Baileys Recipe

Bloom espresso

In a small heatproof bowl or cup, combine the instant espresso powder with 1 tablespoon of hot water and stir until fully dissolved into a concentrated espresso slurry. Set aside to cool slightly.

Warm milks

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Warm gently until just below simmering (steaming and small bubbles around the edge), about 3–4 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat.

Dissolve cocoa

Whisk the unsweetened cocoa powder into the warm milk mixture until fully incorporated and smooth, about 30 seconds.

Combine condensed milk

Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk until the mixture is evenly sweetened and homogenous.

Add flavorings

Stir in the dissolved espresso, vanilla extract, almond extract, and fine sea salt. Taste and adjust — if you prefer stronger coffee flavor add up to 0.5 tsp more espresso (dissolved).

Cool before whiskey

Allow the flavored milk mixture to cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes). It's important the mixture is not hot when you add the whiskey to preserve flavor and alcohol content.

Incorporate whiskey

Once cooled, pour the Irish whiskey into a clean 16–24 oz (500–750 ml) bottle or jar. Add the cooled milk-cream mixture. Close the bottle and shake vigorously for 20–30 seconds until fully combined and slightly frothy.

Chill and marry flavors

Refrigerate the Baileys-style liqueur for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to let flavors meld and to chill completely. Shake gently before serving.

Serve and store

Serve chilled over ice, in coffee, or in cocktails. Store refrigerated and consume within 2–3 weeks. Shake before each use, as the mixture can separate slightly over time.