Irish Coffee
Hot coffee and Irish whiskey sweetened with sugar, then chilled cream floated carefully over a spoon. Drink the warm coffee through the cool cream — that's the whole point.
Medium
Difficulty
5 min
Time
163 Cal
Calories
Flavor profile
Whiskey
Taste values from the Pocket Bartender recipe catalog.
Ingredients
- Coffee4 oz
- Irish Whiskey1 ¾ oz
- Sugar1 tsp
- Cream1 ¾ oz
Ingredient substitutions
No exact bottle on the shelf? These swaps keep Irish Coffee close to the original.
Instead of Coffee
- Espresso— bolder — dilute with hot water
Instead of Irish Whiskey
- Bourbon— sweeter, more vanilla
- Scotch— a touch smokier
Instead of Sugar
- Honey— floral sweetness
- Simple Syrup— dissolves instantly
Instead of Cream
- Half-and-Half— lighter
- Heavy Cream— richer
Instructions
Warm black coffee is poured into a preheated Irish coffee glass.
Whiskey and at least one teaspoon of sugar is added and stirred until dissolved.
Fresh thick chilled cream is carefully poured over the back of a spoon held just above the surface of the coffee.
The layer of cream will float on the coffee without mixing.
Plain sugar can be replaced with sugar syrup.
Pairs well with
Whiskey-warmed coffee under cold cream calls for buttery Irish teatime bakes:
- Shortbread biscuits
- Irish soda bread with butter
- Chocolate-dipped shortbread
- Walnut coffee cake bites
Also known as
Similar taste
Frequently asked questions
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