Irish cream always makes me think of the holidays. Be it Christmas or St. Patrick’s day, I want to pour a glass over ice and sip its creamy goodness while I bake and make merry. The only thing that can make Irish cream more enjoyable is making it yourself with coconut milk.
As the name suggests one of the main ingredients in Irish cream is cream. While raw milk can have a place in a healthy lifestyle, especially when used to make yogurt or butter, coconut milk is another great choice and also makes this treat dairy free.
There are many recipes out there for making your own Irish cream, but they include ingredients like sweetened condensed milk and chocolate syrup which makes the result a less than desirable drink full of pasteurized ingredients and loaded with white sugar. If you are going to make it yourself, why not make it with healthy ingredients?
Irish Cream Makeover
Traditional recipes use sweetened condensed milk to both sweeten and thicken the drink. This liqueur recipe replaces both the sweetened condensed milk and the chocolate syrup common in other recipes with a homemade, chocolate condensed coconut milk sweetened with honey. It was so tasty that I almost stopped right there and drank that instead!
If you have never tried Irish cream, you are in for a treat. I like to sip it “on the rocks” (when I’m not pregnant, of course) but you can also thin it down with coconut milk if you prefer a milder taste. If you are a coffee drinker, it also makes a wonderfully tasty creamer. Just remember not to take your coffee with you on the road if you choose to use it as a creamer!
If you prefer, heavy cream (preferably raw), can be used in place of the coconut milk. However, the mild taste of coconut adds a wonderful depth to the flavor.
Coconut Milk Irish Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 13.5 oz cans coconut milk or make your own, divided
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 TBSP cocoa powder
- 1½ cups Irish whiskey or whiskey/bourbon of your choice
- 4 eggs clean, fresh
- 2 tsp instant coffee granules
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan, bring 1 can coconut milk to a boil. Watch closely as it can boil over quickly.
- Add honey and cocoa powder and reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer, uncovered for about 30 mins or until liquid is reduced by about half.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Combine cooled condensed coconut milk and all remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender.
- Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- It may separate slightly so gently stir or shake to reincorporate before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!
What is your favorite drink to sip while you are working in the kitchen? Share below!
For the eggless people, I left out the eggs entirely and added in one tsp. of great lakes gelatin (orange can). I didn’t even cook the coconut milk down, just whizzed everything up in the Vitamix. Delicious and creamy. I think the eggs lend a silkiness that can’t be duplicated but it’s delicious nonetheless!
Thank you for posting this.
Would I be able to substitute liquid coffee for the granules?
I substituted one cup of strong coffee instead of granules and reduced the amount of second can of coconut milk. you will want to use fresh eggs as this will help replace some of the creaminess that will otherwise be lost. this is fantastic, thank you wellness mama!!! Raw eggs obtained from a clean and trusted source are safe for you, however yes you may want to be careful with store-bought eggs as it is the eggshell that can be contaminated
I just made it! I made a half batch as a test run. I also made some adjustments.
Instead of instant coffee powder, I used chicory granules. Carob powder replaced cocoa powder because chicory and carob are often paired together and instead of honey, I used coconut nectar. Very tasty! I’m sure the cocoa powder and instant coffee will give it a more authentic Bailey’s flavor but I was curious to eliminate the caffeine for myself. I plan on making this again (with the cocoa and instant coffee) and give to a bunch of my clients. Thanks for posting the recipe Katy!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! One of my favourite indulgences is a Bailey’s steamer so now I can’t wait to try it with better ingedients. I also want to say kudos to you for not losing it on the rude and/or helpless commenters.
Hi Katie – love your blog, and recipes, and tips, and stories 🙂 Just wondering about the canned coconut milk. Is there a brand you prefer, or one that you’ve found that doesn’t use BPA for the lining? The link only takes you to the homemade recipe, so I wanted to ask. Thanks!
Is there a substitute that can be used in place of the eggs to mimic the creamier texture? I am vegan.
I cannot eat eggs due to allergy, would gelatin work add a replacement? If so how much? Thank you, I hope you be able to make this allergen free 🙂
I too am concerned about the eggs and hoping to see a reply here.
The eggs are a thickener and can be omitted, though I personally am fine using them if I know and trust the source (local farmer)
Wonder how coconut rum would work?
How could you do a non-alcoholic version of this drink?