Description
Soft, chocolatey Bailey’s Irish Cream Cookies with sweet Irish cream icing. These rich, boozy cookies are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any special occasion. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions!
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional but enhances flavor)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
Optional Add-Ins
- Semisweet chocolate chips (up to 1 cup) for extra chocolate chunks
- Chopped pecans or walnuts for texture
- A pinch of coarse sea salt on top for a sweet-salty contrast
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper—this prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze!
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder (if using), baking soda, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps! Set this aside for now.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars using your electric mixer on medium speed. Beat for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This step incorporates air and creates that tender texture!
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then pour in the Baileys Irish Cream and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is beautifully combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled—that’s totally normal!
With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until you don’t see any more flour streaks. DO NOT OVERMIX—this is where people often go wrong! Overmixing develops the gluten and makes tough cookies instead of tender ones.
If you’re adding chocolate chips or nuts, gently fold them in with a spatula now. I love adding chocolate chips for extra decadence!
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion out dough balls about 1.5 tablespoons each. Place them about 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. They’ll spread slightly as they bake.
Pro tip: If your kitchen is warm and the dough feels soft, pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies hold their shape better!
Bake for 9–11 minutes. The edges should be set, but the centers will still look slightly underdone and soft. TRUST ME on this—they’ll continue cooking as they cool and you’ll end up with perfectly chewy cookies. Overbaking makes them dry and cakey.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes—they’re too soft to move right away! Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. I know it’s hard to wait, but you need them completely cool before icing!
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of Baileys. Add more Baileys, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. For drizzling, you want it slightly thick but pourable. For dipping, make it a bit thicker.
Once cookies are completely cool, drizzle the icing over the tops using a spoon or transfer it to a piping bag for neater lines. You can also dip the tops directly into the icing! Let the icing set for about 15-20 minutes before serving or storing.
Notes
- Make them picture-perfect: Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop for uniformly sized cookies that bake evenly. Eyeballing it works, but a scoop makes life easier!
- Espresso powder is your secret weapon. Even if you’re not a coffee person, that tiny bit of espresso powder makes the chocolate flavor SO much deeper and richer. Don’t skip it!
- Test one cookie first: If you’re nervous about timing, bake just one cookie as a test. This helps you gauge if you need to adjust baking time for your specific oven.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish-American