Kick off your St. Patrick’s Day fun with a batch of these Bailey’s Irish Cream Brownies! Three simple yet decadent layers combine into one mouthwatering dessert that’s loaded with Irish Cream Liqueur to create a festive flavor that will have you reaching for seconds!
These Brownies With Bailey’s Irish Cream Are Perfect For The Holidays!
If you only make one dessert for St. Patrick’s Day, it MUST be these Brownies with Bailey’s Irish Cream Frosting! Three glorious layers of goodness combine into one dessert, creating the ultimate treat that will make you AND your taste buds feel lucky! These are a great Christmas treat, too!
Your journey to indulgence begins with a homemade chocolate brownie that’s deliciously dense, creating a mouthwatering foundation for the second layer: Irish Cream Frosting. Made with just 4 ingredients, this frosting packs in the Irish notes of nuttiness and subtle coffee flavor.
Next up on this boozy indulgent journey is a 10-minute ganache infused with more Irish Cream liqueur. This soft fudge-like layer completes these gourmet-style brownies that will be an instant hit with anyone lucky enough to snag one!
The best part? These decadent, gourmet-style St. Patrick’s Day brownies are simple to make following these step-by-step instructions!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: Rich and bold with a note of bitterness.
Texture: Dense fudgy brownie with a creamy buttercream and thick ganache.
Ease: 5/10
Pros: Festively flavored gourmet brownie recipe that isn’t hard to make!
Cons: Multiple layers means lots of dishes.
Would I Make This Again? Yes, they will definitely become a St. Patrick’s Day or even Christmas party staple!
Ingredients for Irish Cream Brownies
This mind-blowing brownie recipe begins with ordinary pantry staple ingredients such as granulated sugar, canola oil, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, and salt. From the fridge you’ll need unsalted butter and large eggs.
I did opt to use malted milk powder in this recipe to polish the overall flavor of this dessert. However, if you don’t have any on hand, you can replace it with powdered milk or just omit it altogether.
The recipe base then transforms by using not one, but two types of cocoa powder: Dutch-processed cocoa powder and black cocoa powder. This combination creates the ultimate chocolaty flavor with a deep color that’s perfect for this batch of brownies.
Chopped baking chocolate is then folded into the brownie batter to finish it off. This creates delicious pools of chocolate throughout the brownie that really kicks them up a notch!
Once the brownies have cooled, they’re frosted in a 4-ingredient Irish Cream Frosting that’s made with salted butter, powdered sugar, Irish Cream Liqueur, and vanilla extract.
Of course we don’t stop there! Instead, we then whip up a 10-minute ganache to pour over the top of the frosted brownies to really knock this St. Patrick’s Day dessert out of the park. For homemade ganache all you need is bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream, Irish Cream Liqueur, and salted butter.
How To Make St. Patrick’s Day Brownies
- Preheat the oven and line your baking dish with parchment paper. Next, lightly spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
- Melt unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir granulated sugar into the melted butter until a smooth mixture forms. Afterwards, remove the pan from the heat and allow the butter and sugar mixture to cool.
- Beat canola oil and vanilla extract into the butter and sugar mixture until fully combined with no separation between any of the ingredients.
- Mix in the large eggs one at a time, beating each one with a fork after each addition. Then mix until fully incorporated.
- Sift in the all-purpose flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, black cocoa powder, malted milk powder, and salt into the butter and sugar mixture. Mix the batter until almost all of the dry streaks are gone.
- Fold in the chopped baking chocolate.
- Transfer the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and adjust your baking time to the size of your baking dish.
- Cool the brownies completely before removing them from the pan and frosting them.
- Prepare the Homemade Irish Cream Frosting by beating salted butter in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Then mix in the powdered sugar, Irish Cream Liqueur, and vanilla extract.
- Increase the mixer speed and whip the frosting until it becomes smooth and fluffy. Be sure to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as you go.
- Spread an even layer of Irish Cream Frosting over the cooled brownies.
- Prepare the ganache by adding chopped bittersweet chocolate to a bowl with heavy cream and Irish Cream liqueur. Then place the bowl in the microwave to heat.
- Whisk the chocolate mixture until it becomes smooth. Afterwards, whisk in salted butter.
- Pour the homemade ganache over the top of the frosted brownies, spreading it out to the edges. Then allow it to set up before slicing and serving!
- This brownie recipe can be made in an 8×8, 9×9, or 9×13-inch cake pan. Just be sure to adjust your baking time accordingly! For 9×13-inch pan, bake the brownies for 25 to 30 minutes and 40 to 45 minutes for a 9×9-inch pan.
- For a sweeter brownie, add 1/4 cup of sifted powdered sugar to the ganache mixture.
