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Make Your Own Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur

Make Your Own Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur

Bailey's Irish Cream is an excellent and popular liqueur, but also very expensive.

But the low end substitutes are awful. But you can make your that's very good quality for much, much less than the knock-offs.

It's easy and takes only 5 minutes to make. 

You can even make it a bit healthier, by using fat-free and sugar-free ingredients.

And it tastes GREAT!  I doubt most people could tell the difference.

 For other liqueurs you can make, see this page.

 Here's how to make it:

Yield: about 750 ml

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (500 ml) of Irish whiskey - there's really NO need to buy expensive Irish whiskey - the flavor of the other ingredients overpowers any differences between a good Irish whiskey and a top shelf brand.  Just don't get a bad Irish whiskey.
   
• 1 cup (250 ml) half and half (I use the fat-free half and half, but if you want an early heart attack, you could use heavy cream instead)
   
• 14 ounce (396 g) canned sweetened condensed milk, again I opt for the fat-free variety
  
  
• 2 teaspoons ( .33 fl ounces, 10 ml) pure vanilla extract - Get REAL, not imitation extract
   
• 1 teaspoon dried instant coffee ( .16 fl ounces, 5 ml)  - Get the best tasting brand you like. 
  You can use decaf to knock out the caffeine so it is a good  bedtime drink
   
• 2 tablespoons (1 fl ounce, 30 ml)  chocolate syrup, again, there are sugar-free versions,
  so you can knock out a few more calories, if you want to!

 

Equipment

• Large glass jar (quart jars or 1/2 gallon) with sealable lid
• Pot, measuring spoons, measuring cup, blender

 

Directions

Step 1 - Combine everything

A blender works great, or you can use a pot and a wand mixer. . Just mix everything up!

 

Step 2 - Pour into glass bottles 

Stir in the instant coffee and dissolve it.

 

Step 3 - Keep refrigerated

It should be good for up to 2 months. Do store it in the fridge!

   

Enjoy!

 

Cost comparison

• 1 cup (250 ml) half and half = $0.75
• 14 ounce (396 g) canned sweetened condensed milk = $1.25
• 2 teaspoons ( .33 fl ounces, 10 ml) pure vanilla extract - (from Costco / Sam's, about $12 per 16 fl ounces (236 ml) = $0.25
• 1 teaspoon dried instant coffee = $0.25
• 2 tablespoons (1 fl ounce, 30 ml)  chocolate syrup = $0.25
• 2 cups (500 ml)  Irish Whiskey, from Costco or Sam's Club, $22 for 1.75 liter.  = $9.00.

Total cost: $14 per 1.75 liter

 

Bailey's Irish Cream generally costs about $30 for 1.75 liter plus tax  (2020, Atlanta, GA retail)

 

So, the homemade is about 1/2 the price, even using good brandy!