This homemade Irish cream cold brew recipe is inspired by the seasonal Starbucks drink on the holiday drink menu.
Made with cold brew coffee and Irish cream syrup and topped off with a creamy sweet foam, it is a super easy coffee drink to prepare – so you can enjoy your favorite Starbucks Irish cream cold brew coffee year round.
What Is Irish Cream Cold Brew?
Irish cream cold brew is a unique cold brew coffee recipe invented by Starbucks and released to the public for the first time in December 2019.
Made by combining cold brew coffee with Irish cream syrup and the popular vanilla sweet foam, it is different to Irish Coffee, which combines hot coffee with whiskey and whipped cream.
The holiday coffee drink is a popular choice on the Starbucks seasonal menu, but it is only available for a limited time through the Holiday period each year.
So my motivation to put this cold brew Irish cream recipe together was to show you how easy it is to make this flavored cold brew coffee at home so you can enjoy it year round.
And for other popular seasonal recipes, try my Pumpkin cream cold brew, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Dalgona eggnog coffee, iced sugar cookie latte and this peppermint mocha frappe.
What Is In The Irish Cream Cold Brew Starbucks Recipe?
The Starbucks Irish cream cold brew ingredients are ice, brewed coffee, Irish cream cold foam (vanilla sweet cream with Irish cream syrup added), Starbucks Irish cream syrup and cocoa powder topping.
Traditional Irish cream is made with Irish whiskey, cream and sugar, and one of the most popular brands is Baileys Irish Cream.
However the Irish cream syrups on the market do not contain alcohol, and simply have a lovely creamy chocolate and vanilla flavor that pairs perfectly with coffee.
Starbucks do have their own Irish cream syrup, . It is super expensive though.
So I really like the Monin Irish cream syrup as a more affordable alternative and it is what I use in this recipe. You can see it here.
What You Need To Make My Homemade Irish Cream Cold Brew Recipe
In order to make my homemade Irish cream cold brew recipe you will need the following equipment:
- Cold brew coffee maker: If you drink a lot of cold brew, a cold brew coffee maker like this one is the easiest way to make large volumes of cold coffee at home. If you don’t have one, the next easiest way is to make cold brew in a french press or buy cold brew concentrate ready to go.
- Cold milk frother: To make sweet foam at home, you need a milk frother that can froth cold milk. This one is perfect for the job. Alternatively you can use a hand frother or a french press to froth your foam manually.
Irish Cream Cold Brew Ingredients
To make my easy Irish cream cold brew coffee you will need the following ingredients:
- Cold brew coffee – make it at home with a cold brewer or French press and the best cold brew coffee beans or use store bought cold brew. I like Wandering Bear but Starbucks also sell their cold brew coffee to go.
- Irish cream syrup – a non alcoholic flavored syrup. I like Monin, but you can also for a true Starbucks drink flavor.
- Heavy cream – used to make the creamy foam. You can use half & half if you have an automatic milk frother and want to reduce the calories in your drink.
- Powdered sugar – adds sweetness to the foam. Also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar.
- Cocoa powder – optional and used to dust the top of your brew. Use the best quality cocoa you can afford for a delicious chocolately flavor.
How To Make Irish Cream Cold Brew At Home
We cover the main steps here, but for the full list of ingredients and steps, scroll down for the recipe.
1. Make your foam
Whisk your heavy cream and powdered sugar together until thick and creamy. If using an automatic or hand held milk frother, combine both ingredients and blend.
If using a french press to froth your cream, add ingredients to the carafe and pump up and down until it has increased in volume.
Variation option: For extra sweetness, add a pump (1/2 tablespoon) of your Irish cream syrup to the cream before frothing.
Step 2 – Prepare your cold brew
In your glass add your Irish cream syrup, ice cubes and cold brew coffee.
Be sure to leave some space at the top to add your sweet foam.
Tip: If you don’t have cold brew coffee, simply brew a strong pot of coffee and place in the refrigerator or freezer to cool before using. It must be cold before combining with your foam.
Step 3 – Assemble your drink
Gently spoon the foam into your glass on top of your cold brew and sprinkle with cocoa powder.
A small fine mesh strainer is the best way to apply your cocoa.
Irish Cream Cold Coffee Variations
There are plenty of ways you can modify and tailor this drink even more.
- Irish cream nitro cold brew – if you have a nitro coffee maker at home, simply swap out the cold brew for your nitro brew for a carbonated version of this recipe.
- Baileys cold brew coffee – for a spiked cold brew coffee drink, add a shot of Baileys Irish cream to your drink. You may need to reduce the quantity of Irish cream syrup to account for the sweetness in the Baileys. I would reduce the syrup by half.
- Irish cream cold foam – for extra sweetness, add a pump (1/2 tablespoon) of Irish cream syrup to the cream and sugar when frothing.
- Cold brew Irish coffee – swap the Irish cream syrup out for a shot of Jameson whiskey for a delicious cold version of a traditional Irish coffee.
Common Questions Answered
Does Irish cream cold brew have alcohol?
The cold brew with Irish cream does contain alcohol. The drink uses Irish cream syrup which has the same creamy, chocolately flavor without the whiskey found in a traditional Irish cream liqueur.
What does Irish cream cold brew taste like?
Irish cream cold brew is a smooth refreshing coffee drink with a sweet, creamy and slightly chocolatey flavor.
Is Irish cream cold brew the same as Irish coffee cold brew?
No, Irish cream cold brew does not have alcohol and uses Irish cream syrup whereas an Irish coffee cold brew has whiskey and no Irish cream syrup in the recipe.
Does Irish cream cold brew have coffee in it?
Yes the Irish cream cold brew has coffee in it. Cold brew coffee is made with cold water over a 12-16 hours, which gives a smooth and full bodied flavor with similar or higher levels of caffeine than a hot brewed coffee.
More Starbucks Inspired Coffee Recipes
If you loved this recipe, here are some more great copycat recipes with coffee to try at home.
- Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
- Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte
- Pink Cold Foam Cold Brew Coffee
- Honey Almond Milk Cold Brew
- Starbucks Inspired Iced Caramel Macchiato
- Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso
Find more cold brew recipes or browse all our coffee drinks recipes.
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Homemade Irish Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks Inspired)
Equipment
Ingredients
Sweet Cream Cold Foam
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar
Irish Cream Cold Brew
- 3 tablespoons Irish cream syrup
- ¾ cup cold brew coffee
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions
- Froth the heavy cream and powdered sugar together with a milk frother or whisk until thick and creamy. Set aside.1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Add the Irish cream syrup to the glass and fill with ice.3 tablespoons Irish cream syrup, 1 cup ice cubes
- Pour the cold brew coffee into the glass or until the glass is 3/4 full and give a quick stir to combine. Be sure to leave some room at the top for your cream.3/4 cup cold brew coffee
- Top with the frothed sweet cream and dust with cocoa powder.1 teaspoon cocoa powder
Notes
- I use homemade cold brew coffee, but you can also use chilled brewed coffee or store bought cold brew to make this recipe. If brewing hot coffee, be sure it is completely cold before using.
- For some extra sweetness add a pump of Irish cream syrup to your cream and sugar when frothing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
