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Love Baileys Irish Cream? Love Chocolate Chip Cookies?! These Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies are for you! They bake up thick, chewy, and super flavorful!
Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
It’s day 2 of our 12 Days of Cookies series! And today, we’re making a Christmas classic: CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES! But of course, these aren’t just any chocolate chip cookies! Because they’re spiked with Baileys Irish Cream!!! To enhance the flavor even more, the cookie dough includes cinnamon and espresso powder. These cookies already have a cult following with my family and friends… so I always have some of this cookie dough in our freezer.
This recipe was inspired by my pal Ken, who runs the Rhinebeck Wine and Liquor Store. A few weeks ago we were chatting about baking – more specifically, cookies -and he shared his secret is adding a glug of baileys to his cookie dough. I was instantly intrigued! Especially since I have SO much baileys leftover from our wedding! It took me a few weeks to get this recipe just right, but I finally did and you guys…
THESE COOKIES ARE INSANE ↓
Ingredients for Baileys Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- butter: unsalted or salted will work! but if you’re using salted, reduce the salt called for in the dry ingredients by 1/4 teaspoon.
- sugar: you’ll use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar. light brown sugar or dark brown sugar may be used.
- eggs: two large ones, at room temperature!
- vanilla extract: just a small dash enhances all of the other flavors!
- espresso powder: I love King Arthur Espresso Powder! One jar will last you a LONG time! And once you have it, you can make other espresso recipes like this No-Bake Espresso Chocolate Cheesecake!
- baileys irish cream: You’ll need 3 Tablespoons for the cookie dough. If you’re not a big drinker, you can buy little travel size bottles. They’re usually sold at the check-out area of most liquor stores. If you love baking with Baileys, then I suggest buying a full-size bottle so you have it on hand for future recipes like my Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake!
- flour: all-purpose! I don’t recommend using any other variety of flour.
- salt: to balance out the flavors.
- baking soda: helps leaven the cookie dough, which in turn gives us soft and chewy cookies.
- and finally, chocolate chips: I use semi-sweet, but feel free to use milk chocolate or dark chocolate. And of course, you can always use chocolate chunks!
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success:
- Ok, so if you’re an old pro at baking cookies, these next few items are probably a no-brainer! But if you’re a newbie, listen up: you need at least one baking sheet, a cooling rack, and either a silpat baking mat or parchment paper. This 3-piece baking set has them all!
- You’ll also need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer for this recipe! Unfortunately, the cookie dough cannot be made without some kind of electric mixer, as the butter and sugar MUST be beaten at a high speed.
- Be sure to refrigerate the cookie dough for a few hours. The benefit of chilling the dough is the cookies will bake up EXTRA thick! If you’re super tight on time, you can technically bake right away, but the cookies will spread more than the ones you see in my photos.
- Don’t over bake your cookies! You’ll want to pull them out of the oven when they’re set at the edges but still soft in the center. They’ll firm up a lot as they cool!
- If you’re wanting to leave the Baileys Irish Cream out of this recipe, I suggest making my Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies instead.
Pro Tip: If you’d like your baileys chocolate chip cookies to look like the ones you see in my photos, simply press a few chocolate chips on top of each cookie right after they come out of the oven. You can also sprinkle them with sea salt! I love Maldon sea salt because it’s flaky and delish.
AND IF YOU TRY THIS RECIPE FOR EASY BAILEYS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, LET ME KNOW! LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND DON’T FORGET TO SNAP A PIC AND TAG IT #BAKERBYNATURE ON INSTAGRAM! SEEING YOUR KITCHEN CREATIONS MAKES OUR DAY.
Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (315 grams)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (227 grams)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed (213 grams)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (99 grams)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (340 grams)
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and espresso powder; whisk well to combine then set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and both sugars and beat on medium-speed until light and fluffy, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed; about 2 minutes.
- Add in the vanilla extract and baileys Irish cream, and beat until combined.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating for 15 seconds after each addition. Turn mixer off. Using a wooden spoon or sturdy rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture, stirring only until the flour begins to disappear. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 2 hours (and up to 3 days) before baking. Or bake right away for regular cookies (they'll be thinner but still delicious!!!).
When you're ready to Bake:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll 3 tablespoon sized scoops of dough between your palms to form a ball (they should be big; almost a 1/4 cup), then place on prepared sheets (make sure to leave enough room in between each cookie for inevitable spreading). Continue this process until all the dough has been rolled.
