Kick off your St. Patrick’s Day celebration with a batch of Bailey’s Irish Cream Brownies. Three rich layers—dense chocolate brownies, a fluffy Irish cream buttercream, and a silky ganache—combine to make an indulgent dessert that’s full of festive flavor.
These Brownies With Bailey’s Irish Cream Are Perfect For The Holidays!
If you want one standout dessert for St. Patrick’s Day or the holiday season, these Irish Cream–frosted brownies are a must. They combine a fudgy homemade brownie base with a light Irish cream buttercream and a quick, boozy ganache for a layered treat that looks and tastes like a bakery-style dessert while remaining achievable at home.
The brownies start with an extra-rich batter made using melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and two types of cocoa powder for depth and color. Chopped baking chocolate folded into the batter creates pockets of molten chocolate that elevate the texture.
Once cooled, the brownies are topped with a four-ingredient Irish Cream Frosting—salted butter, powdered sugar, Irish Cream liqueur, and vanilla—whipped until pale and fluffy. A final pour of ganache, made with bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream, a splash more Irish Cream, and butter, adds a glossy finish and a soft, fudgy top layer.
These brownies are festive, boozy, and surprisingly simple to make when you follow the steps. They slice cleanly after chilling and keep well in the refrigerator, making them great for parties and gifting.
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Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: Rich, chocolate-forward with a warm Irish cream note and a hint of coffee from the cocoa.
Texture: Dense, fudgy brownie base topped with a creamy buttercream and a thick, smooth ganache.
Ease: Moderate—several components but straightforward steps (5/10).
Pros: Gourmet flavor and impressive presentation; perfect for celebrations.
Cons: Multiple layers mean a few more bowls and tools to wash.
Would I Make This Again? Yes—these are likely to become a St. Patrick’s Day staple or a special holiday treat.
Ingredients for Irish Cream Brownies
This recipe uses pantry staples such as sugar, flour, butter, eggs, and cocoa, plus Irish Cream liqueur to flavor the frosting and the ganache.
Malted milk powder is optional—if you don’t have it, you can omit it or use powdered milk for a similar effect.
Using a mix of Dutch-processed and black cocoa deepens the chocolate flavor and gives the brownies an attractive, dark color.
Chopped baking chocolate folded into the batter creates pockets of melty chocolate in every bite.
The Irish Cream Frosting requires just salted butter, powdered sugar, Irish Cream liqueur, and vanilla. The ganache is a quick mix of bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream, Irish Cream liqueur, and butter.
How To Make St. Patrick’s Day Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line your baking pan (8×8, 9×9, or 9×13) with parchment paper, letting some overhang for easy removal, and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and beginning to emulsify. Remove from heat and let cool briefly, stirring to release heat.
- Whisk in the canola oil and vanilla extract until fully combined and no separation remains.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until incorporated.
- Sift in the all-purpose flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, black cocoa powder, malted milk powder (if using), and salt. Stir gently until most of the dry streaks disappear.
- Fold in the chopped baking chocolate or mini chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake: about 25–30 minutes for a 9×13 pan or 40–45 minutes for a 9×9 pan. Adjust time for an 8×8 pan as needed.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan before removing and frosting.
- For the Irish Cream Frosting, beat softened salted butter in a mixer on medium speed. Add powdered sugar, Irish Cream liqueur, and vanilla a little at a time on low speed until combined.
- Increase speed to medium-high and whip the frosting until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally.
- Spread a smooth, even layer of frosting over the cooled brownies.
- To make the ganache, place chopped bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream, and Irish Cream liqueur in a bowl and warm until the chocolate melts. Let the mixture rest a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. If needed, heat briefly in short increments to fully melt any remaining pieces.
- Whisk in the tablespoon of salted butter until glossy and smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the frosted brownies, spread to the edges, and let it set for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Add sprinkles before the ganache firms, if desired.
Rebecca’s Tips
- You can use an 8×8, 9×9, or 9×13 pan—just adjust the bake time. For a 9×13, expect ~25–30 minutes; for a 9×9, 40–45 minutes.
- For a sweeter ganache, stir in 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar while the ganache is warm.
- Make sure brownies are completely cool before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.
- Let the ganache cool slightly before pouring so it doesn’t thin the frosting; it should be pourable but not piping-hot.
How To Store Bailey’s Brownies
Store brownies in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep the frosting and ganache from getting squashed. They will keep well for up to five days. Bring brownies to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
How To Freeze Irish Cream Frosted Brownies
Once assembled, slice and flash-freeze the brownies in a single layer on a sheet pan for 1–2 hours. Transfer the frozen pieces to freezer-safe containers with parchment between layers and store for up to three months. Thaw a single layer at room temperature for best results.
How To Cut Frosted Brownies
Chill the frosted brownies so the layers firm up, then use a sharp knife or a large plastic knife to slice. Wiping the blade between cuts helps produce clean edges. For the neatest presentation, chill first and then let them sit briefly at room temperature before serving.
More Irish Cream Recipes
- Irish Cream Cake – A rich chocolate layer cake enhanced with Irish Cream.
- Traditional Irish Coffee – Coffee spiked and topped with whipped cream, perfect for celebrations.
- Irish Cream No-Bake Cookies – Classic no-bake cookies with an Irish Cream twist.
- Easy Homemade Irish Cream – A quick, homemade take on Irish Cream liqueur to flavor desserts and drinks.
- No-Bake Irish Cream Pie – Chocolate Oreo crust filled with a simple Irish Cream filling and finished with whipped cream.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment to share your results. I love seeing your photos and hearing your tweaks—tag @sugarandsoulco on social media if you post a picture!
Irish Cream Frosted Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 cup unsalted butter (227g)
- 2½ cups granulated sugar (500g)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil (30 mL)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (130g)
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder (57g)
- ¼ cup black cocoa powder (25g) or additional Dutch-processed cocoa
- 2 tablespoons malted milk powder (optional, 20g)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces chopped baking chocolate (or ½ cup mini semi-sweet chips)
Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter, softened (227g)
- 4 cups powdered sugar (520g)
- 2 ounces Irish Cream liqueur (60 mL)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Ganache
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (113g)
- 3 ounces heavy cream (90 mL)
- 2 ounces Irish Cream liqueur (60 mL)
- 1 tablespoon salted butter (14g)
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare your pan with parchment and cooking spray.
- Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and stir until smooth and beginning to emulsify. Remove from heat and let cool briefly.
- Add canola oil and vanilla and mix until homogenuous with no visible separation.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
- Sift in flour, both cocoas, malted milk powder (if using), and salt. Stir gently until most dry streaks are gone.
- Fold in chopped chocolate or chips.
- Bake in the prepared pan until set—25–30 minutes for 9×13, 40–45 minutes for 9×9. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting & Ganache
- Cream the softened butter in a mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar, Irish Cream, and vanilla on low until combined.
- Increase speed and whip until pale and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Spread evenly over cooled brownies.
- For ganache, place chopped chocolate, cream, and Irish Cream in a heatproof bowl and warm until the chocolate melts. Let rest a few minutes, then whisk until smooth; heat briefly if needed to remove lumps.
- Whisk in butter until glossy. Pour over the frosted brownies, spread to the edges, and let set for at least 30 minutes. Chill if you prefer firmer slices.
- Slice with a sharp knife, wiping between cuts for clean edges. Allow to come to room temperature before serving for the best mouthfeel.
Notes
- Nutritional estimates depend on pan size. A 9×9 pan yields thicker brownies (fewer servings), while a 9×13 yields more, thinner pieces.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share it on social media and tag @sugarandsoulco if you post pictures—I’d love to see your version!