Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brew | How to Have Cold Brew at Home (2023)

You’ll love this Irish Cream Cold Brew, a homemade version of Starbucks’ seasonal favorite. An iced cold brew coffee flavored with a dash of Irish cream simple syrup, and topped with a cold vanilla sweet whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder this sweet treat is the perfect rich and creamy caffeine pick-me-up!

If you get as excited as I do when Starbucks announces its holiday menu each year, you are going to LOVE this Starbucks cold brew recipe for the seasonal Irish Cream Cold Brew fan favorite.

While I do enjoy doing the occasional Starbucks run, I enjoy remaking classic coffee drinks, like the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, at home even more. And my take on this creamy holiday cold brew is as delicious as you would get in the store, all without needing to leave the house!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe //

• If you enjoy Starbucks’ Irish Cream Cold Brew during the holidays, you can enjoy it all year long by making it at home.
• The strong taste of cold brew pairs perfectly with Irish cream syrup and vanilla whipped cream, without being overly sweet.
• The whipped cold vanilla cream is as easy as it gets, coming together in only one minute.
• Cold brew can be made at home overnight in the refrigerator, or you can use bottled brew to save time.
• It can be made into a coffee cocktail with a splash of Bailey’s or Irish whiskey.

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Irish Cream Cold Brew //

• Cold heavy cream: Heavy cream is mixed with powdered sugar and vanilla to make the foam, and since this is an iced cold brew coffee then it’s essential the heavy cream is cold so the foam holds its shape and does not melt into the iced coffee.
• Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar is used to sweeten and thicken the cold cream foam.
• Vanilla bean paste: A small amount of vanilla paste brings flavor to the cold foam. If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, then ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract can be substituted.
• Irish cream syrup: Irish cream syrup is what gives this cold brew its unique flavor, so definitely don’t skip this ingredient! I purchased it in a pump bottle and enjoy a few pumps in my daily hot coffee as well. You can also make your own Irish cream syrup from scratch!
• Cold brew coffee: Cold-brewed coffee serves as the base of this iced coffee drink and the smooth yet strong coffee taste pairs well with the sweet syrup and cream.
• Ice: Any ice will do to keep this coffee drink cold, but we suggest cube-shaped ice and not crushed ice (which melts faster and will make your iced coffee watery).
• Cocoa powder: A sprinkle of cocoa powder tops off this tasty drink with a dash of chocolate flavor!

Homemade Irish Cream Coffee Syrup //

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

Bring sugar and water to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla, almond extract, and cocoa powder. Whisk until combined. Pour into a bottle and store in the fridge.

How To Make Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brew at Home //

1. Combine cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste (or extract) in a cold bowl. Using an immersion blender or handheld mixer, whip the cream until it has soft peaks, about one minute if you are making one cream serving (up to 5 minutes if you are making a big batch).
2. Add ice cubes and two pumps of Irish cream syrup to a cold tall glass.
3. Pour cold brew coffee into the glass, filling it about ¾ full.
4. Using a spoon, top the whipped cold foam cream into the glass until it is full.
5. Garnish the glass with a sprinkle of cocoa powder, and enjoy!

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home //

While you can purchase bottled cold brew coffee from the grocery store, making your own homemade brew is as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Combine coffee and water: The first step is to combine coffee grounds and water into a pot or pitcher. The general ratio is 1 cup coarsely ground coffee beans for every 4 cups COLD filtered water.
2. Let brew in the refrigerator overnight: Once the coffee and water are combined, place your pitcher into the refrigerator and let brew overnight, or at least 12 hours if brewing during the day.
3. Drain out coffee grounds and serve: When you are ready to serve the coffee, drain the coffee grounds by pouring through a fine-mesh strainer, a cheesecloth, or even a traditional coffee filter before drinking. Dilute the coffee with 4 cups cold water, or less depending on your desired coffee strength.