- Place baking sheets in preheated oven, one at a time, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden at the edges but still soft in the middle. Repeat with all cookie dough. Let cookies cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Hi Ashley, Can you give me a weighed measurement of your flour? We all measure our flour differently in cups. So next time you make these cookies please throw it on a scale to record the weight in grams or ounces. Thank you!
! cup of flour equals 120 grams according to kingarthurbaking.com.Hope this helps
Hi Ashley, may I know how much is your cup in grams. Thanks! Bettina (in Italy we dont use cups…) 🙂
120 grams
Hello,
Do I bake one tray at a time or is it ok to put 2 trays and rotate midway! Cannot wait to try these!
Hi! One sheet at a time 🙂
Ashley, I followed your recipe to the letter, including the measurement of the dough for baking. I still only yielded 2 dozen. What did I do wrong? Thank you!
Hi Nancy. This recipe yields 2 dozen, so you got the correct amount.
Can I just skip the espresso powder, or do I need to add something else in its place?
You may omit it, but the flavor will be much more subtle.
I used espresso chocolate chips instead of espresso and regular chocolate chips. It was amazing!
There are espresso chocolate chips?!?!? I must find these!!
Me too! They sound amazing!
There are Baileys flavored chocolate chips too
That’s what I am using. I love baily’s chocolate chips.
Walmart has these in my area. They are tollbouse and amazing !! (RI)
Espresdo only enhances the chocolate flavor. You will not taste it, but the chocolate flavor will pop.
I was curious about this, the espresso flavor coming through. My wife does not like coffee in any form what-so-ever, including smell. Thanks for mentioning this!
I have used espresso powder many times and I have never noticed a coffee taste.
I don’t like coffee either,Cin but love espresso in chocolate cookies. It gives the chocolate more depth.
I don’t like coffee at all but use espresso in nearly all of my chocolate baking. I can smell it (which I love) but don’t taste it. Is only to deepen the Chocolate flavor.
I never have espresso powder so I substitute in the nestle espresso chocolate chips instead of semi sweet. I also use Baileys Salted Caramel. Delicious and you definitely get the coffee flavor!!
Hi Ashley, may I know how much is your cup in grams?
1 cup = 128 grams
Thank you for this recipe Ashley…I didn’t have the bailys irish cream so I used kahlua that I had and it turned out great.
I’m so glad you said that. I was thinking of doing the same
These would be even better using the Bailey’s Chocolate Chips I just found! 🙂 I know what I will be baking this week!
Where did you find Bailey’s Chocolate Chips?
World Market has them. I plan on using half Bauleys chips and half semi sweet. Also bet Amazon has them or do an online search.
I found them at Walmart as well.
I got some today from Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market
I found them at our Wal-mart Market and other stores in our area.
I may try using 1/2 Baileys chips and 1/2 Nestles Espresso chips.
Hello,
Can you freeze this dough for later? Thank you!
Can you freeze this dough?
Hi! Do you know if the alcohol burns off during the baking process? Thank you!
Yes!
These are my new favorite cookie! I followed the recipe exactly and it was worth waiting to chill the dough, making it easier to roll into balls. I just ate a cooled one and they are so decadent with the layers of flavor, well beyond a regular chocolate chip cookie. I used Bailey’s chocolate chips instead of semi- sweet, they’re not overpowering at all. I know what I’ll be baking for everyone this Christmas. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
The most asked questions- How much is your cup in grams because my dough came out super sticky even after measuring all ingredients by same cup … but you mentioned butter in ozs and rest in spoons and cups… I think cups to grams conversion will help us all.
I e never been able to find a conversion between cups and grams. Cups are measured in ounces. Gram refers to weight- and they do not convert between the two.
1 stick of butter is equivalent to 1 stick in grams as far as I know. When I bake I use 1 stick and my dishes come out great.
I’m from the USA but am living in a metric only country so I hope that helps
A cup of all-purpose flour weighs 4 1/4 ounces or 120 grams.
No such thing as a ‘stick’ of butter in Australia. So I have no idea how much to use.
do you use tsp and Tsp there? 1 stick of butter equals 8 tablespoons or 24 teaspoons. OR half (½) stick of Butter ¼ cup 56.7g
1 stick of Butter ½ cup 113.4g
2 sticks of Butter 1 cup 226.8g
4 sticks of Butter 2 cups 453.6g
You can convert ozs to grams. 1 ozs =28 grams.
Curious… recipe calls for 8 oz of butter…NOT 8 tablespoons.
So that’s 2 sticks butter??…
I have that exact same question! I think 1 stick of butter should suffice but I don’t know. I think 2 sticks of butter is to much. This is the only ingredient measured in oz.
It’s 227 grams, or 1 cup (2 American sticks). I hope that helps!
