Give your brunch a boozy, caffeinated upgrade with this homemade Baileys latte! Spiked with rich Irish cream for an ultra decadent flavor, this easy latte recipe can be made right on the stove-top or by using your favorite milk frother -- your choice. Don't feel like you need fancy equipment to make your own lattes at home.
Plus, it takes only minutes to prepare. How's that for an easy brunch? This Irish cream latte is sure to be a new favorite.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No long lines and overpriced coffee: Who needs to deal with those busy coffee shops when you can make a latte right in your kitchen? Not you – that’s who.
Simple as it gets: Don’t have fancy latte equipment? That’s no problem with this Baileys latte recipe. If you can whisk milk in a saucepan, you can make this recipe. And you’ll love that quick prep time. The total time takes fewer than 10 minutes.
Perfect for so many occasions: Looking to perk up the start of your St. Patrick’s Day? Need a boozy latte for Mother’s Day or Christmas brunch? This Irish cream latte is one delicious spin on a classic coffee drink that your guests will love. It also makes for a delicious after-dinner drink.
Related: If you love this drink, make sure you also try my Baileys and eggnog during the holidays.
Ingredients
Baileys Irish Cream: For our Irish cream, we can’t go wrong with Baileys, which is the best-known brand of this liqueur. Of course, you’re also more than welcome to use a homemade Irish cream if you have some on hand.
Vanilla syrup: Matt and I tested this Irish cream latte with and without vanilla syrup, and we both agreed the vanilla syrup added an extra special touch. You can make your own vanilla syrup or pick up a store-bought bottle, which you can find in the aisle with the other coffee syrups.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s review the steps for making a hot latte on the stove-top since not everyone has access to a milk frother. That said, you are more than welcome to use the recipe ingredient proportions with your milk frother. You can also find directions for an iced Baileys latte in the recipe card.
Step 1: First, we pour milk into a small saucepan and gently warm it over medium heat (photo 1).
Step 2: As the milk warms, we prepare a shot of espresso (photo 2) and stir together the espresso, Baileys Irish Cream and vanilla syrup in a mug (photo 3).
Step 3: When the milk begins to steam and small bubbles come to the surface, we turn off the heat and vigorously whisk the milk. This creates that classic frothy latte topping (photo 4).
Step 4: As our final step, we pour that frothy hot milk into the latte mug with the espresso and Baileys mixture and gently stir to combine (photo 5).
That’s it! For an added touch of decadence, top this Baileys coffee with whipped cream and grated chocolate shavings or drizzle with chocolate sauce. Now sip and enjoy.
Bonus: And if you love this drink, make sure you also check out my maple latte, gingerbread latte and eggnog latte – you’ll adore them just as much.
Recipe FAQs
While a latte is typically prepared with espresso, you can brew a cup of black coffee with double the amount of coffee grind if you don’t have an espresso machine. A French-press coffee also makes for an espresso substitute because of its strength. Instant espresso is another option.
That said, if you're interested in an espresso machine, I love our Nespresso, and it’s available in a range of price points.
You can use any type of milk for your lattes, which includes non-dairy alternatives, but I especially recommend whole milk for the creamiest, richest texture and superior flavor. Plus, whole milk creates a thicker, more stable frothy topping.
For the perfect latte, heat the milk between 140-160 degrees F. I generally judge the temperature by the steam, but if you prefer a more precise measurement, you can use an instant thermometer.
Expert Tips
A milk frother also works. Have a milk frother and prefer to use that instead of the stove-top method? No problem. You can use the same proportions in the recipe. I just like to offer the stove-top method, so everyone can make this Baileys latte.
Watch the milk. We don’t want the milk to boil – this can cause it to separate. Instead, just let it create steam on top with small bubbles forming on the surface.
Be gentle while pouring. To help keep that frothy topping, use a gentle touch when pouring the milk into the latte cup.
Use a latte mug. A standard coffee mug may be a bit too small, so I recommend using a latte mug for this Irish cream coffee. The larger bowl-shaped top makes it easier to pour in the milk, and it better accommodates the added froth and liquid.
Perfect Pairing
This Baileys latte is the perfect brunch drink, so we need some breakfast snacks to go along with it. You’ll love how the vanilla notes play with the sweet spices of my carrot cake muffins, pumpkin crullers, apple cinnamon rolls or sweet potato muffins. Or maybe you’d like to serve this with Christmas breakfast – this latte is great with my gingerbread waffles as well.
For the most luscious, delicious coffee drink, I hope you make this Baileys latte. You’ll enjoy every decadent sip.
Cheers!
More Baileys Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Baileys Latte (Hot or Iced)
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk preferably whole milk
- ½ cup espresso substitute strong coffee if espresso isn't available
- 1 ½ ounces Baileys Irish Cream
- ½ ounce vanilla syrup
Instructions
Hot Baileys Latte
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat. Do not boil.
- Meanwhile, make the espresso and add it with the Baileys and vanilla syrup to your latte mug.
- When the milk steams and bubbles start to form, turn off the heat. Whisk until frothy. Pour over the espresso. Gently stir to combine. If desired, top with whipped cream and grated chocolate shaving or chocolate syrup. Enjoy!
Iced Baileys Latte
- Prepare the espresso and give it a few minutes to cool.
- Fill a large glass with ice. Pour in the espresso, Baileys and vanilla syrup.
- Pour the milk in a large measuring cup and whisk until it turns frothy. Alternatively, you can add the milk to a mason jar, screw on the lid and shake until the froth forms.
- Pour the milk into the espresso mixture and gently stir to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you prefer to use a milk frother over the stove-top, you can use that with the same recipe proportions.
- Make sure the milk doesn't boil, which can cause it to separate. We just want it to create steam with only small bubbles on top.
- To help keep that frothy topping, use a gentle touch when pouring the milk into the latte cup.
- A standard coffee mug may be a bit too small, so I recommend using a latte mug for this Irish cream coffee. The larger bowl-shaped top makes it easier to pour in the milk, and it better accommodates the added froth and liquid.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Kelsey says
Hey! This sounds super fun and I’ll give it a try. One note - when you leave espresso stand for more than 30 seconds, it ‘dies’. This means that the espresso has become bitter and loses its flavor notes. A better way to make the iced version would be to pull the espresso, then immediately add the Bailey’s and vanilla (stir together) then add the milk and ice. Espresso needs to bind with literally anything (sugar, syrup, milk, water, etc) within the first 30 seconds or you’ll have a bad latte. This method will make it plenty cold, too, even with working with hot espresso. Hope this helps! Thanks again for the recipe!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You're welcome! Thanks for sharing your perspective, Kelsey.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Yes anytime for fancy coffees without all the fuss. This is so easy to put together and great for entertaining. I made it again this weekend already.
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
Fancy coffees like this are perfect for those warmer spring and summer days. This went over so well at our brunch!