How To Make Irish Coffee At Home

There’s nothing quite like a warm and cozy drink to lift your spirits on a cold day, and few drinks do it better than the traditional Irish coffee.

The surprisingly simple Irish coffee cocktail recipe with just 4 ingredients has a sweet, creamy flavor and a deliciously boozy caffeinated boost!

Here I show you how to make Irish coffee at home. So grab your favorite mug and let’s get started!

What Is Irish Coffee?

Irish coffee is a coffee cocktail made with hot brewed coffee, Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and whipped cream.

Typically served in a glass mug with a handle or stem, it has a creamy layer of whipped cream sitting atop the sweet coffee and whiskey mixture.

It’s a simple recipe with complex and delicious flavors, and it’s the perfect way to indulge in some comfort on a chilly morning, afternoon or evening!

Coffee cocktail recipes containing coffee and spirits have existed for centuries.

But the original Irish coffee (as we know it today) is commonly credited to a bartender named Joe Sheridan at the Foynes Airbase in Ireland in the early 20th century.

The story goes that the drink was initially created to steady and warm up passengers who had to disembark from their airplanes due to bad weather conditions.

But it soon became a favorite among locals and visitors alike and the recipe was popularized in the United States in the 1950s by a travel writer named Stanton Delaplane.

Stan had tasted the drink at the airport and helped to bring it to the attention of coffee drinkers in the US through his friend who owned the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco.

The rest they say is history, and Irish coffee recipes continue to be one of the most popular alcoholic coffee drinks recipes to make year round and are a much loved holiday coffee drink.

Other coffee cocktails you might like to try include an eggnog martini, this frangelico espresso martini or a quick and easy white russian.

Homemade Irish Coffee Ingredients

So what’s in an Irish coffee? Making Irish Coffee at home could not be easier, with just 4 ingredients needed:

• Brewed coffee
• Irish Whiskey
• Brown soft sugar
• Whipping cream

Best Coffee For Irish Coffee

You can use any type of coffee maker to brew your coffee – French press, drip, moka pot, Nespresso, aeropress, even espresso.

It really doesn’t matter so just go with whatever machine you have at home.

My preference is to use medium-dark or dark roast coffee beans for brewing coffee for this classic Irish coffee recipe.

But there’s no need to use your premium single origin coffee beans for this recipe – keep them for your regular brew and use a Central or South American blend instead.

Best Whiskey For Irish Coffee

The best whiskey for Irish Coffee is Irish Whiskey, of course!

You don’t need to use premium Irish whiskey (keep that for serving straight or on ice).

Good Irish Whiskey brand choices include Jamesons, Tullamore or Bushmills.

Brown Sugar

Soft brown sugar is the best type of sugar to use to make Irish Coffee at home.

The reason is that it dissolves easily and has a rich caramel flavor.

You can use granulated sugar if you don’t have brown sugar on hand, but you should dissolve it in a 1/2 teaspoon of boiling water before using.

Whipping Cream

The secret to achieving the classic layered cream look of an authentic Irish Coffee is to use fresh whipping cream.

Don’t use canned whipped cream or light whipping cream as you won’t achieve the look and taste you are looking for.

See More: 20+ Alcoholic Coffee Drinks To Make At Home

How To Make Irish Coffee At Home

Let’s walk through how to make an Irish coffee step by step.

1. Warm Your Glass

One of the secrets to making a good Irish coffee is to pre-warm your glass.

Fill your glass with just-boiled water and leave it to warm up while you prepare your other ingredients.

Warming the glass helps keep your drink warm for longer.

2. Prepare Your Ingredients

Next you need to prep your ingredients.

So brew your coffee, measure your whiskey and grab your sugar and cream.

3. Combine Your Ingredients

When you are ready to prepare your drink, tip the hot water out of your glass.

Then pour your hot coffee, whiskey and brown sugar into the warmed glass.

Use a spoon to stir until the sugar is dissolved.

4. Whisk The Cream

Next you need to prepare the whipping cream. You can do this with a whisk or in a jar.

• If using a whisk, simply place the cold cream in a bowl and whisk until thickened, but still with a pouring consistency.
• With a jar, pour the cream into a jar, seal the lid and shake until thickened.

Be careful not to overwhip the cream. It should still have a pouring consistency to achieve that smooth thick creamy layer.

Once the cream is thickened, pour it through a sieve into a small jug or cup.

The sieve is an optional step but it removes the air bubbles from the cream for a smooth and luxurious whipped cream.

5. Float The Cream On Top

Finally you want to gently pour your cream into your glass over the top of the coffee.

There are two secrets to achieving the classic layered look of the Irish whiskey coffee:

1. Pour the cream slowly over a teaspoon into your glass.
2. Use cold whipped cream.

If your cream collapses into the coffee it most likely needs to be thicker – so whip for longer for a thicker consistency.

Finally, garnish your coffee drink with chocolate shavings, cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.

These may not be traditional ingredients, but certainly add to the experience!

And finally, don’t stir your drink!

Sip your coffee and whiskey through the creamy layer and enjoy.

Tips For Making Irish Coffee At Home

• Use Irish Whiskey. You can use Scotch Whiskey or Bourbon but know that they will change the taste of your drink.
• Fresh heavy whipping cream is best. Avoid canned (pressurized) whipped cream at all costs.
• Pour the cream over a teaspoon held low over your glass to help prevent the cream mixing with the coffee.
• Hot coffee and cold cream will help you achieve the classic layered coffee drink.

Try This: For a non alcoholic Irish coffee drink recipe, try this Irish Cream Cold Brew coffee recipe.

Irish Coffee Recipe FAQs

More Alcoholic Coffee Drinks Recipes

If you loved this hot Irish coffee recipe, here are some more great alcoholic coffee drinks to try at home.

• Frangelico Espresso Martini
• 20+ Espresso Martini Drink Recipes
• Gingerbread White Russian
• Siciliano coffee cocktail
• 20+ Alcoholic Coffee Drinks Recipes

Find more coffee drinks here or browse all my coffee recipes.

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