This Baileys hot chocolate is super-rich and only calls for 4 ingredients. It can also be made paleo and / or vegan with dairy-free milk and homemade Irish cream. Don’t like Baileys? Use another type of booze for a fun Christmas and New Year’s drink.
I think we can all agree that hot chocolate with Baileys is the best kind of hot chocolate, right? Or am I alone in that? ;)
This recipe isn’t at all healthy. I have a wonderfully decadent and date-sweetened hot chocolate this way that might interest you. ⇨ Healthy Hot Chocolate
Baileys also tastes great in that recipe. I’ve tried it!
Time to indulge!
The base of this Irish cream hot chocolate recipe is a super-rich hot chocolate. It’s awesome on its own.
But why not add 1/2 cup of Baileys?! It’s Christmas. And when you split that 1/2 cup between 3-4 servings, it’s not that much.
This year has been, as a whole, miserable – and I think we all deserve some Baileys in our hot chocolate.
If you’re reluctant to go buy a bottle just for this recipe, I can highly recommend these mini Irish Cream cheesecakes and Baileys Brownies. Plus, I’m pretty sure you’re going to want to make this hot chocolate recipe again and again and again.
So what makes this recipe so rich? It’s basically just evaporated milk + chocolate.
You can thin it down by using half evaporated milk and half regular milk or really, whatever combination of milk products you’d like.
Using all milk results in something that’s way too thin for my liking but I may be a bit unusual in that I want my hot chocolate super, super-rich. Also note that if you use something in place of evaporated milk, which is sweeter than regular milk, your hot chocolate will be a little less sweet than intended.
If you want to use cocoa powder and a sweetener, this recipe isn’t for you. You’d need a totally different recipe (like the healthy one that I linked to above!).
Paleo and vegan Baileys hot chocolate
This recipe is easy to make paleo and vegan.
For the milk, you’ve got lots of options. Use any milk paleo / vegan milk that you’d like.
If you use all coconut milk, you will be able to taste it. I think a mix of coconut milk + cashew milk or another milk is best.
Then you get the creaminess but without the coconut taste.
For the Baileys, you of course need to choose an appropriate homemade version. Perchance to Cook has this homemade clean Irish Cream liqueur recipe that’s wonderful in this Baileys hot chocolate. It’s even maple-sweetened!
There’s also Baileys Almande, which is dairy-free and vegan but not paleo as it has sugar and soy. At the time of writing, it’s vegan but it wasn’t previously and ingredients can change.
So read the ingredients before buying it. Also, the ingredients might vary from country to country!
I’ve got to say that with all the chopped chocolate in today’s hot chocolate recipe, it’s not exactly healthy and / or paleo in spirit (to me), but as long as you use paleo chocolate, it’s technically paleo.
Also, some people consider alcohol paleo… some don’t. I think it’s really up to you. Do make sure that your alcohol is gluten-free if that’s something you need to avoid.
What to use in place of Baileys
If you’re not a fan of Baileys, use whatever booze you want. I’d recommend starting off with 1/4 cup, instead of 1/2 cup, and adding more to taste.
Rum, Kahlua, and amaretto are my favorites! I probably wouldn’t want to add 1/2 cup of rum, though.
If you love rum, too, try my rum cake from scratch or my coconut rum cake. Both are swimming in rum!
The topping
For the photos, I went crazy and used whipped cream. I don’t do this in real life.
Does anyone do this in real life? Maybe I’m just too lazy.
I couldn’t be bothered to make whipped cream and to locate a piping bag (fun / sad fact: I’m the least organized person ever), use it, and then clean it. But this hot chocolate really doesn’t need the topping.
It’s perfect as is! If you like marshmallows, go ahead and use those.
Enjoy! Let me know how you like it if you try it out.
Baileys Hot Chocolate - Easy, Rich and Creamy!
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 2 1/3 cups (3-4 servings)
For paleo / vegan, make sure to use paleo / vegan chocolate, milk and homemade clean Irish Cream liqueur and toppings.
Ingredients
- 12-ounce can (340 grams) evaporated milk (that's 1 1/2 cups)
- 2/3 cup (113 grams) chopped semi-sweet chocolate
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Bailey's
- optional: whipped cream + chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips for topping
Directions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the evaporated milk and chocolate. Continue stirring occasionally until all the chocolate bits are totally melted and no speckles remain – about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.
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24 comments on “Baileys Hot Chocolate (4 Ingredients, ultra rich, creamy!)” — Add one!
2 comments are awaiting moderation!
Can you bottle this after it cools and give it as gifts?
I have zero experience with bottling so I’m afraid I can’t give you an answer. My guess would be no, there’s not enough sugar in there, even with the alcohol, and that it’s not safe. But like I said, I don’t have any experience with this. Sorry about that.
This is hands down the best winter treat imaginable! So easy to make and the amount of each ingredient makes such a delectable combination, I wouldn’t change a thing! Seriously this is my go to dessert on cold dreary days…
I’m so very sorry for just now seeing your comment! I’m really glad that you enjoyed the hot chocolate. :) Thanks a ton for your feedback and sorry again! It was stuck in spam for some reason. :/
Mixing baileys to hot chocolate is my favorite way to have it. I would not mind drinking it all year around, lol. So yum!
Haha. I’m totally with you!
OMG!!!! You know what?!! I never had Baileys hot chocolate before. Now I’m seriously wondering why is that so. Looks fab! And so delicious. Ok, I’m making this tonight. Can’t wait. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I hope that you’ll love it! :)
Yum! What a fun and festive drink. Love how rich it is.
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for your comment. :)
I love the addition of baileys for a boozy treat! I’m adding extra whipped crema to mine to make it extra special!
What a great idea! Thanks for the idea. :)
It’s crazy, but I made homemade hot chocolate every year and never once thought to use evaporated milk! Your recipe is definitely going to be a game changer for me. And its the Holidays, so its time to indulge in all the goodies, including whipped cream and Baileys! Love this!
Thanks! And I totally agree. It is a game changer!
This Bailey’s Hot Chocolate looks absolutely decadent! What a delicious treat on a cold winter night.
It really is! Hope you’ll get to try it out. :)
This Bailey’s Hot Chocolate looks absolutely decadent! A great drink on a cold winter night.
Thanks so much!
I want to make this recipe year round! This is so perfect for the holidays and everyone will be sure to love it!
Nothing wrong with that! I hope you’ve been enjoying it. :)
Bailey’s makes an almond milk version now. It’s delicious.
https://www.baileys.com/en-us/products/baileys-almande/
Can’t wait to try it in hot chocolate…with chocolate cookies I’ve made from your vegan chocolate cake recipe.
Oh, how cool! I’ll add that to my post. Thank you! Darn that it has soy in it. I can’t try it. :/ I hope you’ll enjoy the hot chocolate! And can you share about the cookies you make from the chocolate cake recipe? I’m intrigued! Thanks a ton for your comment.
Bummer about the soy. I left a comment on the cake in the comment section with my modifications. Basically I reduced the amount of water to 1/2 cup so I could have a mound for a cookie. I added 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce and reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup for dietary reasons. And added half a bag of Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips because in my opinion, you can’t have too much chocolate. :)
Hi again! I have no idea how I missed your comment (and all the others on this post 🤦♀️). Your cookies sound amazing! I’ll have to try those soon. Thanks a ton and sorry again!