My new favorite chocolate chip cookie (without espresso powder)! Yum!!
I love your recipes, but do wish the ingredients were listed by weights rather than cups. It gives a much more accurate volume since ingredients fill cups at different volumes and not all baking cups are exactly the same size, and it’s also more helpful to our baking friends in other parts of the world that don’t measure by cups.
I found this conversion chart on King Arthur Flour’s website that may be helpful to the bakers that measure by weight.
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart
I couldn’t agree more. Thank you for the conversion chart, a must for the most discriminating bakers!
I don’t have espresso powder but I have instant espresso. Can I use that?
I used instant espresso. I mixed it with the Bailey’s to dissolve it (didn’t put it in dry with the dry ingredients). Turned out great!
I used instant expresso but kept it with the dry ingredients. I wish I would have read the comments before hand. OH well, hopefully they will still turn out!
I was excited to make these as I love Baileys. When I was adding the Baileys to the recipe, it smelled so strong that I thought the Baileys would overwhelm the rest of the cookie. I ended up adding less of the called-for amount. Well, I should never second guess your recipes, as everyone that ate them said they didn’t taste like Baileys. They were still great, just not enough Baileys. I will make them again and not be as scared by 3 Tbs next time.
I’m having the opposite issue. I used the 3Tbsp of Bailey’s and still can’t taste it. They are thankfully a really delicious chocolate chip cookie but I was so looking forward to tasting the Bailey’s flavor. Now that I’m seeing these comments with Bailey’s chips, I wanna try and find and use them.
Can I use espresso shot instead of espresso powder?
I wouldn’t as that will be adding additional liquid to the recipe. If you can’t find espresso powder in your area, you can substitute it with instant espresso. You can actually make espresso powder by putting instant expresso into a blender or coffee grinder! Just add the instant espresso and pulse until it is a fine powder. I hope this helps! Also, for anyone concerned about the espresso powder adding a coffee taste, it really doesn’t. Espresso powder enhances the depth and flavor profile of the chocolate. 🙂
These are DELICIOUS…especially with that sprinkle of salt afterwards. My new favourite recipe!
Could I used gluten free flour?
I am planning to try with the King Arthur cup for cup gf flour, and I will report back!
I have the same question…can you use gf flour? Please let us know how yours turn out using KingArthur gf flour. Thank you!
I think the King Arthur Cup for cup should work otherwise you might need to know how much fun to use with the King Arthur All purpose unless it doesn’t need zanthum gum. I would love to find out who might make with either. I made normal Nestle CC cookies recently with The Cup for cup by King Arthur and I think they came out great.
Hi, can I add more baileys into the cookies if I want them real boozey?
I wouldn’t suggest it as it’ll change the texture and most likely cause spreading. You could try brushing the tops of the warm cookies with a little extra Baileys.
Hello,
Can you make these without the espresso? I don’t like coffee
Sure!
Anyone try adding almonds to these?
Anyone try adding almonds to these? We love nuts in our cookies
I used walnuts and they seemed to turn out fine.
I guess I could make them w/o the espresso. I don’t like coffee.
Can i substitute decaf instant coffee for the espresso? I cod double the amt of instant coffee.
Can you use a cookie scoop? Instead. Of rolling them?
Yes, I used a small cookie scoop (1 TBL?) and baked for 8 – 10 minutes.
Can I freeze the raw dough?
Hi. I made these today. They are good but not very chocolate tasting considering how much there is. Not sure if it’s because I used mini chips?
Oh My Goodness!!!! These were SO DANG GOOD!!!! I used Salted Caramel Bailey’s and seriously….I’m not sharing this batch with ANYONE!!!!
Oooo …I wondered about the salted Carmel baileys….I do have some of that on hand…regular baileys all drank lol
Can i double the amount of the alcohol so that the taste will be more vibrant?
I added 4 tablespoons of Bailey’s and really couldn’t taste it. Anyone else have that problem!
I have the same problem… I think mainly because the alcohol evaporates during the baking process. It will be great for those who can taste the bailey, what was the process used.
We accidentally added an extra TBS of espresso powder to the 1 1/2 tsp required. Will this ruin the dough?
Also, has anyone added potato chips to some of the cookies? I heard somewhere it’s good, but I don’t know with the espresso and Bailey’s flavors.
Can’t wait to bake and try, even if there is too much espresso!
Opted for Salted caramel baileys and they are AMAZING!!!
Hi,
Can you use Cannabutter to make them magic cookies. Do you need to change the amount of butter. This makes 24 cookies? Has anyone tried to make them magic?
