How to Make Irish Coffee in 4 Steps

If you’re looking for coffee with a twist, look no further! With added alcohol, Irish coffees are perfect for your relaxing evening drink you can share with guests after dinner. Luckily, these delicious coffees do not require many ingredients or any fancy equipment. Explore how to make Irish coffee below.

What is Irish coffee?

Irish coffee is a caffeinated alcoholic beverage. It’s made up of Irish whiskey, coffee and sugar. It’s stirred altogether and topped with whipped cream. Irish coffee recipes are so easy to follow that they can be re-created at home by anyone.

What does Irish coffee taste like?

Irish coffee has a deep coffee flavour along with a boozy taste. Depending on how much sweetener you add, it can be nice and sweet too! Thanks to the cream, your drink will always taste full and rich.

Where does Irish coffee come from?

Irish coffee originates from Foynes Port near Limerick in Ireland. It was created in 1943, in the middle of a cold, bitter winter, by airport chef Joe Sheridan. Following the delay of a flight, he decided to concoct a drink that will help make passengers stranded there feel better. Thus, the Irish coffee was born.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Make Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 7 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 1 serving

Irish coffee ingredients

Not only is an Irish coffee quick to make, it doesn’t require many ingredients either. You probably already have these Irish coffee ingredients in your pantry:

2 tbsp double cream (or whipped cream if you’re feeling a little lazy!)
150ml black coffee
50ml Irish whiskey of your choice
½ - 1 tsp brown sugar

Equipment for Irish coffee

You need just a few pieces of equipment for Irish coffee:

A pod machine or kettle
Latte or Irish coffee glass
Whisk
Spoon

How to make Irish coffee in 4 steps

Making an Irish coffee is really easy! It’s time to gather all of your ingredients - we have 4 simple steps below for you to follow.

1. Whip your cream

If you’re whipping the cream by hand (good for you!) then this is the time to do it. Grab a whisk and whip until it’s slightly thickened. Soft peaks are what we’re looking for. You can then leave this to the side.

2. Brew your favourite coffee

Freshly brewed coffee is the way to go with this drink. Brewing your favourite coffee is easier with a pod machine! We suggest our bold and delicious Americano coffee pods.

3. Add the Irish whiskey, sugar and stir

Add the Irish whiskey to the mug along with your desired amount of sugar. Give it a little stir to mix in the sugar. Remember to leave room at the top of the mug for the cream.

4. Top with your cream

Back to the cream you whipped earlier! Scoop (or squeeze if you’re using canned whipped cream) the cream and float it on top of your drink.

Enjoy!

What else can I add to my Irish coffee?

So, you know how to make Irish coffee but what else can you add to jazz it up? We’ve got a few ideas for you below. Make sure to try them all out…but maybe not all at once.

Maple syrup

Instead of brown sugar, try some maple syrup! As it’s a liquid, it blends into the drink really nicely

Honey

Same as above – enjoy a sweet alternative to brown sugar!

Nutmeg

For that extra nutty and woody flavour, add a sprinkle of nutmeg on top of your cream. Delicious!

Cinnamon

Similar to above, adding cinnamon can slight spiciness to your drink.

Decaf substitute

You can still enjoy an Irish coffee without the caffeine but the same bold coffee flavour. Try a

Can I make Irish coffee vegan?

Yes! Swap the cream for a vegan alternative cream instead. Coconut cream is increasingly popular – and yummy! Make sure to double-check the Irish whiskey you choose to use to see if it’s vegan friendly.

If you’re loving our Irish coffee recipe, try our coffee and chocolate truffles next. They’re perfect for a dinner party (or a treat for yourself).