These deliciously flavored Bailey's Irish Cream Butter Cookies taste a lot like shortbread cookies, but with an unexpected twist. They're ever so slightly crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and then topped with a chocolate-covered espresso bean. What could be better?!!
Are you looking for a new cookie recipe that's easy to make, delicious to eat, and one you haven't seen year after year on the same old cookie platters?
Well then, it's time to shake up the party with these unexpected Irish Cream Butter Cookies! Get ready for the compliments! You deserve them!
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Table of Contents Found Here
- The ingredient list :
- Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- What if I don't like chocolate-covered espresso beans?
- What can I substitute for the espresso beans?
- Do I have to use Irish cream liquor?
- Can these Bailey's Irish cream butter cookies be frozen?
- How many cookies does this recipe make?
- Salted butter or unsalted butter?
- How to make Bailey's Irish Cream Butter Cookies:
- Additional cookie recipe you'll enjoy:
- Printable Recipe Card
- Bailey's Irish Cream Butter Cookies
- Please comment if you've made this recipe.
The ingredient list :
- Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Irish Cream Liquor
- All-Purpose Flour
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
- Confectioners Sugar
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- Hand Mixer OR Stand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Cookie Scoop
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Cooling Rack
- Small Zip-Top Bag
- Scissors
What if I don't like chocolate-covered espresso beans?
Simple. Don't use them.
What can I substitute for the espresso beans?
- Chocolate Covered Candy
- Chocolate Kisses
- Raisins
- Dried Cranberries
Do I have to use Irish cream liquor?
No. If you'd rather not use the alcohol, that's perfectly fine.
You can substitute with the following:
- Heavy Cream
- Liquid Coffee Creamer (your choice of flavors)
Can these Bailey's Irish cream butter cookies be frozen?
Yes! Most definitely!
Store them in an air-tight freezer container and freeze for up to 6 months.
How many cookies does this recipe make?
4 dozen.
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Salted butter or unsalted butter?
I know I go against popular belief on this, but I always use salted butter for baking.
I find that the little extra salt in the butter makes for a more flavorful baked good.
That said, if you know for a fact that the butter you generally use is extra salty, then you may want to use unsalted butter for your baking or omit the salt called for in the recipe.
How to make Bailey's Irish Cream Butter Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
- Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Add the Irish cream and blend to combine.
- Add the flour and salt to the butter mixture and blend until a soft dough forms, being careful not to over mix.
- Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place them onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Press a chocolate-covered espresso bean onto the top of each dough ball.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the underside of the cookies are lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, whisk together confectioner's sugar and additional Irish cream to form a glaze.
- Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
- Place the glaze into a small zip-top bag and snip a small hole in the corner of the bag.
- Drizzle the Irish cream glaze over the cooled cookies.
Additional cookie recipe you'll enjoy:
*Vintage Rocks Cookies (pictured below) from (yours truly) Kudos Kitchen
"This vintage cookie recipe dates back to the 1930s. Vintage Rocks Cookies are fast and easy to make and don’t require any special equipment. A large bowl and a spoon will work wonderfully well. After all, if it was good enough for grandma…"
*Colossal Christmas Cookie Recipe Roundup (pictured below) from All Your Favorite Food Bloggers
"Today’s colossal Christmas cookies recipe roundup will keep your house smelling delicious every day of the month… and then some!!"
*Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (pictured below) from (yours truly) Kudos Kitchen
"If you love a cookie with a cake-like texture and crispy outer edges, then you’ll LOVE these Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies!"
*Irish Cream Butter Cookies (pictured below) This is the place!
When you make today's recipe (and I hope that you will), I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to come back and give it a star rating along with a comment on why you rated as you did.
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Printable Recipe Card
Bailey's Irish Cream Butter Cookies
Equipment
- stand mixer optional
- hand mixer optional
- kitchen timer optional
Ingredients
- 3 sticks (24 Tablespoons) butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons Irish cream liquor
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3½ cups flour
- 48 chocolate covered espresso beans
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1¼ tablespoon Irish cream liquor
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius)
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons Irish cream liquor, and vanilla extract until fluffy.
- Add the all-purpose flour and salt to the creamed mixture and blend until combined and a soft dough forms. Do not over mix.
- Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Press a chocolate-covered espresso bean on top of each ball.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned.
- Cool completely.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the confectioner's sugar and 1¼ tablespoon of the Irish cream liquor until smooth and creamy.
- Spoon the glaze into a small zip-top bag and snip off a small corner.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and allow to set.
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's delicious homemade cookie recipe as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
Merzy H says
I baked these for 15 mins so not sure why they came out so dry. The middles were not soft, very dry and crumbly. A lot like shortbread, perhaps a little bland for my expectations or maybe I was thinking they would be a little more soft and have a distinct Irish cream flavor, or leave out the Irish cream and bake less time or lower temp. I will experiment with a few things and perhaps try again.
Renée says
Hi, Merzy!
I'm sorry you weren't a huge fan of these cookies. I do hope you'll try again.
Maybe your oven runs hot, and they were overbaked. I do hope you used the Irish cream glaze on the top?
Anyway, thanks for the response.
Take care,
Renee
Liz says
These were fabulous, Renee! I loved the subtle taste of Irish cream plus they were so pretty! Thanks for the terrific recipe!
Kelly Anthony says
I can't wait to grab some Baileys and try these cookies out! Soft cookies are totally my jam...as is coffee...and espresso! Ha! These are going to be perfect!