- It’s important to allow the brownies to cool completely before frosting them to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Let the ganache cool before pouring it over the top of the frosted brownies to avoid melting the buttercream layer.
How To Store Bailey’s Brownies
Store these St. Patrick’s Day Brownies in an airtight container in a single layer to prevent the tops from being squished. Then transfer the brownies into the fridge to store and enjoy for up to 5 days.
If you prefer, you can let the Irish Cream Brownies come to room temperature before serving and enjoying!
How To Freeze Irish Cream Frosted Brownies
Once the brownies have been assembled, slice and flash-freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan for 1 to 2 hours. Then, remove them and transfer them to freezer-safe storage containers, placing parchment between layers if stacked, and freeze for up to 3 months. Remove from the package and place back in a single layer to thaw without the container or any plastic wrap touching the sides or top.
How To Cut Frosted Brownies
For neatly sliced brownies, chill them in the fridge to allow them to firm up. Then, use a sharp or large plastic knife to cut them into slices. Wipe the knife in between cuts if needed.
More Irish Cream Recipes
- Irish Cream Cake – Decadent adults-only chocolate cake made with a generous dose of Irish Cream!
- Traditional Irish Coffee – Spiked coffee that’s perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day!
- Irish Cream No Bake Cookies – Yummy no bake cookies that take on a delicious boozy twist!
- Easy Homemade Irish Cream Recipe – This 10-minute recipe is way better than the store-bought version!
- No Bake Irish Cream Pie – A chocolaty Oreo crust filled with a 4-ingredient filling and topped with whipped cream!
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Irish Cream Frosted Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 cup unsalted butter 227g, I use Kerrygold
- 2½ cups granulated sugar 500g, I use Domino
- 2 tablespoons canola oil 30mL
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs I use Vital Farms
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 130g, I use King Arthur
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder 57g, I use Ghirardelli
- ¼ cup black cocoa powder 25g, or additional Dutch-processed
- 2 tablespoons malted milk powder 20g, optional
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces chopped baking chocolate or ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter 227g, softened, grass-fed recommended
- 4 cups powdered sugar 520g
- 2 ounces Irish Cream liqueur 60mL
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Ganache
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate 113g
- 3 ounces heavy cream 90mL
- 2 ounces Irish Cream liqueur 60mL
- 1 tablespoon salted butter 14g
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a metal 8×8, 9×9, or 9×13-inch metal cake pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Make sure some of the parchment is over the edge of the pan for easy removal. This may require two sheets, one going in each direction for a 9×13-inch pan – make sure the one that goes across the shorter distance is under the one that goes along the full length of the pan.
- Melt 1 cup unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Add 2½ cups granulated sugar and stir until smooth, the butter and sugar have started emulsifying, and no butter is separated from the sugar. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes, stirring often to release heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons canola oil and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract to the butter and sugar and beat them in with a rubber spatula until fully combined and there's no separation between the ingredients (no oil resting on top).
- Beat in 5 large eggs one at a time, beating with the spatula or a fork after each one. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Sift the 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup + 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder, ¼ cup black cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons malted milk powder, and ¾ teaspoon salt into the butter and sugar mixture, stirring gently with a rubber spatula just until almost all the dry streaks are gone.
- Fold in the 4 ounces chopped baking chocolate or mini chocolate chips.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes for a 9×13-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for a 9×9-inch pan.
- Cool before removing from the pan and frosting.
Frosting
- While the brownies are cooling, beat 1 cup salted butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add the 4 cups powdered sugar, 2 ounces Irish Cream liqueur, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing on stir speed between additions just until combined.
- Increase speed to medium-high and whip until smooth and fluffy for about 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape the paddle and bowl about every minute. The frosting should be a pale beige (it will darken as it rests).
- Spread the frosting over the cooled brownies with an offset spatula so that it is as level as possible.
- Chop the 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate and add it to a medium bowl with 3 ounces heavy cream and 2 ounces Irish Cream liqueur and microwave for 1 minute. Let set in the microwave for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the microwave and whisk until smooth. If there are still some small lumps of chocolate, microwave for an additional 15 seconds.
- Once smooth, whisk in 1 tablespoon salted butter.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the frosting, spread it out to the edges, and let it set up for at least 30 minutes before slicing. If using sprinkles to make them more festive, add them now before the ganache sets up.
- Slice with a sharp or large plastic knife. You can chill the brownies once frosted for cleaner cuts, but I recommend letting them get to room temperature before serving. You can also slice the brownies first and then pipe the frosting and drizzle the ganache on top.
Notes
- Nutritional information is an estimate based on a 9×9 inch pan that makes 16, very thick brownies. You can bake in a 9×13 to make 24 brownies that are a little thinner. This makes the brownies around 350 calories each.
Nutrition
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