Vegan Irish Cream

This indulgent homemade Vegan Irish Cream recipe combines coconut milk with sweetened condensed coconut milk, Irish whiskey, cocoa powder, coffee extract, and vanilla.

This dairy-free Irish cream is deliciously creamy with hints of cocoa and vanilla, and you can make it in less than 5 minutes!

Jump to:

• Equipment
• Ingredients
• Is whiskey gluten-free?
• How to make Vegan Irish Cream
• Top tips
• Variations and Substitutions
• How to serve
• Storage
• Related recipes
• Vegan Irish Cream

I wanted to make a veganized recipe of the original Baileys for St. Patrick's Day. I hadn't had an Irish cream since I've gone vegan, so I set out to make my own. Most cream liqueurs are not dairy-free. I've heard there is a vegan almond Baileys, but I haven't tried it.

You're going to love the taste and creamy texture of this Irish Cream, not to mention how easy it is to make! I like mine with extra cocoa, so the color is a tad darker than Baileys Irish Cream.

I've made this several times, and once you try it, you're going to want to make this homemade version of Baileys again soon!

Equipment

• blender

• can opener

• fine metal sieve - to remove the coconut milk solids from the canned coconut milk and the sweetened condensed coconut milk. If you skip this step, your Irish cream might be much thicker and almost solid the next day, like pudding.

Ingredients

You'll need a few natural ingredients to make this dairy-free liqueur.

• Canned full-fat coconut milk - for creaminess. There will be a coconut taste, naturally!

• Sweetened condensed coconut milk - no sugar is needed since this is already sweetened.

• Organic cocoa powder - I like Irish cream to be a little chocolatey, like an Irish Mocha Cream. Adjust the amount to your preferences; maybe you want just a touch of cocoa.

• Coffee extract

• Vanilla extract

• Irish whiskey - I used Jameson Irish whiskey. The main ingredients are unmalted and malted barley, maize, and Irish water from the Dungourney River local to the distillery.

Is whiskey gluten-free?

Even with whiskey brands that are triple distilled, people with high gluten sensitivity have been known to have a reaction to whiskey. It's easy enough to make your own version of Baileys at home and use a whiskey that you know you can tolerate. You can find more information here.

How to make Vegan Irish Cream

This dairy-free Irish cream is so easy to make; it takes less than 5 minutes to put everything together in the blender.

• Place the coconut milk, sweetened condensed coconut milk, cocoa powder, coffee extract, and vanilla extract in a blender.

• Mix at low to medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds. 

• Add the whiskey and mix at low to medium speed for another 30 to 60 seconds. Depending on how many solids are in your coconut milk and sweetened condensed coconut milk, it may take just a few moments longer. Don't worry, all is not lost if it curdles.

Be sure to use a fine sieve to collect any coconut milk solids. If you skip this step, your Irish cream will be much thicker and almost solid the next day. Using a sieve will make your Irish cream smoother. It will be creamy without being overly creamy.

This homemade vegan Baileys recipe makes approximately 2 cups. If you are entertaining or plan to give this homemade festive vegan liqueur away as gifts, you can double the recipe.

Top tips

Whether the mixture curdles or not, I recommend using a fine sieve to collect the coconut milk solids. I've tried it with and without, and I much prefer the filtered version.

Otherwise, your Irish cream will be much thicker the next day, like pudding. If this happens, you can dilute the Irish cream with water, coffee, or almond milk which is thinner. Mix it up well and strain with a sieve to remove any coconut solids.

Variations and Substitutions

• You can customize this recipe according to your preferences. If you want the Irish cream to be stronger, add more whiskey. Start with a tablespoon of whiskey and adjust from there!

• An alternative to full-fat canned coconut milk would be homemade cashew milk which is neutral yet richer than other types of plant-based milk.

• Light coconut milk would work but it will be less creamy; it wasn't creamy enough for me. You can use coconut cream; dilute it with coffee or water.

• Instead of coffee extract, you can use espresso powder or instant coffee mixed with a small amount of hot water or espresso; place it in the fridge to cool it down before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. You can also use cooled down strong coffee.

• Maybe you don't want as much chocolate - put in less cocoa powder or leave it out.

• I like the soul soothing warmth of Irish whiskey in this alcoholic drink. However, you can add another liquor such as Drambuie, bourbon, rum, Grand Marnier, or raspberry liqueur.

• Instead of coffee extract, use espresso powder mixed with a small amount of hot water or espresso. If you don't like coffee, leave it out or add one of the liquors mentioned above.

• If you don't have coffee and cocoa handy, try adding Kahlua. Instead of vanilla, try orange extract or almond extract or almond essence. The possibilities are endless! 

• Sweeter - I find this recipe sweet enough, but if you want more sweetness, add maple syrup, date syrup, or agave syrup to taste.

How to serve

• Refrigerate and shake well before serving.

• Enjoy this Irish cream right out of the fridge (my favorite) or over ice. You can enjoy it at room temperature if you prefer, but I think this delicious drink tastes better cold.

• You can pour it over vegan ice cream along with strong coffee for a delicious dessert. Or just add it to a cup of coffee or hot chocolate!

• Add it to baked goods and frosting, such as this recipe for my decadent Vegan Chocolate Fig Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting.

• Make it for the holiday season and special occasions, whether it's March or December. It's a lovely after dinner drink.

Storage

This homemade vegan Irish cream keeps in the fridge in an airtight container (preferably glass) for up to four or five days.

Related recipes

If you make this Vegan Irish Cream, let me know what you think by ★★★★★ star rating it and leave a comment below. You can follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me! Just tag me @resplendentkitchen and hashtag #resplendentkitchenrecipes.