This vegan Baileys tastes exactly like regular Baileys – except, because you’re making it from home, you know exactly what is going into that glass of creamy goodness. Best of all, it’s a breeze to make and whether you’re vegan or not, I argue this version is the tastiest.
Have you ever drunk Baileys from a shoe? My college years are pocked by memories of: drinking beer from a blender pitcher (sorry, Mom), pizza rolls (oh GOODNESS, those were good) and giggling for HOURS about Old Greg and his Baileys Irish Cream. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, click here. WARNING: Old Greg falls in a really dry, slightly (or maybe very) strange humor range. It’s quote-worthy, odd, reminds me of my friends from college, and somehow has me craving a glass of Baileys.
Ingredients
While the ingredient list is really simple, it is worth mentioning that this dairy-free Baileys requires *both* full-fat AND light coconut milk – I have tried making it with just one kind of coconut milk and it was not the same, so be sure to grab both kinds! Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk – to start, you’ll need 1 (13.5-ounce) can of full-fat coconut milk.
- Light Coconut Milk – in addition to the can of full-fat coconut milk, you’ll also need 1 (13.5-ounce) can of light coconut milk. As mentioned above, it is really important to get 1 can of each here, so be sure to read the labels carefully!
- Maple Syrup – to add a hint of sweetness to our drink, we’ll use a ⅓ cup of maple syrup. Be sure to grab the all-natural stuff here!
- Cold Brew Coffee – we’ll also add a ½ cup of cold-brewed coffee to the mix (Chameleon Cold-Brew is our very favorite or you can make your own homemade cold brew!)
- Irish Whiskey – what is Baileys without whiskey?! For this recipe, you’ll need ¾–1 cup of Irish whiskey (such as Jameson).
- Whipped Coconut Cream – to garnish your glass of Baileys, we recommend using whipped coconut cream and…
- Shaved Dark Chocolate – …shaved dark chocolate. YUM!
How To Make Vegan Baileys
This recipe is super easy, y’all, but be sure to follow the directions as written! I’ve tried skipping the stovetop portion of the instructions and it was a total fail. Follow the instructions, though, and you’ll have the creamiest, most delicious, no-junk-filled Baileys to sip on.
- Reduce the full-fat coconut milk + maple syrup – add the can of full-fat coconut milk and the maple syrup to a saucepan over medium-high heat and stir. Then, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until reduced by about half. Once reduced, remove from heat.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients – add the light coconut milk, coffee, and whiskey to the reduced coconut milk and whisk to combine.
- Refrigerate + serve – refrigerate for at least 2 hours, then enjoy cold with whipped cream and shaved chocolate!
Recipe Tips
As mentioned above, following the directions as written for this recipe will yield the yummiest darn vegan Baileys *ever*! There are a few things to keep top of mind when making this recipe though…
- Use both kinds of coconut milk – this recipe calls for 1 can of full-fat coconut milk and 1 can of light coconut milk. Though it may be super tempting to use all full-fat or all light (based on what you already have or just your typical preferences in regards to coconut milk) cans of coconut milk, it’s really crucial that you use 1 can of each. We’ve tried using all full-fat and all light and neither works.
- Don’t use a gum-free coconut milk – while we usually opt for a gum-free coconut milk, this is one case where you’ll want to use a canned coconut milk with guar gum. Thai Kitchen is a great, readily-available option!
- Reduce the full-fat coconut milk + maple syrup – I’m all about shortcuts in the kitchen, y’all, but when it comes to this yummy sip, it’s super important that you follow the instructions exactly! This means that taking the extra time to reduce the full-fat coconut milk + maple syrup before combining it with the rest of the ingredients is well worth it!
Storing Vegan Baileys
This vegan Baileys is best stored in the fridge in an airtight container (a mason jar does the job beautifully!). Stored this way, your Baileys will stay fresh and delicious for 5 days.
FAQs
Yes! We recommend storing your homemade Baileys in an airtight container in the fridge.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it’ll last for 5 days.
