These Baileys cheesecakes feature a simple and totally from scratch chocolate cookie crust with a creamy, boozy cheesecake filling! They can be made with all-purpose flour, gluten-free or whole wheat flour.
I don’t have many St. Patrick’s Day recipes, but I’m trying to remedy that this year. First up, we have these amazing, quick and easy Irish cream cheesecakes! If you don’t have any cream cheese on hand, try these Baileys Brownies instead.
Super creamy + boozy filling
You just need basic stuff for these cheesecakes. And some Baileys!
- Cream cheese – there’s no sub for this. I know some people like to use Philadelphia Neufchatel Cheese with 1/3 Less Fat, and I think that’d work, but I haven’t tried it.
- Sugar – you can use regular granulated sugar, raw sugar or coconut sugar. The taste is surprisingly not much different with coconut sugar, but the cheesecakes will be browner in color.
- Baileys – or whatever type of Irish cream that you’d like. Carolans is also tasty!
- Vanilla – no explanation needed! On a random note, I just made 3 liters of homemade vanilla. I was going through about 30 euros of the cheapest vanilla I could find every few weeks.
- Eggs – no sub for these, sorry.
- Salt
Homemade chocolate cookie crust
I really, really love the crust in these mini Irish cream cheesecakes. You just mix together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and butter. So easy.
I didn’t experiment with coconut oil for a dairy-free version because the cheesecake is full of dairy anyway, but I’m pretty sure using the same amount wouldn’t work. You’d need to reduce it but since I haven’t tried it, I can’t say for sure how much you’d need.
It tastes exactly the same as a regular Oreo cookie crust, if not better, and it doesn’t have any funky ingredients.
Gluten-free version
Because I was so excited after the whole wheat version came out, I decided to try a gluten-free version with buckwheat flour (which is also 100% whole grain, by the way!), and it was just as delicious.
You need to make sure to pick a brand that’s gluten-free. Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free but sometimes gets contaminated during processing.
I’ve also tested the crusts with all-purpose flour and Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Mix. It’s good that we really loved these cheesecakes. ;)
There were a few times that I made these cheesecakes to give away, but they were so delicious that I couldn’t let go of them. Then I ended up making my usual go-to, these almond flour brownies or gluten-free brownies.
Is Baileys gluten-free?
According to Baileys, “The ingredients used in Baileys are gluten-free. On the basis of this, and to the best of our knowledge, there are no traces of gluten in Baileys. As we are not qualified to give medical advice, persons requiring a gluten-free diet should consult their medical adviser before consuming Baileys.”
So they’re clearly being cautious.
Why they’re being cautious is because whiskey is made from barley, one of the gluten-containing grains. However, when whiskey goes through the distillation process, all of the gluten is basically destroyed.
According to Beyond Celiac, “Pure, distilled whiskey (or whisky), even if made with wheat, barley, or rye is considered gluten-free. Most whiskeys are safe for people with celiac disease because of the distillation process.”
So it’s safest to talk to your doctor. I can tell you that Baileys Almande is definitely gluten-free and will work in these cheesecakes.
I used to recommend Carolans, as they previously wrote that they’re gluten-free on their website, but they no longer have that listed there. So I’m not sure what that means.
They apparently only use gluten-free ingredients, like Baileys, but I’m guessing they don’t feel confident declaring it as gluten-free, the same as Baileys.
The topping
I thought about topping these off with some whipped cream, but then I remembered this Baileys fudge sauce that I saw over on Cupcakes & Kale Chips. It was incredibly quick and easy to make and half of the recipe was just enough.
It looks great and I love that it’s sweetened with brown rice syrup or maple syrup! You can also use corn syrup if you prefer.
If you use maple syrup, it doesn’t taste like maple, at least if you use a syrup that’s lighter in color. I haven’t tried honey for that reason. I figured that the honey taste would be quite strong and honey + Baileys doesn’t sound like the best combination to me.
I was surprised by how thick the maple syrup version turned out. It’s strangely almost as thick as the brown rice syrup version.
Can I just make one big cheesecake?
The crust doesn’t work in a pie pan so that’s a no. I poured in the filling, anyway, on my messed up crust and baked it and the texture wasn’t right.
I’m not quite sure why that is, but it didn’t work.
Can I omit the alcohol?