So is 8 ounces of butter 2 sticks?
Yes!
Hi. Do you mean 2 cups and 1/2cup of All purpose flour?
Hi! Yes, that’s what the recipe calls for 🙂
Any changes for altitude? We are at 4600 ft.
Do you think you can use kahlua instead of Bailey’s? I wanna make the recipe with both alcohol.
Sure! It’ll definitely have a different flavor, but should work nicely!
So I used Almond flour instead of regular flour, big mistake, they were flat as pancakes, tasted ok. Tried to be more healthy, and I didn’t have White flour. So is almond flour a absolutely no go?
Hi,
I followed your recipe to the tee for ingredients, measurements, equipment, etc., and the cookies came out flat.
I doubled the recipe, and meticulously made sure to adjust the measurements of each ingredient, yet they’re flat.
I can’t figure out what happened. The only thing I can think of that may(?) have made a difference is that I used a hand mixer, as I don’t have a big stand mixer.
Do you have any other thoughts?
They are cooling now, but I’m disappointed in their appearance.
Thank you,
Catherine
I’m so sorry they came out flat! Without being with you as you baked, it’s hard to say what went wrong. But using a stand mixer shouldn’t have caused them to be flat! You could try chilling the dough for an hour next time! And definitely watch the step-by-step video if you haven’t already.
Check to set if your baking soda is still fresh. And that you’re not using a greased baking sheet. Hope that helps.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I love Bailey’s Irish Creme and I love chocolate chip cookies! What a winning combination! I made them for Thanksgiving and was completely blown away. Best cookie I have ever had! I made a pumpkin pie for my husband (I’m not a fan!) and a small batch of these cookies since it was just the two of us for a safe Thanksgiving. He does love Baileys though so he skipped the pie and had a cookie. He was blown away and had a second. These cookies are insane!!!! I used the Salted Caramel Baileys which gave the cookies some extra flavor and I used milk chocolate chips. AMAZING!!! Thanks for sharing!
It would have been nice to view this recipe without the video popping up an not playing. Now I’m trying to make a recipe with this black square in the middle of my screen
Oh my word, these look insanely delish!!!! I can’t wait to try them, maybe after the holidays as I have several holiday cookies I want to try. But..YUM!!!
Just baked your recipe with a measure-to-measure gluten-free flour and the cookies turned out great.
Can I substitute something for the espresso powder? I can’t find it anywhere and don’t have time to wait for Amazon?
I’m not sure what would be an adequate substitute. You could omit it.
We got our espresso powder from King Arthur baking company .
I just made these and they are fabulous. But is there a reason why they need to be so big? I like smaller cookies so I can eat more. Lol
Decadent, rich, and absolutely delicious. We prefer smaller cookies, so I used a small, approximately 1 TBL scoop, and baked for 8 – 10 minutes. For even extra decadence, I drizzled a confectioners sugar/Baileys glaze over these.
Google how to make your own espresso powder, very simple and tastes great
This is my new favourite cookie recipe! Even my boyfriend agrees, which says a lot, because he’s super picky and will only eat pilsbury chocolate chip cookies. I make him different chocolate chip cookies recipes all the time and he never eats them. But I just made these today and they’re almost gone! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Can the espresso be omitted? I don’t like coffee flavour.
I seemed to have the opposite problem of most. Mine didn’t spread much and certainly didn’t brown on top the way yours appear in the pictures. Chilled in the fridge about an hour. Good flavor and cooked through but not at all like the photos here. Thoughts?
Whoops. I meant they chilled for two hours — per the recipe.
Just what we needed during this current lockdown ! Very easy. Made loads. Very happy Hubby !!
Will you please confirm this recipe calls for 8 0z or 1 stick of butter as most cookie recipes I’ve made call for 2 sticks of butter?
Hi! 8 ounces or 2 two sticks (most sticks of butter are 4 ounces here in the US).
The dough, after chilling 2 + hours, was unbelievably Sticky! It was so annoying! Anyone else have this problem?
Did I do something wrong? I followed the recipe to a T. The cookies came out great, but I don’t think I’ll ever make
these again.
I have struggled to make consistently good chocolate chip cookies until I tried this recipe. These cookies are simply the best! Thank you!
THIS is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever!!! I have used the Toll House recipe for eons. Never again. The cookies are addictive. I don’t know how someone could only have one. This is in the top five cookie recipes in my recipe book. Well done is all I can say. Five stars are not enough.
I did not have Espresso powder and included some fine ground dark roast coffee and they still seem to have come out well, my family had no complaints. The addition of a little sea salt did actually help accentuate the chocolate flavors, but I will be using just a smidge more Baileys in future.
