A Vermont take on the traditional hot drink, Maple Cream Irish Coffee includes Irish whiskey, maple liqueur, and maple sugar. It's one of my six New England-inspired Irish coffees!
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Any Irish coffee fans out there, like me? If you love coffee and don't mind spiking that joe with a little spirit, it's for sure that you'll love this warm drink topped with a thick layer of cream. I especially enjoy having Irish coffee drinks after work in the fall and winter—it's such a delicious way to take the edge off.
Now, pair that hot, spiked coffee with some of the best-loved flavors of New England, and that Irish coffee becomes even more irresistible! That's exactly what I did with my six New England-inspired Irish coffee recipes. And this one pays homage to my home state of Vermont—the Maple Cream Irish Coffee.
Jump to:
What is Irish coffee?
It's a lovely drink that will warm you up right down to your toes! Irish coffee is made with strong black coffee and a shot of Irish whiskey. A little brown sugar goes into the bottom of the glass, to give the drink a light sweetness. The coffee is topped with a layer of lightly whipped cream that floats on the surface. Some restaurants and bars make Irish coffees with an additional shot of Baileys Irish cream.
It's served in an Irish coffee glass—a clear mug with a handle and stemmed foot. The heat-proof glass shows off the dark coffee and white cream layers.
Irish Central shares that the drink was created by Northern Ireland-born Joe Sheridan in 1943, when he was working as a chef at Foynes Airport near Limerick. He came up with the drink on the spot one night when a cancelled flight left New York-bound passengers stranded and freezing cold at the airport. Sheridan knew cups of cream-topped, hot coffee spiked with Irish whiskey would revive them!
A decade later, an American reporter named Stanton Delaplane sampled Sheridan's Irish coffee at Foynes. He loved it so much that once back home, he recreated the drink with the help of friends at The Buena Vista Hotel cafe in San Francisco. The cafe began serving Irish coffee and even invited Joe Sheridan to come and work for them—which he did, for the next ten years until his death in 1962.
Today, The Buena Vista is still a destination for authentic Irish coffee and celebrates its role in making Irish coffee famous in the U.S. With glasses lined down the counter, the bartenders put on a show—flinging sugar cubes and dropping long pours of coffee and Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey down the row of glasses. The Buena Vista estimates that they serve 2,000 classic Irish coffees a day!
What's the inspiration for Vermont-style Irish Coffee?
Vermont is known for so many delicious goodies, including artisan cheeses, craft beers, the homemade breads and sweets at Vermont bakeries, and creemees in the summertime. But the treat that the Green Mountain State is most well known for is, of course, the pure maple syrup.
Drive across the state in mid-March and you'll see billows of sweet steam erupting from ramshackle sugar houses in snowy backyards and wooded hills, as maple producers boil down the freshly-collected sap to create maple syrup in shades and flavors that range from mild golden to intense dark. VermontMaple.org lists over 600 members, from as far south as Pownal to as far north as Canaan—and everywhere in between. And that list doesn't even include the small sugar houses families build for themselves, to boil just enough maple syrup to pour on their own pancakes.
Vermont is synonymous with maple, and maple tastes incredible in coffee—and that's how Maple Cream Irish Coffee was born! It features Irish whiskey along with ambrosial maple cream liqueur from Smuggler's Notch Distillery. It's rich and creamy with a light maple flavor.
And since maple syrup and pancakes go together like peanut butter and jelly, this Irish coffee gets a fun garnish of three mini pancakes!
Six states of Irish coffee!
If you're feeling intrigued by this Vermont take on the classic drink, I have more for you to try:
- A splash of Maine's favorite spirit, Allen's coffee brandy, is the twist in Coffee Brandy Irish Coffee.
- Cider Donut Irish Coffee pays homage to New Hampshire's sweet fall treat.
- Rhode Island is devoted to a certain rich, chocolate cake, and the Triple Chocolate Irish Coffee captures the obsession.
- Sweet Marshmallow Fluff is made in Massachusetts, and it also sweetens the Fluffernutter Irish Coffee.
- And the Nutmeg State, Connecticut, inspired this cinnamony Snickerdoodle Irish Coffee.
Why will I love this recipe?
Irish coffee is a simple cocktail that turns a regular cup of joe into something extra special. Enjoy one as an aperitif after a delicious dinner, to warm up after a cold weekend day of shoveling snow, or as a happy hour cocktail.
And, of course, Irish coffees are a perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!
Brew some strong coffee and gather up the spirits, the first of which is Irish whiskey. Go for Tullamore Dew, the same whiskey used at The Buena Vista in San Francisco. I like Knappogue Castle 12 Year, and also Redbreast 12 Year. If options (or funds) are limited, Teeling, Jameson, Paddy's, or Slane are good Irish coffee whiskey choices, too.
The maple flavor in this coffee comes from maple sugar and maple cream liqueur. If you can't find maple cream liqueur near you, try ordering some from Smuggler's Notch Distillery, or use maple bourbon or maple whiskey instead.
What about the cream for the top? To make this, all you need is some heavy cream and a hand mixer—in two minutes, you'll have the thick, pouring cream to top the coffee. Or, pour heavy cream into a mason jar, cover it, and shake-shake-shake it until the cream thickens up!
It's the Irish coffee you love, with a sweet, maple twist.