No I’d recommend finding a regular cheesecake recipe if you’d like to skip the Baileys. These Celtic Knot Cookies would also be great for kids to make for St. Patrick’s Day, if you’re looking for something more kid-friendly.
Can I freeze these Irish cream cheesecakes?
Yes! You can even freeze them with the fudge topping.
Depending on your freezer, you may be able to eat these Baileys cheesecakes straight from the freezer. But you’ll likely need to let them defrost for 20 minutes or so at room temperature.
By the way, if you’re looking for another St. Patrick’s Day treat, check out this Guinness Chocolate Cake! This Baileys White Russian also looks amazing.
Other mini cheesecakes
- Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes – this recipe uses the same crust as today’s recipe. The filling uses natural peanut butter and honey, so they’re a little healthier than traditional peanut butter cheesecakes!
- Mini Cheesecakes – a delicious classic cheesecake topping with an almond flour-based crust.
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes – an autumn favorite! Also with a chocolate crust.
- Mini Raspberry Cream Pies – I titled these cream pies but they’re kind of like cheesecake. Whatever they are, they’re super delicious, creamy and decadent! And they’re the one paleo + vegan option on this list.
I hope you’ll enjoy the cheesecakes! If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pictures of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Please hashtag them #texanerin so I can find them. :)
Baileys Cheesecakes (gluten-free option)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 12 mini cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar, coconut sugar or raw sugar
- 6 tablespoons (49 grams) all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour or for GF, use 6 tablespoons (49 grams) buckwheat flour or 6 tablespoons (52 grams) Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 GF Baking Flour
- 6 tablespoons (43 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 4 1/2 tablespoons (63 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 pound (450 grams) cream cheese (that's two 8-ounce packages)
- 2/3 cup (134 grams) granulated sugar, raw sugar or coconut sugar (which will result in much darker cheesecakes)
- 6 tablespoons Baileys (make sure to use GF Irish cream, if necessary)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Baileys
- 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup, maple syrup or corn syrup
- pinch of salt
- 1 oz. (28 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- the above topping and mini chocolate chips
For the crust:
For the cheesecake:
For the topping:
For decoration:
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line a regular-sized muffin pan with 12 muffin liners. Note that this crust recipe does not work in a regular pie pan – only as mini cheesecakes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the dry crust ingredients (sugar through salt). Then stir in the melted butter until totally combined. If it's sticky and hard to handle, let it sit for about 5 minutes. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out a ball of dough. Roll into twelve 18-gram balls, flatten with your palm, and place in each muffin liner.
- Press down the crusts, if necessary, so that they reach the edge of the liner.
- Bake for 3 minutes, turn the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 4 minutes. They'll be very, very soft and appear uncooked but the very top surface should appear baked and not doughy. Don't bake them too long - if they start bubbling, they've baked too long, and they fry and get weird.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes while you prepare the cheesecake.
- Turn the temperature down to 275 ºF (135 ºC) after removing the crusts.
- With an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until well combined. Add the Baileys, vanilla, and salt and mix on low until combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and stir just until well incorporated. Do not over mix!
- Fill each cup almost to the top with batter and bake for 25 minutes or until the middle is set and doesn't jiggle. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours, and then refrigerate for another 2-4 hours or until firm.
- In a small pot over medium heat, stir together the Baileys, cocoa powder, brown rice syrup and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Bring it to a boil while stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Remove the pot from the heat, add the chocolate, and then stir until totally smooth.
- Let it cool enough so that it doesn't melt the cheesecakes. If it thickens too much while cooling, gently reheat it until it's runny enough.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
- Use a little less than 1 1/2 teaspoons of fudge to top each cheesecake. Work quickly as the fudge firms up quickly. Top with mini chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate the cheesecakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They freeze great, with or without the topping.
For the crust:
For the cheesecake:
To make the fudge topping:
Fudge topping adapted from Baileys fudge sauce on Cupcakes and Kale Chips
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64 comments on “Baileys Cheesecakes (easy homemade cookie crust!)” — Add one!
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Hi
I have been eyeing this for a while and I am eager to try it…but just need to know, how long can these delights be made up front? I don’t want to freeze them just yet, as I will be serving them on the 31st of December. Will they be OK to stay in the fridge if I make them today/tomorrow (28/29 December)?
Hello! Yes, you can make them today and serve on the 31st. :) I’d love to hear how they come out!