I had to try these so close to St. Patrick’s Day as recommended by Tessa at handletheheat.com. I had some salted caramel chips that I’ve been wanting to try for a while, so I used 1/2 cup (85 g) plus 1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips. The remaining 1/2 cup (85 g) of chocolate chips called for in the recipe were replaced with the same quantity of dark chocolate wafers — two per cookie ball inserted part way into the top of the ball before baking.
I tested one cookie at a time in my Ninja Foodi toaster oven / air fryer. The key to a perfect color bottom (vs too dark) is using a light colored aluminum baking sheet. And, the key to not spreading out too much is chilling the ready-to-bake cookie dough balls before baking.
THESE COOKIES ARE DELICIOUS!!! And, that’s not because of the mods I made — they would have been perfect as written! Also, that little sprinkle of flaky salt on top really elevates the taste!
DO I HAVE TO KEEP COOKIES IN FRIDGE AFTER MAKING THEM SO THE BAILEYS DOES NOT GO BAD, OR IS IT OK TO LEAVE THEM OUT AT ROOM TEMP? FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS IF THEY LAST THAT LONG, I MADE SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH THE BAILEYS AND THEY TASTED FINE, JUST WONDERING ABOUT LEAVING THEM OUT, THANK YOU
No need to refrigerate the baked cookies.
I have a recipe for chocolate chips and I just decided I wanted to try it with Bailey’s. I found your recipe. It’s awesome!!! I did skip the cinnamon. I’m not a big fan of it. And I did not have the 2 hours to chill the dough. I did not have the espresso powder so I used my used espresso grounds from my coffee. I will definitely try it with the espresso powder to see if I can taste the difference. Can’t wait to make them again
What would be the substitute for egg?
Great recipe!! What would you recommend in place of the espresso powder if I were to use Bailey’s strawberries and cream with white chocolate chips? Maybe nothing?
Don’t use the cinnamon. In my opinion it covers up the espresso and Bailey’s flavor.
Would love to try this and was wondering if an Irish cream emulsion can be subbed for the Bailey’s? Not that I’m against using the real thing, but I was shipped the emulsion by accident and looking for ways to use it.
Hi Lisa. I’ve never tried so I cannot say! But if you experiment, let me know how it goes 🙂
Your cookies in the picture look shiny. What did you use for that?
That’s just how the crust bakes up!
Basically, I need this in my life! Can’t wait to try and make them.
What about the eggs?
We see the eggs in the top of the article, but no mention later on.
They are listed in the ingredient list (number 10, below the Baileys) and in the recipe (step number 4).
I absolutely loved them! I used a medium Pampered Chef scoop and baked for 7-8 minutes 375° convection. Thank you!
Made this cookie for the first time but did make them a bit smaller so yielded 48 cookies instead of 24. They came out soft and delicious. A new favorite but made need to add a bit more Baileys
I have made these yummy cookies two times. Once I followed the recipe exactly as written, the other time I omitted the espresso powder and used espresso chocolate chips instead. Both were good, but I liked the ones with espresso chips better. Espresso powder can be pricey, but the chips were only $2.79 at Walmart. I have made the same chocolate chip recipe for years, but this may be my new cc recipe!
Hi there. I made the dough 4 days ago but haven’t baked these cookies because I was under the weather. Will they still be good to bake?
These are the BEST cookies ever!!!!
Hi!! So today I bought bourbon cream for another recipe which fell through so I was looking for recipes for it and came across this recipe. Do you think bourbon cream would be an okay sub for the Irish cream? I don’t want to return the bottle.
I just made these for a hostess gift and they turned out well. I did not refrigerate and I used a cookie scoop. It made 54 cookies. The dark brown sugar gives them a deep flavor. I think light brown would also work for a lighter flavor. I baked them for 9 minutes and made 54 cookies. Turned out perfectly.
Made these for St. Patrick’s Day today. They were delicious and perfect. Subtle coffee flavor. Used full packet of Starbucks Via coffee and Nestle espresso chips. Everyone loved them. I will definitely.make them again. Thank you!
If I could give this recipe more than 5 stars, I would. I gave away probably 18 dozen at Christmas to neighbors who were so sweet and helpful when I was hospitalized with Covid. I then gave another 4 dozen as gift to another friend that did multiple difficult favors for me. This friend requested more, so here I am making another 6 dozen for several friends at my job. Gooey goodness with a taste that takes chocolate chip cookies up several more notches!! Easy, delicious, and requested by those around you!!! Best of all worlds. Thanks so much for sharing!!