Recipe Tips //

• For a creamy foam that holds its shape, use cold heavy cream and whip it in a cold bowl that has been chilled in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
• I use an immersion blender for whipping the cream, however, a handheld mixer will also do the trick. Typically it takes about one minute to get a foamy texture if you are making only one serving, but up to five minutes if you are making a bigger batch of cream.
• I make my own cold brew (see my instructions in the How to Make Cold Brew section), but because it has become a popular beverage you can find plain cold brew coffee bottles in most grocery stores.
• Pro tip: chill your glasses in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before serving! The cold glass will help keep your iced coffee cold and your whipped cream from losing its foamy texture.

Variations //

The cold brew and cream variations are truly endless! Below are a few flavor combination ideas, get creative and try one out or go wild and pull together a cold brew coffee cocktail bar for brunch or after dinner.

• Amaretto: Add a shot of Amaretto to the cold brew and top with vanilla sweet cream.
• Kahlua: Add a shot of Kahlua to the cold brew and top with vanilla sweet cream, or make a chocolate sweet cream.
• Grand Marnier: Add a shot of Grand Marnier to the cold brew and top with vanilla sweet cream and a citrus twist.
• Nutty Irishman: Make the Irish cream with Baileys and Frangelico and top with vanilla sweet cream.

Storing & Freezing //

• Storing: Store leftover cold brew in a pitcher in the refrigerator for up to five days. The cold whipped cream can also be stored in the refrigerator, but will only hold its shape for up to one day so we recommend whipping up a new batch with each serving.

Freezing: Cold brew coffee can be frozen for up to three months and then thawed before serving. Do not freeze the cream, it will not hold its shape or consistency when thawed.

Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brew FAQ //

What’s in Starbucks’ Irish Cream Cold Brew? Starbucks’ Irish Cream Cold Brew is made with Starbucks’ cold brew coffee, Irish cream simple syrup, sweet vanilla cold cream, ice, and is topped with a dusting of cocoa powder.

What does an Irish Cream Cold Brew taste like? An Irish Cream Cold Brew tastes like an iced coffee with Bailey’s liquor and cold cream.

Can you make an Irish Cream Cold Brew vegan? You can make an Irish Cream Cold Brew vegan by substituting the dairy cream with coconut cream. Making a cold whipped coconut cream foam will take some forethought. The can of coconut cream should be chilled in the refrigerator overnight. Whipping it will take more time to become a sturdy foam, about 10 minutes with an immersion blender or handheld mixer.

Does an Irish Cream Cold Brew have alcohol? An Irish Cream Cold Brew does not have alcohol, as it is made with cold brew coffee, Irish cream simple syrup, and a whipped vanilla sweet cream foam. However, you can add a splash of Bailey’s and/or an Irish whiskey like Jameson for a boozy brew.

More Starbucks Recipes You’ll Love

• Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Coffee
• Starbucks Vanilla Spice Latte
• Starbucks White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha

Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brew

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 10 minutes

(Video) IRISH CREAM COLD BREW || STARBUCKS || FIRST IMPRESSION

Total Time: 10 minutes

You’ll love this Irish Cream Cold Brew, a homemade version of Starbucks’ seasonal favorite. An iced cold brew coffee flavored with a dash of Irish cream simple syrup, and topped with a cold vanilla sweet whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder – this sweet treat is the perfect rich and creamy caffeine pick-me-up!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2-4 pumps Irish Cream Syrup
• Cold Brew Coffee
• ice
• Cocoa powder

Homemade Irish Cream Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Add heavy cream and powdered sugar to a cold bowl. Whip until it holds just holds shape.
2. Add ice to a tall glass. Add 2 pumps of Irish Cream syrup.
3. Pour cold brew 3/4 of the way.
4. Top with cream. Sprinkle with cocoa powder.
5. To make Irish Cream Syrup - Bring sugar and water to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla, almond extract, and cocoa powder. Whisk until combined. Pour into a bottle and store in the fridge.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 200Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 30mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 19gProtein: 2g

(Video) Irish Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)

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