I can’t drink bourbon at all without getting very sick, so I am assuming that whiskey will have the same effect on me, unfortunately. I am not celiac but I get a horrific reaction to gluten. 😭
I’m sorry to hear that! You can sub in whatever type of alcohol that you can drink in place of the Baileys.
Thanks. It’s depressing since it was a gradual intolerance to stuff I always ate safely. Maybe dark rum would work. I’ll try that when I make them. But since we’re back to not much entertaining, I guess that won’t be for awhile.
The cheesecake looks beautiful and i can’t wait to try it. I was wondering if I can omit the baking powder in the crust as I need to prepare for an event that doesn’t require leavening. Would it change the texture or taste of the crust if I don’t use it?
Hi! Unfortunately, it’s needed. I worked on that crust for years and could never get it right, until I added the baking powder. That was the key! Without the baking powder, it gets very, very oily, bubbly and little holes form all throughout the crust. And once it cools, it’s rock hard. :/ Sorry about that. I’d recommend finding a different crust recipe!
Please reply if a sugar substitute such as Swerve would work? Looks like divine cheesecake. Thank you!
Thanks! I haven’t tried it but if you usually have good results with Swerve instead of granulated sugar, I’m guessing it’d work here. I can’t use Swerve because my stomach doesn’t like it. Sorry I can’t help you better! If you try it, please let me know how it goes. :)
Can these be made ahead and frozen without any fudge topping of course.
Yes, they freeze great! :)
Oh Erin! Made these cheesecakes for a girls week-end a couple of years ago and used buckwheat flour. They were yummy!!
Fast forward to Easter 2017. Needing a knockout dessert and my daughter having requested cheesecake, I thought of these bites of perfect loveliness. However, here in my small KY town, buckwheat flour was nowhere to be found! I subbed Cassava flour in the crust (because I had it in my pantry) and it was sensational!! Just wanted to share. :) Thank you, thank you, thank you for your fabulous recipes that are gluten free!
Hi, Shelly! That’s great to know that cassava flour worked well. :) Did you use Otto’s or another brand? I finally got a few bags and have been playing around with it! I’ll have to try this recipe with it. Thanks a ton for the tip!
I’d love to try this recipe using a mini-muffin pan. Is that what you are using for this recipe? Or is it a standard size muffin pan? If so, any clue how long I should bake the cheesecakes in a mini-muffin pan? Thanks!
I used a regular muffin pan. I have no idea how long they’d need to bake but I’d watch very closely! Maybe 5 minutes?
Oh my, these little cakes could not possibly be any more beautiful. Needless to say I love the Irish cream in there too! :)
Thanks, Nicole! That fudge sauce did wonders to make them prettier. ;) Otherwise they’re just kind of boring looking (but still delicious with all that Irish cream!). Thanks for your comment. :)
Just wondering if you have ever tried these in a mason jar? I think they would be fun done like that if possible.
I haven’t tried that but it does sound fun! Sorry I couldn’t be more of a help. I hope you’ll like them if you try it!
These mini Irish creme cheesecakes look superb, Erin! I’ve never tried a dessert with Irish Creme, but SO want to!
Thanks, Mandie! I hope you get a chance to try these or another Irish cream dessert. They’re so, so good! :)
Oh! I just made an Irish Cream flavored cheesecake with homemade Irish Cream! I love your mini’s better!!
I love that you used homemade Irish cream! I’ll have to check it out. :)
I’m not a huge fan of cheesecake, but I am definitely going to use this crust. I can think of so many treats it would be a perfect base for :)
I hope you do try it out! :)
Does your cookbook come out this month? I was thinking you said March when i was doing the recipe testing for you. Exciting I know.
Hi, Charlotte! It was supposed to come out in March but was pushed back to April 20. Sorry about that! I hope you can wait a little longer. :)
These look fantastic! I’ve not baked from scratch using buckwheat…but if this is the result I’ll be trying it very soon!
I hope you’ll enjoy it! Make sure to use it in chocolate goodies. ;)
I would have loved to be your taste-tester for your experiments with this recipe. It sounds as though you ended up with the perfect crust for that creamy cheesecake filling.
Indeed, I did! Thanks so much, Dara. :)
These sound like the perfect dessert for St. Patty’s day! Delicious!
Thanks, Martha!
I want to get some more buckwheat flour just to make this crust…and of course, I’m thinking just a little about the luscious sauce! Decadent and lovely, Erin!
