Even though the winter is traditionally hot coffee season, plenty of people want to have iced coffee year-round. For those folks, we recommend something that can meet their chilled coffee needs while boasting a cozy and comforting flavor, like the Irish cream cold brew.

Inspiration for our Irish cream cold brew recipe came from the Starbucks beverage of the same name, and it’s the perfect drink for anyone who wants to enjoy smooth coffee and the sweet flavors of vanilla and chocolate.

What is Irish cream, and what does it taste like?

Irish cream is a blend of Irish whiskey, cream, and flavors like cocoa and vanilla. It can serve as a base for dozens of cocktails (it makes some pretty mean holiday drinks if you’re looking for ways to make the season a little merrier), but it’s not uncommon for people to sip it straight.

It has a distinct flavor, thanks to the hint of chocolate and vanilla that make it sweet and the Irish whiskey that provides subtle fruitiness.

Even though whiskey is one of Irish cream’s key ingredients, Irish cream-flavored drinks aren’t always alcoholic. Take Starbucks Coffee’s Irish Cream Cold Brew, for instance. The cold coffee drink has all the creamy sweetness traditionally associated with Irish cream but none of the alcohol.

Besides, the tasty drink contains plenty of cold-brew coffee; if you ask us, anything with java is automatically worth trying.

And speaking of Starbucks’ Irish Cream Cold Brew, it’s time for us to teach you how to make a homemade version!

But First, A Little About the Coffee Beans

Besides Irish cream syrup, cream, and powdered sugar, you’ll need cold brew concentrate — you can’t have a cold brew recipe without it, can you?

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Having the right beans is the first step to satisfying cold brew, and fortunately for you, we compiled a list of what we’ve deemed the best coffee beans for cold brew.

We used coarse coffee grounds from our friends at Atlas Coffee Club to make the joe for our rendition of this iced coffee drink.

Atlas is a coffee subscription service best suited for more adventurous coffee drinkers, as it sends you a batch of new beans to try every month.

There’s even a subscription option geared toward making cold brew, so if you’re a fan of trying out different beans and you frequently brew batches of the typically chilled coffee, Atlas might be worth considering.

Make a Copycat Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brew Recipe at Home

@roastycoffee Irish Cream Cold Brew #irishcream #coldbrew #coldbrewcoffee #coffeetok ♬ original sound – Roasty Coffee

You’ll Need:

2 tablespoons Irish cream syrup
1-2 cups cold brew coffee
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or coffee creamer
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Ice cubes
Milk frother
Frothing pitcher
Tall glass

The Process:

Step 1:

As with any cold brew coffee drink recipe, the first step is to brew some of the chilled joe.

You’ll need to pull out your cold brew maker the night before you plan to make this copycat Starbucks drink so the coarse coffee grounds can steep in room temperature or cold water for at least 12 hours.

Step 2:

Pouring cold brew coffee into a glass with ice cubes and adding Irish cream syrup

After the joe has steeped for a few hours, the coarsely-ground coffee is filtered out, and you have diluted the cold brew coffee concentrate with water (this step is optional but recommended), pour some of it into a glass with ice cubes.

Then, add Irish cream syrup and stir until the two are well mixed.

Step 3:

Set the cold-brewed coffee aside and grab your handheld milk frother; it’s time to make the cold foam.

In a frothing pitcher or small cup, combine whipping cream (or thick coffee creamer) with powdered sugar and froth until the mixture is fluffy.

Step 4:

Topping the flavor-infused cold brew with the sugary cream

Top the flavor-infused cold brew with the sugary cream, and ta-da! — you’re all done. Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder if you think the drink needs a little something extra.

What is Irish cream syrup made of?

You might struggle to find Irish cream syrup in stores, but don’t take that as a sign to forego making the copycat Starbucks drink at home. Try making your own instead! It’s super-easy to do.