brand.
  • Optional Garnish – I like whipped cream and chocolate shavings for this drink.

How to make a mocha latte with Baileys and Jameson:

  1. Use a microplane grater to shave the bar of bittersweet chocolate into dust.

2. Heat milk and coffee in a saucepan until the mixture is hot, but don’t let it boil.

3. Whisk in the dark chocolate shavings until they are melted and evenly combined. This is the basis of the mocha latte.

4. Add the powdered sugar (or other sweetener) and whisk to combine.

5. Add the Baileys Irish Cream to the chocolate mixture.

6. Stir in the Irish whiskey and transfer the Irish cream coffee into mugs.

Pro-Tips:

  • The shaved chocolate is very fine and light — almost like chocolate dust, which can easily catch on a breeze (or a sneeze). Be mindful when transferring it from the cutting board to the saucepan so it doesn’t disperse across your countertop.
  • Many mocha latte recipes start with an espresso machine — but I’ve found that a good strong coffee (from a drip machine, percolator or Keurig) is just as good in this Bailey’s Irish coffee recipe.
  • To make chocolate shavings for garnish, scrape a vegetable peeler along the side of a chocolate bar.
Garnishing the Irish coffee with whipped cream.

Variations:

  • You can use dairy-free milk, such as almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk, instead of regular.
  • For lower-calories and fat, you can also use low-fat or skim milk.
  • Don’t want the added caffeine? Use decaf coffee?
  • Want a bolder Irish cream coffee? Use a shot of espresso.
  • If you don’t have a bar of good chocolate, you can substitute hot chocolate mix or chocolate syrup for the shaved chocolate. Use one packet of hot cocoa mix or two to three tablespoons of chocolate syrup for each serving. Taste the mixture before adding additional sweetener because it may be sweet enough with these substitutions.
  • Cocoa powder is also a good option in place of a chocolate bar; use two teaspoons of cocoa powder and four to five teaspoons of powdered sugar and heat with the milk and coffee until it’s well blended, then continue with the Irish cream and whiskey.
  • Want an iced mocha latte? Heat the milk, coffee, and chocolate together until the chocolate melts. Cool it to room temperature (or chill for several hours) then add the remainder of the ingredients. Serve in a glass filled with ice.
Serving the Bailey's Irish cream coffee in a glass mug with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Storage:

Though I like to enjoy this mocha latte recipe immediately after making it, can be made ahead and reheated. Keep it stored in an airtight container or pitcher for up to 3 days and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat.

A smaller mug of the Bailey's Irish coffee recipe.

More recipes that use Baileys Irish cream & Jameson whiskey: 

More hot drinks:

 

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A mocha latte spiked with Irish cream and whiskey topped with whipped cream.
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5 from 2 votes

Irish Mocha Latte

Dark, rich and slightly sweet, this mocha latte has a kick of Baileys Irish Cream and Jameson Irish Whiskey. Perfect for chilly evenings and a must for St. Patrick’s Day.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Drinks
Cuisine Irish
Keyword hot chocolate
Dietary Restrictions Egg Free, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

  • microplane grater

INGREDIENTS:

For Each Latte

  • ounces high quality bittersweet chocolate such as Ghirardelli
  • cup whole milk
  • ½ cup strong hot coffee
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • ounces Bailey’s Irish Cream
  • 2 ounces Irish Whiskey such as Jameson’s

For Garnish

  • whipped cream optional
  • additional chocolate shavings optional

DIRECTIONS:

  • Use a microplane grater to finely grate the chocolate. Very carefully, transfer the chocolate shavings to a bowl (be careful – they are so light, they will become airborne and dust your kitchen with particles if you make any sudden movements — and DON’T SNEEZE).
  • Heat the milk and coffee over medium heat in a small saucepan until just hot, but not boiling.
  • Remove from heat and whisk the chocolate shavings into the hot milk until they dissolve.
  • Add the powdered sugar, whiskey and Bailey’s. Whisk until well combined and pour into individual mugs.
  • Top with a little whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired.

NOTES:

Best enjoyed when you make it.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 656.92kcal | Carbohydrates: 48.56g | Protein: 9.36g | Fat: 27.05g | Saturated Fat: 15.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.04g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 22.09mg | Sodium: 68.62mg | Potassium: 543.9mg | Fiber: 3.4g | Sugar: 39.81g | Vitamin A: 284.78IU | Calcium: 228.9mg | Iron: 2.71mg

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30 Comments

  1. I’m sooooooo down with this!! It looks like perfection in a glass.

    1. LOL! As my daughter would say, “it doesn’t suck!”

  2. Wow this looks so delicious! I love coffee – but I promise you my coffee doesn’t look like this!

    1. Anything looks good with a swirl of whipped cream on top, right?

  3. Coffee, chocolate, and Bailey’s?! You just combined three of my favorite things! I can’t wait to try this now!

  4. Now this sounds like something I would enjoy! It looks so yummy!

  5. Raelene Erickson says:

    Oh my gosh!!!! This sounds amazing!!! Definitely making this in the future, great recipe 🙂

    1. St. Patty’s Day – or any time there’s a nip in the air!

  6. Oh goodness this looks delish! I cannot wait to try it on Thursday 🙂

  7. This looks so good! Great photos btw

    1. I’ve been working on my photography, so thank you!

  8. I’m a french roast and half n half girl, but I have to admit, this looks awfully tempting! Gorgeous photos too 🙂

  9. You just described me!! I’m the same.. I love my coffee black although I do take it with milk at times.. N hey I’m a girl with a serous much addiction, it even says do on my Instagram bio , so this is all kinds of perfect in my book!

    1. It’s like we’re sisters! I’m glad you like it!

  10. 5 stars
    This looks so good and I’m glad its not overly sweet. There’s nothing like a good homemade latte with some extra cream n sprinkle. Love the addition of baileys to it.