Thanks, Lora! You could always use whole wheat. :)
You know, I have a little of the Bailey’s Fudge Sauce left. I may have to make a batch of these soon! So glad it worked for your adorable cheesecakes!
Thanks! And thanks for sharing my post on FB. :)
Beautiful mini cheesecakes, Erin! I love the addition of the Irish cream and also the fudge sauce glaze. I need these in my life! Thanks for sharing. Pinning (of course)!
Thanks so much, Stacy! :)
Erin, these look 400% delicious! Beautiful photos, too!
Thanks, Stephanie! :)
Oh my word yes please!!!
These look lovely Erin! I love how pretty the fudge sauce sits on the top. I mean honestly they couldn’t look any prettier! I have never used Bailey’s or Irish cream in recipes. Guess I better work on a homemade and sugar free version!
I’m sure whatever you come up with will be awesome! :)
What do you think about using a thin mint cookie for the bottom?
I haven’t tried it but it sounds good to me! I wasn’t sure about doing that (thinking that it may just be a pool of melted chocolate) but here’s a mini cheesecake recipe in which Thin Mints are used. Hope that helps! :)
Shelley – Thanks! I love the cheesecake part but the Oreo just made it more interesting. :)
These sound amazing! Love the sunken oreo :)
Jennifer – Yeah! Definitely. They're pretty easy and super yummy. Let me know how they turn out if you try them. :)
Just made irish car bomb cupcakes with baileys…maybe this should be my next use of the cream :)
Nora – They are addicting. I ate them up all by myself in two days. Whoops. :( But you know what, your peanut butter cheesecake is better. If you eat just a fourth of it, you feel incredibly full, satisfied and not at all guilty.
Amy – Thanks! I hope you enjoy them. You might be late for St. Patrick's Day but Baileys is perfect for every day of the year so you're still good. :)
these look just lovely, erin! i'll have to try them, even though i'm a bit late for St. Patrick's Day. =)
LOVE these little cheesecakes – I can just taste them now! I've made "oreo cheesecakes" from martha stewarts cupcake book before I went gluten free and they are addicting…I bet these are even more so because of the irish cream! Wow, I wish I could pick one right out of the photo and goggle it up!
Katie – They are. I thought that they were kind of portion controlled, but they're not really because each one is only two or three bites and then I think, "Oh come on… I can have two!" Ugh. Anyway, happy St. Patrick's Day to you too!
Ambika – Thanks and happy St. Patrick's Day to you as well!
Love this!! Happy St.Patty's day!
Mmmmmm!! These are brilliant! These would be terribly addictive with the addition of Baileys! Happy St. Pattys day to you my dear!! xx
Becca – They'd look terribly boring without the Oreos, wouldn't they? :)
I'm pretty sure using coffee creamer would work because I've read reviews in the past of people saying that they used coffee creamer. So good luck with that! Let me know if you try it. And happy St. Patrick's Day to you!
Rachel – Thanks! I did it out of laziness but now I'm happy I did. They just look more interesting. :)
Katrina and Christina – Baileys is a favorite of mine too. Actually, it probably is my favorite. I can't think of anything I'd rather drink!
Love that you used oreos as the crust. They turned out so cute!
these look great! i love Baileys.
I like the little oreo at the bottom, it adds a nice little layering thing. Creamy, crunchy, smooth, crunchy :)
I really really love St. Patrick's Day, as I love all holidays, but when it comes to baking, it sort of depresses me because So many recipes that are festive call for Baily's and since I'm under-age, I can't purchase it or leagally eat it. But I've been toying with the idea of maybe using Irish Coffee Creamer as a replacement, so you think that would work or no?
Fabulous!! I'm so sorry your first recipes didn't work out. Good thing you were led to this recipe though. Bailey's is an absolute favorite of mine!
Of course I'm going to look at your recipe index for some ideas! It's normally my first stop. :)
I got blueberries, though. I guess they can be substituted for most cranberry recipes.
I hope you made those Irish cream brownies because I need a good recipe for that! A good "healthier" recipe anyway.
I love, love Baiyle's or Irish cream, pretty much the same :-) Now that I can make my own I better control myself.
I am also going to incorporate Irish cream into desserts much more often now that I can make my own like your cheesecake :-)
Thanks for linking to my homemade Irish cream recipe :-)
By the way I think there is a couple of recipes in my blog with dry cranberries but I think they would be great on cookies and granola, just a thought!!