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.
Tammy says
Hot or cold it's amazing both ways. This looks creamy and dreamy and I want one now! Perfect weekend treat 😉
Kayla DiMaggio says
Love this latte! It was the perfect after dinner treat!
Nicoletta and Loreto Nardelli says
Better than going out for a fancy latte, this Bayleys latte is a new favorite!
Veronika Sykorova says
Baileys is my favorite during the winter months, especially Christmas. I made this iced because it's a bit warmer now but I still wanted the flavor. It was really tasty!
Liz says
Baileys always gets packed for our camping trips to mix with our coffee! I have never tried it with iced coffee though. Will have to give it a try!
Marta says
You had me at Bailey's! I love lattes on their own, but when you add Bailey's to the party, I'm going to really enjoy myself. And I did! Definitely repeating this recipe.
Amanda says
So good and easy to make!! I’m saving tons of money on coffee by making your drink recipes!!! This one is absolutely delicious!
Denise says
Yum! Easy and delicious and you can never go wrong with Baileys! Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Freya says
This is so yummy! I use a vegan baileys-style drink and coconut milk, and I can drink it all year round!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
So glad you were able to make a vegan version too! That's great to hear.
Gloria says
Yes please! I will drink Baileys hot or cold. I even put it in my coffee. This is patio perfect!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Totally! It makes such a great spring brunch sipper.
Jacqueline Debono says
Baileys in latte is the best idea I've seen in a while! I can just taste it! On my to make list!
Tavo says
Really yummy! I had it yesterday as a dinner treat and loved it!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Love that! It makes for such a great after-dinner drink.
Ieva says
Absolutely amazing! Had it yesterday in the afternoon when our boiler was getting fixed and it warmed us up very well, not to mention how delicious it was! 🙂
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
That does sound like the perfect way to warm up! Hope all went well with the boiler!
Heather Johnson says
So good - I've just started getting into making my own fancy coffee at home and this hit the spot - so yum!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You are going to love making your own lattes! It truly is so easy, and I love how you can play around with flavors to personalize your own recipes. Enjoy!
Casey says
Oh my goodness, this was delish! I think they key is the vanilla syrup! SO GOOD!!!!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
It really does give it a special flavor boost! So happy to hear you loved it.