Any kind of cold-brew coffee will work here. We use Chameleon Cold-Brew because we genuinely love the product, but any cold-brew coffee that you love will work great! You can also make cold brew if you have the time.
The bulk of our dairy-free Baileys comes from coconut milk (as opposed to almonds or almond milk), and though coconut is *not* technically a nut, some people with tree-nut allergies are allergic to coconuts also. Because of this, there isn’t a really clear answer here – yes, it is technically nut-free, BUT if nuts are an issue for you, this version of Baileys may be also.
We hope you enjoy a splash of this festive treat in your next cup of coffee, espresso, hot chocolate, or even in a glass all on its own!
More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
- Dublin Coddle
- Baked Potato Bar
- Sausage and Cabbage Sheet Pan Dinner
- Rustic Beef and Potato Slow Cooker Soup
- Corned Beef
- Corned Beef Hash
- Roasted Turnips with Turnip Greens Pesto
- Loaded Smashed Potatoes
- Jameson Caramel Brownies
Homemade Vegan Baileys Irish Creme (Dairy-Free!)
Ingredients
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- ½ cup cold brewed coffee
- ¾-1 cup Irish whiskey such as Jameson
- Whipped cream for garnish
- Shaved dark chocolate for garnish
Instructions
- Add one can of full-fat coconut milk and maple syrup to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let cook for 10-15 minutes, until reduced by about half, then remove from heat.
- Add the light coconut milk, coffee, and whiskey to the reduced coconut milk and whisk to combine. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours then enjoy cold with whipped cream and shaved chocolate!
Recipe Notes
- If you'd like a more mocha-flavored Baileys, you can add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder to the coconut milk and maple syrup mixture then follow the instructions to reduce it as written.
- For this recipe, we recommend using coconut milk with guar gum. Gum-free coconut milk is more likely to separate. If this does happen, simply shake the bottle or blend the mixture to re-combine.
Nutrition
This looks amazing! And I love that you threw in Old Greg! I recently found out I have a dairy sensitivity so I’m super excited to try this!
Hope you enjoy! -Team FF
Looks great, although I’m curious as to why this recipe will keep for 5 days and other similar recipes that use dairy can keep for 2 months.
I made this recipe and it was so yummy, but maybe a tad coconut heavy. I played around with the recipe and found a winner in my mind. I halved the maple syrup and added a 1/6th cup sugar free salted caramel syrup (torani is my favorite) and 2 tablespoons sugar free mocha syrup.
So glad you enjoyed it, Kat!
So exited to try this and love your site and energy! Quick question, how long would you say this keeps in the refrigerator? Thank you!
I made this yesterday. It is delicious, but it ended up with a layer of solid at the top coming out of the fridge. What did I do wrong?
If you shake it or blend it back up it should be ok! Did you use both light and full-fat coconut milk? We’ve only had this problem when using only full-fat coconut milk. We also find that the recipe blends better when using coconut milk with guar gum. If you use a gum-free variety, it is more likely to separate.
This turned out incredibly good. We added the cocoa powder and it was so great! It has only a bit of a coconut flavor but otherwise just tasted like Bailey’s… It’s so amazing I’d drink it right out of a shoe 😉
So glad you liked it Suz! I’d totally drink it out of a shoe too!!
Make an assessment!
So good lol. This looks yummy!
Hey Cassy! This looks amazing!!! I have an odd sort of question. For the full-fat coconut milk, I’m able to obtain two different kinds – one that’s mostly solidified, very little water; and one that’s fully liquid-y. Which is best to use for this recipe? If it matters, the lite coconut milk I can find is always liquid-y. Thanks for any advice!
Hi Stephanie, the full-fat one we used here was probably half solidified, and the lite coconut milk was fully liquid. Hope that helps!
Who knew Bailey’s could be so easy to whip up?! I can’t WAIT to make this and put it in a weekend cup of coffee
Yay! Hope you love it Molly!
This recipe makes me so happy!!! I am a lover of Bailey’s but can’t have the commercial stuff. Thank you for publishing a cleaner, dairy free option!!
You are SO welcome Ash! I hope you love it!