Irish Coffee Recipe
Make Irish Coffee Recipe in just 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Coffee
Whiskey & sweetener
Cream topping
Garnish (optional)
Method
Prepare glass and coffee
- 1
- 2
Brew 1 cup of strong hot coffee. Use freshly brewed drip, French press, or espresso-strength coffee; pour immediately into the preheated glass, leaving about 1/2–3/4 inch of headspace for the cream at the top.
Combine whiskey and sugar
- 3
Add 1 tsp brown or demerara sugar to the hot coffee and stir until fully dissolved. The sugar dissolves more readily in hot coffee.
- 4
Pour 1½ tablespoons (about 22 ml) Irish whiskey into the sweetened hot coffee and stir briefly to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness or whiskey to preference.
Prepare cream
- 5
Pour 2 tablespoons heavy cream into a small bowl. Add 1/4 tsp sugar if you prefer lightly sweetened cream.
- 6
Whip the cream lightly — just until it thickens slightly and holds a loose ribbon (soft peak) so it will float on the coffee, but still pourable. Do not overwhip into stiff peaks.
Assemble and garnish
- 7
Hold a spoon upside down, just above the coffee surface, and gently pour the lightly whipped cream over the back of the spoon so it floats on top of the coffee in a distinct layer.
- 8
Leave a clear dark coffee layer beneath the cream. Garnish with a light pinch of freshly grated nutmeg or a dusting of cocoa powder, if desired.
- 9
Serve immediately. Drink the coffee through the cream — no stirring required.