Ingredients

• 200ml freshly brewed hot black coffee
• 50ml Irish whiskey
• 2 tsp soft light brown sugar
• 50ml double cream, lightly whipped

Method

1. Warm your Irish coffee glass with hot water, then discard the water — this stops the glass cracking and keeps the drink hotter for longer.
2. Add the brown sugar to the glass, pour over the hot coffee, and stir until fully dissolved.
3. Add the whiskey and stir again.
4. Lightly whip the cream until it just holds its shape but is still pourable — not stiff.
5. Pour the cream over the back of a spoon held just above the coffee's surface so it floats on top rather than mixing in.
6. Serve immediately without stirring — drink the hot coffee through the cool cream.

Variations

• Non-alcoholic: leave out the whiskey entirely, or use an alcohol-free whiskey alternative — the brown sugar and floated cream still give you that classic Irish coffee texture and flavour.
• Dairy-free: lightly whipped coconut cream (the thick part from a chilled tin) floats in a similar way to dairy cream, though it will have a subtle coconut flavour.
• Baileys Irish coffee: swap the whiskey and sugar for a 50ml measure of Baileys Irish Cream, stirred into the hot coffee, then float regular cream on top as usual.
• Decaf Irish coffee: use a good decaf roast — the whiskey and sugar carry plenty of flavour, so you won't lose much by cutting the caffeine.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Whipping the cream too stiff. Over-whipped cream sits in a heavy dollop instead of spreading into an even floating layer — stop as soon as it thickens slightly.
• Pouring the cream straight in. Always pour over the back of a spoon held just above the surface — pouring directly in will sink the cream and mix it through.
• Letting the coffee cool first. The drink should be poured and topped while the coffee is still hot — a lukewarm base won't dissolve the sugar properly or give the right contrast against the cool cream.
• Using a thin, weak coffee. A light-bodied coffee gets completely overpowered by the whiskey and sugar — go bold and dark.
• Stirring after topping with cream. Part of the appeal is drinking the hot coffee through the cold cream layer — stirring it in loses that effect entirely.

FAQ