Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These Bailey’s Irish Cream Cookies are the sophisticated treat your St. Patrick’s Day dessert spread has been missing! Imagine soft, buttery cookies infused with that iconic creamy liqueur flavor, drizzled with a boozy Bailey’s glaze that hardens into a beautiful glossy finish. They taste like your favorite Irish coffee transformed into the most elegant cookie you’ve ever had.
The magic happens in the flavor layers. The cookie base delivers rich vanilla and caramel notes from the Bailey’s, while a hint of espresso powder deepens the taste without making them coffee-forward. Then comes that glaze—silky, sweet, and just boozy enough to remind you this is an adults-only treat.
What makes these absolutely irresistible is the texture contrast. The cookies bake up with golden-brown edges and a tender, almost shortbread-like crumb that melts on your tongue. That hardened glaze adds a delicate crunch that breaks away to reveal the soft cookie underneath. They’re fancy enough for an elegant St. Patrick’s Day party but easy enough to whip up on a weeknight!
Why You’ll Love This
- Speed: Ready in 40 minutes including glaze time—perfect for last-minute entertaining
- Flavor: Authentic Bailey’s taste in both cookie and glaze for double the indulgence
- Cost: One bottle of Bailey’s makes these cookies PLUS your Irish coffee nightcap!
Pro-Tips for Success
Maximize the Bailey’s Flavor: Don’t skip the espresso powder! Even if you’re not a coffee person, just ½ teaspoon enhances the Bailey’s flavor without adding noticeable coffee taste. It acts as a flavor amplifier, making the chocolate and cream notes pop even more beautifully.
Glaze Consistency is Key: Your glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but thin enough to drizzle. If it’s too thick, add Bailey’s one teaspoon at a time. Too thin? Add more powdered sugar. The perfect glaze creates those gorgeous drizzle lines without running off the sides completely.
Let Them Set Properly: After glazing, let cookies sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving or stacking. This allows the glaze to harden to that perfect glossy finish. If you’re in a rush, pop them in the fridge for 15 minutes to speed up the process!
The Recipe Card
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes (includes glaze setting time)
Yield: 24 cookies
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
Cookie Base:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
- ½ tsp baking powder (2.5g)
- ¼ tsp salt (1.5g)
- ½ tsp instant espresso powder (optional but recommended)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227g / 2 sticks)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed (100g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream (45ml)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5ml)
Bailey’s Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (240g)
- 3-4 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream (45-60ml)
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or milk (15ml)
- Pinch of salt
Optional Garnish:
- Mini chocolate chips or chocolate shavings
- Gold sanding sugar for extra sparkle
Instructions
1. Prep Your Station
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Having everything ready makes the process smooth and stress-free.
2. Combine the Dry Team
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder until evenly blended. The espresso powder should disappear completely into the mixture. Set this aside.
3. Cream the Butter Base
In a large bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes. You want it pale, fluffy, and increased in volume. This creates tender cookies with beautiful texture.
4. Add the Wet Ingredients
Beat in the egg until fully incorporated and smooth. Pour in the Bailey’s Irish Cream and vanilla extract, mixing on low speed until combined. The mixture might look slightly separated—that’s completely normal and will come together!
5. Build the Dough
With mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until no white streaks remain and the dough comes together. It should be soft, slightly sticky, and smell absolutely heavenly with those Bailey’s notes.
6. Shape & Space
Using a cookie scoop (about 1½ tablespoons / 22ml), drop rounded balls of dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Space them 2 inches apart as they’ll spread slightly. For uniform cookies, roll each scoop into a smooth ball with your hands.
7. Bake to Golden Perfection
Bake for 11-13 minutes, rotating pans halfway through for even baking. The edges should be lightly golden while centers look barely set and slightly puffy. They’ll seem underdone—trust it! They firm up beautifully as they cool.
8. Cool Completely
Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set their structure. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely before glazing—about 20 minutes. Warm cookies will cause the glaze to melt and slide right off!
9. Make the Glaze
While cookies cool, sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl to remove lumps. Whisk in 3 tablespoons Bailey’s, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. The glaze should be thick but pourable. Add more Bailey’s one teaspoon at a time if needed for the perfect drizzling consistency.
10. Drizzle & Decorate
Using a spoon or piping bag, drizzle the Bailey’s glaze over each cooled cookie in a zigzag pattern. Work quickly before the glaze sets. If desired, immediately sprinkle with mini chocolate chips or gold sanding sugar while the glaze is still wet. Let set for 30 minutes before serving.
Storage & Reheating
Room Temperature: Once the glaze has fully hardened, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent the glaze from sticking. They actually taste better on day two when the flavors have melded!
Refrigeration: These cookies are delicious chilled! Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. The cold intensifies the Bailey’s flavor and makes them taste almost like frozen treats. Perfect for warm spring weather!
Freezing (Glazed Cookies): Freeze glazed cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid (about 1 hour). Transfer to a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. The glaze stays perfectly intact!
Freezing (Unglazed Cookies): Bake and cool cookies completely, but skip the glaze. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw completely and make fresh glaze. This gives you that just-made taste anytime!
Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare the cookie dough up to 2 days in advance and store covered in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then scoop and bake as directed. Fresh-baked cookies with minimal day-of effort!
Serving Suggestion: Pair these with a cup of Irish coffee or hot chocolate for the ultimate St. Patrick’s Day indulgence. The combination is absolutely divine and makes for a memorable adult dessert experience!
Bailey’s Irish Cream Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Simmer Bailey’s in a saucepan until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Cool completely.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
- Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and egg yolk, mixing well. Add cooled Bailey’s reduction and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients gradually, mixing just until combined.
- Wrap dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop dough into balls and place on lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes until edges are set. Cool completely.
- Heat cream and pour over white chocolate. Add warmed Bailey’s, butter, and salt; whisk until smooth.
- Chill ganache until thick and spreadable.
- Pipe ganache onto half the cookies and sandwich with remaining cookies.