Irish Coffee
Hot, sweetened coffee with Irish whiskey and a collar of cool cream floating on top: the famous after-dinner drink.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 5 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Makes
- 1 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Drink
- Cuisine
- Irish
Irish coffee was created in the 1940s by chef Joe Sheridan at Foynes, County Limerick, then the landing point for transatlantic flying boats. Passengers stuck by bad weather were given hot coffee with whiskey and cream to warm them up, and the drink became famous around the world.
The trick is the cream: lightly whipped so it floats in a neat layer instead of sinking. This drink is for adults only.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp soft brown sugar, heaped
- 150 ml hot, strong black coffee
- 40 ml Irish whiskey
- 50 ml double cream, lightly whipped until just thickened
Method
- 1
Warm a heatproof glass by filling it with hot water, then empty it.
- 2
Put the sugar in the glass, pour in the hot coffee and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the whiskey.
- 3
Hold a spoon upside down just above the surface and slowly pour the cream over the back of it, so it floats in a layer on top. Do not stir: drink the coffee through the cream.
Tips
Getting the cream to float: whip it only until it just starts to thicken, so it still pours. The sugar in the coffee also helps support it.
Serve after Sunday lunch or a stew such as beef and Guinness stew.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cream sinks | Cream too thin, or no sugar in the coffee | Whip the cream a little thicker and dissolve the sugar first |
| Cream too stiff to pour | Over-whipped | Stir in a splash of unwhipped cream |
Frequently asked questions
Who invented Irish coffee?
Chef Joe Sheridan, at the flying-boat terminal at Foynes, County Limerick, in the 1940s.
Why does my cream sink?
Either the cream is too thin or the coffee has no sugar. Lightly whip the cream and dissolve the sugar in the coffee first.
Can I make it without alcohol?
Yes. Leave out the whiskey for a creamy sweet coffee; a drop of vanilla adds flavour.
Sources
- A short history of the Irish coffee, RTÉ Brainstorm, 22 September 2023. Checked 3 October 2026.
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Card photos: A barmbrack cut open to show the dried fruit inside, Solo Beckett via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A bowl of Irish beef stew with potatoes, beside a pint of Guinness, User:Jpatokal via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A triangle of griddled boxty potato pancake, さえぼー via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. All credits: image credits.