Not only a
St. Patrick’s Day classic, Irish coffee is the perfect warm cocktail to cozy up to on cold, chilly nights. The perfect combination of sweetened coffee, Irish whiskey, and (of course) whipped cream, this simple coffee-based drink is the perfect way to end (or start!) your night. Only requiring 5 ingredients, this is the drink to make when you need a classic cocktail that will warm you up from the inside out—here’s everything you need to know:
The history of Irish coffee:
Irish coffee was first created in 1943 by an airport chef named Joe Sheridan, who whipped it up for passengers whose flight had been rerouted back to his small airport near Limerick in Ireland. The passengers were both delighted and soothed by the warm drink, and one passenger ventured to ask, “Is this Brazilian coffee?” “No,” Joe Sheridan said, “it’s Irish coffee.” The name stuck, and since then it’s been a classic warming cocktail enjoyed on St. Patrick’s Day and beyond.
How to make Irish coffee:
— The sugar. We like brown sugar in this recipe because of how the caramel molasses notes pair with the booze, but you could also use granulated sugar or natural sweeteners such as coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Just be aware that each of those will bring their own distinct flavor that will affect the finished drink.
— The best alcohol for Irish coffee. For a true Irish coffee, use only Irish whiskey. We suggest Jameson, but if you have something else you’d prefer, go for it! We recommend choosing a mild whiskey with a sweeter finish to complement the coffee flavors.
— The whipped cream. When making your whipped cream, you’re looking for the cream to hold soft peaks while still remaining pourable. The best way to tell if your whipped cream is ready: plunge a whisk into the middle of it, pull the whisk out, and flip it over. The little peak at the end of the whisk should flop and curl over on itself. If it doesn’t form a peak, it’s not ready. If the peak doesn’t flop but stays pointing straight up, you’ve gone too far. For more tips on this, check out our whipped cream tutorial.
Irish coffee variations:
There are countless ways to switch up this staple cocktail. Add some chocolate shavings or ground cinnamon as a garnish, use cold brew instead of freshly brewed coffee for an iced drink, or switch up the sweetener by incorporating honey or maple syrup instead. Looking for Baileys instead? Check out our homemade Irish cream recipe, and add it instead of the whiskey.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!