🔪 How do you make a Maple Irish Coffee?
Ingredients:
- Heavy cream: Whipping cream will also work here. Make sure the cream is cold for the best results when whipping it.
- Dark coffee: How dark you go is up to you! Brew coffee (I like Vermont Coffee Company) for the drink using your usual method: drip, French press, pour over, etc.
- Irish whiskey: Jameson is the brand everyone knows, but there's a wide variety out there to try. This list of inexpensive Irish whiskeys will give you some ideas.
- Maple Cream Liqueur: I love the one from Smuggler's Notch Distillery, made with real maple syrup.
- Maple sugar: Another pure maple product, maple sugar is a light brown, granulated sugar with a light maple flavor.
- Mini pancakes: An easy option is to pick up frozen mini pancakes; if you'd rather make your own, the recipe card below will tell you how!
Add sugar to the glass
Spoon maple sugar into the bottom of a warm Irish coffee glass.
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Add the alcohol
Pour Irish whiskey and maple cream liqueur into the glass.
Then comes the coffee
Pour strong, hot coffee into the glass, and stir everything together.
Add the cream
Lightly whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer until it's thickened but can still be poured. Pour the thickened cream on the surface of the coffee to create a creamy top.
Garnish and enjoy!
Add a little dusting of maple sugar to the top. Thread three mini pancakes onto a cocktail pick and add it to the coffee, with the pancakes sitting on the edge. Enjoy!
Find more drinks
There are more hot and cold sippers to explore; check out the Drinks recipe index.
FAQs
The original Irish coffee is made with just Irish whiskey, along with coffee, a little sugar, and a cream collar. However, these days, it's not unusual to find Irish coffee in bars and restaurants made with Baileys Irish cream or a blend of Baileys and Irish whiskey.
My Maple Irish Coffee recipe is made with 1-½ ounces each of Irish whiskey and maple cream liqueur—about two shots in total. You can, of course, reduce the quantity of both liquors for a less potent drink.
Don't skip the step of warming up the glass before assembling the Irish coffee—this prevents the drink from cooling down too fast. Remember also to stir the sugar, liquors, and coffee together before adding the cream. Otherwise, the sugar may stay undissolved and gritty at the bottom. Finally, the cream should be lightly whipped—loose enough that you can pour it from a pitcher, but thick enough that it will float on top of the coffee. Pouring it over the back of a warm spoon helps it stay afloat.
Although it's not traditional, there's no reason why you can't enjoy your Maple Irish Coffee cold! Dissolve the sugar in the cold coffee, then pour it over ice in a glass, followed by the whiskey and maple cream liqueur. Stir these together before adding lightly whipped cream (or sweetened whipped cream) to the top.
Maple Irish Coffee Tips:
- Choose an Irish coffee glass with an 8-ounce capacity or larger for this recipe.
- Use frozen mini pancakes for the garnish, or see the recipe card below for directions to make your own!
Raise a warm glass of Maple Cream Irish Coffee and make a toast: to Joe Sheridan for inventing the drink and to Vermont for the flavor inspiration. Sláinte!
The Maple Cream Irish Coffee recipe is below, and here are more treats to try:
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Maple Cream Irish Coffee
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Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon maple sugar, plus extra to sprinkle on top
- 1½ ounces Irish whiskey
- 1½ ounces maple cream liqueur
- 4 ounces hot, strong brewed coffee
- 3 mini pancakes (frozen or see below for a recipe)
Instructions
Prepare the cream:
- Pour the cold heavy whipping cream into a small bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat the cream for one to two minutes—it should be thickened but still pourable, like the texture of melted Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
- Hold the cream aside.
Warm the glass and add sugar:
- Run hot water into an Irish coffee glass two or three times until the glass is warmed. Shake out any excess water, and dry the outside.
- Spoon maple sugar into the bottom of the Irish coffee glass.
Add the alcohol:
- Pour the Irish whiskey and maple cream liqueur into the glass.
Add the coffee:
- Pour the hot, strong coffee into the glass. Use a spoon to gently stir the ingredients together.
Add the cream:
- Slowly pour the thickened cream over the back of warm spoon onto the top of the coffee. It should float on the top to create a thick, creamy top to the drink.
Garnish and serve:
- Sprinkle a little maple sugar on top of the cream. Skewer three mini pancakes (if they're frozen, thaw them first in the microwave or toaster oven) onto a cocktail pick. Add the pick to the glass so that the pancakes sit on the rim.
- Serve the Maple Irish Coffee immediately.
To make mini pancakes from scratch:
- Mix together 1 tablespoon of sugar, ¾ teaspoon of vanilla extract, ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and ¼ cup of milk in a small bowl.
- Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium-high heat; when it's hot, add in a little butter to melt. Drop tablespoonfuls of pancake batter in the hot pan or skillet; cook them for a minute or so on each side, until they're golden brown. Remove them and let them cool.
- This will make about a dozen mini pancakes—save the rest in the fridge or freezer for future Maple Irish Coffees or for a snack.
Notes
- Choose an Irish coffee glass with an 8-ounce capacity or larger for this recipe.
- Use frozen mini pancakes for the garnish, or see the recipe card for directions to make your own!
Nutrition
Christian says
This could become a year round favorite!
Nancy Mock says
Oh agreed! I plan to make this a regular holiday time drink, too!