The Best Homemade Irish Cream Recipe - now with video!

I've made Homemade Irish Cream a few times over the years. After much fiddling to get the taste as close as possible to that-brand-beginning-with-B's Irish Cream, this is the winner. It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it.

Yes I know, you can go and buy a bottle of Irish Cream any time from the supermarket. But where's the fun in that? And besides. What I used to do is buy a litre bottle at Christmas, have a few glasses. Christmas is over, don't want any more. Put it away, buy another bottle next Christmas. Find the original bottle years later. Is it still ok? No idea. In the bin. Waste. Now you can make exactly the quantity you need.

And I honestly prefer this. My husband says it's the most delicious liqueur he's ever had. Praise indeed. Added bonus: it costs a fraction to make compared with what that branded one costs to buy.

This Homemade Irish Cream Recipe differs from others you'll see online

This recipe differs from the many you'll find, mainly because of 2 ingredients. Glycerol is the first. Glycerol gives the mouthfeel to liqueurs that you're familiar with, probably without even realising it. It is that 'certain something' that is often missing when you make your own. If you don't have Glycerol laying around, you'll find bottled Glycerin in the supermarket aisle. Same stuff, just works out a bit more expensive because you're paying quite a lot for a tiny 38ml bottle.

The second ingredient you don't tend to see in a Homemade Irish Cream Recipe is Creme de Cacao liqueur essence. Creme de Cacao adds a rich cocoa and vanilla flavour to your Irish Cream. You only need to use a bit from the 50ml bottle to make 1 litre of Irish Cream. You can add any left over to vodka and water (full instructions on the bottle) and, happily, you'll then have Creme de Cacao liqueur too. My recipe calls for 1 cup of whisky. If you'd like it less alcoholic, simply reduce this amount. If you're looking to make the real deal, I dare say this should be Irish Whisky. If you're a cheapskate like me: the cheapest whisky you can find will work perfectly. And frankly by the time you've added everything else to it, I'd defy anyone to be able to identify the whisky you used. Incidentally: I hate whisky. I love this. Anyway, back to the Homemade Irish Cream Recipe. Obviously halve or quarter it as you need to. This makes approximately 1 litre, which should be more than enough to get you through Christmas. Even if Aunty Gladys does pop in on Boxing Day. Though watch out. Because once she tastes this, she may never leave.

The Best Homemade Irish Cream Recipe

Ingredients

A 397g tin of Condensed Milk

360g Evaporated Milk

1 tsp Glycerol

2 tsp Creme de Cacao

1 tsp coffee powder

1 cup (250ml) of whisky - less if you'd like to keep the cost down/make a less alcoholic version

Grated dark chocolate to serve. Because, clearly, there aren't enough calories in this already.

Method

Put everything except the grated chocolate in a blender.

Blend well, ensuring the condensed milk is fully incorporated, as it has a tendency to lurk at the bottom.

Pour into an attractive bottle. Store it in the fridge.

Whilst I'm not entirely sure refrigeration is necessary because of the amount of sugar and alcohol in it, cold tends to keep the Irish Cream together for longer. When it sits around for days at room temperature, it sometimes separates. That's because it hasn't got the additives that commercial ones have to prevent that happening.

So shake the bottle well before use, to ensure it's well mixed. Serve in shot glasses with grated dark chocolate over the top. Or in a tumbler over ice.

You will never want the shop-bought stuff again. I promise. 

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