Irish Coffee Milkshake Recipe

Can you believe it’s March already? The year is flying by! Soon, it will be St. Patrick’s Day and the celebration of all things Irish. Although I’m not Irish, except for some ancestors many, many generations back, our family enjoys Irish cuisine. We decided to get into the spirit (pun intended) by preparing a cool, creamy milkshake no one will be able to resist; an Irish Coffee Milkshake.

Irish Coffee Milkshake Recipe

 This Irish Coffee Milkshake recipe is our adaptation of a traditional mudslide. I think it’s one of the best shakes I’ve ever had!   Sure, it’s indulgent. We can’t drink it every day. (I wish!) Instead, treat yourself and celebrate “the luck of the Irish.”

The basic shake recipe has four ingredients; chocolate, strong coffee, Bailey’s Irish Cream or Kahlua, and ice cream. You can serve the shake without added toppings, but why not go all out, decorate the rim of the glass, and pile on whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and chocolate syrup? This elevates the shake from plain-jane to one of those fancy restaurant shakes. The kind that screams, “decadent, over-the-top” flavor.

Make it a Mocktail:

  • Prepare the shake as directed in the recipe, but replace the alcohol with refrigerated Irish Coffee Creamer (find it in the dairy section of the supermarket.)
Use your favorite type of coffee to make the shake to suit your tastes.

Preparation Tips:

  • Use a good quality ice cream. This will give the shake a richer flavor.
  • Use a good quality chocolate bar or chocolate chips in the recipe.
  • You can use any type of chocolate you like; semi-sweet, dark, milk chocolate, or white chocolate.
  • Start with 1/3 cup coffee in the recipe and add more to suit your taste.
  • BEFORE you blend the shake, chop the chocolate bar into bite-sized pieces. Add these to the blender and process for 5 to 10 seconds.

Substitutions:

  • Hot fudge topping (find it in the section with the ice cream toppings) can be used instead of chocolate syrup.
  • You can use a flavored coffee if you prefer. Good choices include mocha, caramel vanilla, caramel, French vanilla, hazelnut, or white chocolate.
  • Substitute chocolate ice cream for the vanilla ice cream.
How to coat the outside of a glass for milkshakes
Adding a rim to the glass makes the shake special.

For the Topping and the Rim of the Glass:

  • Additional, but optional, ingredients:
  • white chocolate candy melts
  • green sprinkles or green colored sugar
  • chocolate syrup
  • chocolate shavings

Naturally gluten-free!

Both Bailey’s Irish Cream and Kahlua are gluten-free according to their manufacturer’s websites. All other ingredients in the recipe are gluten-free as well. Double-check the brand of chocolate you use. While most are gluten-free, some are processed in a facility with wheat.

ingredients for Irish Coffee Milkshake
Ingredients needed to prepare the shake.

How to Prepare the Shake:

  • If preparing a rim for the glass, do this step first.
  • Prepare the shake as directed in the recipe.
  • Before adding the shake to the glass, slowly drizzle the chocolate syrup or hot fudge topping down the insides of the glass.
  • Pour (or spoon) the shake mixture into the glass.
  • Top with canned whipped cream (found in the refrigerated section)
  • Sprinkle shaved chocolate or additional sprinkles over the top of the whipped cream.
  • Serve immediately.
  • This recipe makes one large shake or two small shakes. Most people will not want to share once they’ve tasted it, so be prepared!
milkshake coating
What you’ll need for the rim of the glass.

How to Make A Fancy Rim For the Glass:

Now comes the fun part! Giving the shake the over-the-top edge! We melted white chocolate candy melts and spooned it around the outside rim of the glass and rolled it in green sprinkles. You can use milk chocolate but you won’t be able to see the sprinkles well. Here’s how to do it:

  • Add 2 ounces of white candy melts to a microwave-safe bowl. Place white candy melts or white chocolate chips in the microwave for 15 seconds.
  • Stir. If not completed melted, return to microwave for another 15 to 20 seconds.
  • Using a spoon, gently press the outside rim of the glass with the chocolate melts.
  • Place one tablespoon sprinkles or colored sugar on a saucer. Immediately roll the glass in the sprinkles.
Irish Coffee Milkshake for St. Patrick's Day
Chocolate drizzle and Chocolate shavings add a fancy touch.

How To Make Chocolate Shavings:

You’ll need one chocolate bar and a vegetable peeler.

  • Place vegetable peeler on chocolate bar and gently pull the peeler down the chocolate bar.
  • You can prepare shavings in advance and freeze them in an airtight storage container until ready to use.

