It’s brownies and it’s booze. Need I say more? These rich Baileys Brownies are spiked with Bailey’s Irish Cream and topped with chocolate covered espresso beans for even more of a kick.
Love a little booze in your dessert? Then try my Bailey’s Cheesecake Recipe, which is another great way to put Irish cream to use! For another spin on traditional brownies, bookmark these French Silk Brownies.
Why You’ll Love These Boozy Brownies
Some days you want to make dessert for the family. And other days, you want a little something-something for yourself.
A great indulgence at the end of the day, these boozy brownies are best saved for after the kids are in bed!
Here’s why I think you’re going to love this recipe:
- These brownies are an amazing combo of sweet and moist, with just the right balance of flavor from the chocolate and Bailey’s.
- Bring a pan of these brownies to your next dinner party and you’ll leave as everyone’s new best friend. Pair boozy brownies with a coffee (regular or Irish) for an after dinner delight that no one can resist.
- Oh, and if you really want to make friends, you could scoop some ice cream and hot fudge on top. These brownies are excellent as a base for a sundae and I promise it’s totally worth the sugar rush.
Important Ingredient Notes
- Unsweetened chocolate baking squares – Use a high quality chocolate for best results.
- Unsalted butter – Unsalted butter allows you more control over the flavor of the finished brownies.
- Light brown sugar – Dark brown sugar has a more pronounced molasses flavor, so I prefer light.
- Espresso powder – I use King Arthur flour brand. You can usually find on Amazon.
- Bailey’s Irish Cream – The star of the show here! A little goes a long way.
- Heavy cream – Don’t try to substitute something lighter! You really need the heavy cream here.
- Chocolate covered espresso beans – The perfect finishing touch to double down on that chocolate flavor.
Aimee’s Kid Friendly Tip
Use our homemade Irish Cream Coffee Creamer to replace the alcohol and heavy cream in this recipe. Skip the espresso beans, because nobody needs kids hyped up on caffeine!
How to Make Boozy Brownies
Make the Brownie Batter:
- Make the brownie batter in a mixing bowl, stirring just until combined.
- Spread the batter into a parchment-lined 11×7 baking pan and bake as directed.
Make the Frosting and Finish:
- Beat frosting in a mixing bowl.
- Spread the frosting over the brownies and sprinkle immediately with chopped espresso beans. Refrigerate until set.
Tips and Tricks
- If you prefer a coffee brownie without the boozy spin, you could substitute the Bailey’s cream for heavy cream in both the brownie batter and the frosting.
- I like King Arthur Flour espresso powder best in this recipe. If you can’t find espresso powder, you could substitute instant coffee powder instead.
- The chocolate covered espresso beans are a finishing touch I really enjoy, but they are by no means necessary! You could serve these without any extra garnishes or sprinkle on a different topping like chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
- These taste good unfrosted but, as you have probably gathered, I’m a huge fan of the richness and moisture the icing adds. You could also substitute another favorite brownie frosting if you prefer!
- You can keep these boozy brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple of days, but I recommend chilling in the fridge for longer storage. They taste delicious cold!
Recipe FAQs
Do I have to use Bailey’s for this recipe?
No! While Bailey’s is the most well-known Irish cream liqueur, it’s not the only one. Any brand will work here, or you can use a flavored Bailey’s—I think the s’mores one would be fantastic!
Do I have to frost these brownies?
You can absolutely keep it simple and either leave your boozy brownies unfrosted or dust them with powdered sugar.
Is espresso powder just ground espresso beans?
No, espresso powder is crystalized espresso that dissolves in water, like instant coffee. It’s not the same as ground espresso beans.
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Baileys Brownies
It’s brownies and it’s booze. Need I say more? These rich Baileys Brownies are spiked with Bailey’s Irish Cream and topped with chocolate covered espresso beans for even more of a kick.
Ingredients
For the Brownies:
- 4 ounce unsweetened chocolate baking squares
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder I used King Arthur flour brand
- 2 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Frosting:
- 2 ounce unsweetened chocolate baking squares
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup chocolate covered espresso beans coarsely chopped
Instructions
- For the brownies, melt baking chocolate with butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat.
- Pour chocolate into mixing bowl, add sugars. Stir well. Add in eggs, espresso powder and Bailey’s. Add in flour and salt, stirring until blended.
- Spread batter into a parchment paper lined 11×7 baking pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until brownies appear set on top. Remove and cool completely.
- For the frosting, melt baking squares with butter on low heat. Stir until completely melted. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Beat in espresso powder, heavy cream, Bailey’s and powdered sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes until completely combined. Add more cream if necessary to get desired consistency. Spread over cooled brownies and sprinkle immediately with chopped espresso beans. Refrigerate until set, about one hour. Cut and enjoy!
Notes
- Un-boozy brownies: If you prefer a brownie without the boozy spin, you could substitute the Bailey’s cream for heavy cream in both the brownie batter and the frosting.
- Espresso powder: I like the King Arthur Flour espresso powder best in this recipe. If you can’t find espresso powder, you could substitute instant coffee powder instead.
- Toppings: The chocolate covered espresso beans are a finishing touch I really enjoy, but they are by no means necessary! You could serve these without any extra garnishes or sprinkle on a different topping like chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
- Frosting: These taste good unfrosted but, as you have probably gathered, I’m a huge fan of the richness and moisture the icing adds. You could also substitute another favorite brownie frosting if you prefer!
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bar, Calories: 383kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 58mg, Sodium: 73mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 43g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!
What alcohol and how much did the original recipe call for?
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Saw this on facebook. Yummy!
These look wonderfully decadent. Add espresso and Baileys to anything and I’m in.
Love these!! Perfect for St. Patrick’s day 🙂 love a boozy dessert 😉
I just clicked over to check out that link. That looks SO cool! That’s such a great idea!
Oh, sigh. I want these brownies! Booze and espresso powder, say what?
These look amazing! I’m really loving the Bailey’s replacement – especially for St Patty’s Day! This recipe sounds great! A must try!
I don’t consume any bit of alcohol but this just made me seriously drool. All of your pictures and recipes make me want to break out and bake so badly! ^^
Holy deliciousness! This looks amazing!
aimee, these look amazing. soooo very chocolatey. perfect for a friday treat 🙂
This sounds absolutely heavenly – great recipe!
These brownies look so moist and yummy plus they have Irish cream mixed with chocolate, sounds and looks sooo good!
Oh man, these look amazing! Perfect – I adore Irish cream. And thick and fudgy is my favorite.
Yum! The brownies look fantastic!! I have such a sweet tooth today and these brownies would be perfect!
Our Mocha Acolytes might like this recipe, I’ll let them know about it.
Well where do I sign up for these?! Because I really reaaaaallllly wanna try those haha
Wonderful recipe. The espresso powder is definitely key. I’ll bet the Irish Cream adds a lovely little bit of spunk to these treats!
Now those sound absolutely amazing!!!! So dark and rich and just perfect! The Irish Cream was the way to go…now how do I get some of these without the work???