Printable Recipe:

Irish Coffee Milkshake Recipe

Recipe by Pam
Servings

1

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking timeminutes
Calorieskcal

This makes 1 large shake or 2 small shakes.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup chopped chocolate bar OR chocolate chips

  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup strong coffee (adjust this to your taste)

  • 1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream or Kahlua

  • 2 cups (1-pint) vanilla ice cream

  • refrigerated whipped topping, optional

  • green sprinkles or colored sugar, optional

  • 2-ounces white chocolate melts, optional

  • shaved chocolate bits, optional

  • chocolate syrup, optional

Directions

  • If you are placing a rim around the glass, do this first. (See instructions on how to add a decorative rim below.)
  • Chop the chocolate bar into bite-sized pieces. Add these to the blender and process for 5 to 10 seconds.
  • Add the ice cream, coffee, Irish cream or Kahlua into the blender with the chocolate. Process for 45 seconds or until blended.
  • Pour into the glass. Top with whipped cream and shaved topping, if using. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • To Make a Mocktail, replace the alcohol with 1/4 cup refrigerated Irish coffee creamer.
  • Add 2 ounces of white candy melts to a microwave-safe bowl. Place white candy melts or white chocolate chips in the microwave for 15 seconds. Stir. If not completed melted, return to microwave for another 15 to 20 seconds. Using a spoon, gently press the outside rim of the glass with the chocolate melts. Place one tablespoon sprinkles or colored sugar on a saucer. Immediately roll the glass in the sprinkles.
Irish Cream Milkshake Recipe
You can use chocolate to rim the glass but the sprinkles will not show up as well.

I hope you enjoy the shake as much as our family does. Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? What are some of your favorite dishes to serve?

37 Comments

  1. What a cool themed drinks. All the st.Patty’s day lovers who dont drink will like this.

  2. This sounds so deliciously decadent, and I love that green sugared rim – so holiday appropriate!

  3. You had me at milkshake….and coffee!! What a great St. Patrick’s Day recipe!

  4. Oh wow now this is what you call creative! Such a festive way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! I’m going to make these milkshakes for my family!

  5. What a cool St. Paddy’s day recipe! I love the idea of taking Irish coffee and making it into a milkshake. Kind of an Adult version of a Shamrock Shake!

  6. That looks delicious, never tried irish coffee milkshake, now i need to look for kahlua here!! 🙂

  7. Ohh this sounds perfect and has my name written all over it. I love Irish cream or Irish cream infused desserts and this looks so easy to make.

  8. Oh i love coffee! I will surely enjoy this coffee milkshake!

  9. St. Patrick’s Day makes me laugh. Not really sure why it’s so wildly celebrated, but I love any excuse to make special treats.

  10. This is the perfect shamrock shake, Love coffee and chocolate when combined. This is so much fun to cheer on St Patricks Day =)

  11. That looks absolutely delicious. I would love to have this in my life about now. I just love the recipes at St. Patrick’s Day.

  12. Mmmm I can be all about this. I love milkshakes. Especially ones during this holiday.

  13. This looks very tasty. I love all kinds of milkshakes, especially shamrocks.

  14. I’m all about St Patrick’s Day and all things Irish – I can see me needing one of these very soon!

  15. Now that’s an awesome milkshake! I think I can see fixing myself one of these after a stressful week.

  16. Wow! This looks so delicious and fun. Love the green sugar ring around the rim!

  17. This coffee milkshake would definitely get you in the spirit for St. Patrick’s Day. Love the pretty colors and the addition of chocolate!

  18. wwoaahh.. this looks very tasty!! im sure my hubby will like this too!

  19. What a fantastic idea! Might have to make a non-alcoholic version for myself and the hubby!

  20. This looks insanely delicious! The ultimate St. Patrick’s Day drink! So colorful and beautiful!

  21. This looks totally different for the upcoming holiday.
    What a neat-looking preparation.

  22. This looks REALLY good! I would love to try it this week!

  23. We always make milkshakes at home, but I’ve never actually bothered to decorate the glass. I love how you used the white chocolate and sprinkles – it really makes it feel that much more special!

  24. Oh that sounds delicious and I love that it can be a mocktail milkshake or alcoholic.

  25. I don’t drink coffee but I love Khalua milkshake.. Such a treat especially in summer.

  26. Yum! That looks amazing! I will definitely be making some of these! Looks so good!

  27. What a fun shake! I love milkshakes and can’t get enough of them. I tend to make small ones so I don’t over indulge but this one I think I would go for the full size version!

  28. That looks so good! I love fun coffee drinks!

  29. I can not wait to try this. It looks so delicious and refreshing. I will have to get the ingredients I need this week.

  30. Sounds delicious and it looks great as well. I can never get enough coffee, especially when it comes with a little adult twist.

  31. Oh my goodness! I am going to fix myself this drink today. It doesn’t matter if I use Bailey’s Irish Cream or Kahlua because I like them both! Thank you so much for the recipe!

  32. Nice dessert for St. Patrick’s Day. Let’s just hope it’s warm enough to enjoy such a treat! Oh, what the heck, who am I kidding?! Hot or cold, I’ll take one!! 🙂

  33. I may not be Irish but I’m all for getting into the spirit! Your milkshake sounds dreamy. I adore coffee and the rest of the ingredients just add to the delicious taste.

  34. I’m such a coffee lover! And, I love the flavour of Irish Cream. This coffee looks so decadent – what a lovely treat! And so pretty too!

  35. I would love to try that delicious shake for St. Patrick’s Day. The Kahlua version looks great and I’ll make the coffee only for my daughter.

  36. That looks absolutely amazing. I love a good milkshake, and anytime you add coffee to anything, it’s going to hit the spot for me.

  37. robin masshole mommy

    Ooooh, now that sounds yummy! I think I will be making these for myself & my hubby this weekend.