A boozy-flavored dessert that's indulgent and perfect for a special occasion. The star is the unmistakable taste of Baileys (Irish cream liquor), infused into an impeccably smooth and creamy cheesecake filling. It has a melt-in-your-mouth quality and sits atop a buttery, crumbly base, offering a fantastic contrast in textures.
A boozy celebratory cheesecake
Baileys is a sweet liqueur from Ireland, with a distinctive flavor. It's somewhat mellower than others and very creamy, making it ideal for desserts.
We already have an irresistible chocolate Baileys cheesecake, and it was about time we added a pure Irish cream cheesecake to the list.
- Unique flavor: Baileys adds a gentle hint of Irish whiskey and a whisper of chocolate and vanilla notes, creating a luxurious and comforting flavor profile.
- Simple yet elegant: while it sounds fancy, this cheesecake is relatively easy to make and offers an elegant final product that is perfect for the holidays and special occasions like St. Patrick's Day recipes.
- It can be made ahead: it keeps well in the fridge for several days and can be frozen.
Ingredient list
- Baileys liquor: it's Irish cream liquor.
- Cream cheese: regular, full-fat cheese.
- Sour cream: regular, full-fat.
- Cream: whipping, heavy whipping or heavy cream.
- White granulated sugar.
- Vanilla extract.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Variations & substitutions
- Different Baileys flavors: experiment with different types, such as caramel, chocolate, strawberries and cream or apple pie.
- Chocolate topping: I use shaved white chocolate, but you can serve this dessert with chocolate sauce or a drizzle of chocolate ganache.
- Chocolate chips: both semisweet and white chocolate chips can be sprinkled on top before baking.
- Nuts: for crunchiness and flavor, add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter or use them in the crust.
- Different cookie crusts: use chocolate or Oreo cookies to make the crust (like we do with the baked cheesecake or the Oreo cheesecake).
See this chocolate cheesecake with Baileys for a decadent alternative.
How to achieve a creamy consistency
A creamy cheesecake, isn't that what we all want? Achieving it is not hard, but a few details must not be overlooked.
- Baking temperature: a low oven temperature creates a custardy-style filling. This way, there's no need for a water bath which can be annoying.
- Cooling down: the oven is turned off, and the cheesecake is left inside with the door closed. It then needs to cool completely to room temperature before you chill it. Why? because it needs to cool down gradually. She's not friends with sudden changes in temperature.
- Refrigeration: once it's cooled down, it goes in the fridge, well wrapped. For best results, leave it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. I never leave it less than 12 hours, and usually a day or 2.
I have an old recipe posted for an 8-hour cheesecake. The creaminess is out of this world, unlike anything I ever tasted! That's what slow baking does.
How to make Baileys cheesecake
Mixing the batter: Use an electric at low speed mixer to beat the soft cream cheese with the sugar. After that, my recommendation is to use a wire whisk to stir and integrate the rest of the ingredients. We don't want to incorporate much air. This will prevent the cheesecake from puffing during baking and ensure a creamier consistency and fewer cracks, if any.
Sour cream topping
It adds texture and flavor to the cheesecake. If your cheesecake cracked slightly during baking, it will cover it.
Offset spatula: this is a great utensil for spreading the topping. You can also use the back of a spoon.
The top will slightly color and dry as the cheesecake is kept in the oven for a while before cooling down completely.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
For best results and a creamy consistency, follow the cooling down and refrigeration steps in the recipe card and in this post.
Storage
- Cool completely at room temperature, which can take 2-3 hours. Avoid placing a hot cheesecake directly in the fridge, as this can lead to condensation and affect the texture.
- Refrigerate it. Once cooled, cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap or place a freezer sheet directly on top without pressing much. This helps to keep the cheesecake moist and prevents it from absorbing any odors from the fridge. Baileys cheesecake should be refrigerated at least 8 hours before serving, but overnight or a day is often better to ensure a creamy consistency.
- Freezing a cheesecake. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and the aluminum foil or a freezer-safe airtight container and keep for a month. Thaw, uncovered, at room temperature.
- Shelf life. Properly stored, Baileys cheesecake can last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The alcohol content in the Baileys helps preserve it a bit, but because it's a dairy-based dessert, it's best not to keep it for too long.
Related recipes you might like:
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Baileys Cheesecake (very creamy)
Ingredients
For the graham cracker base:
- 1 ½ cups ground graham crackers
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
- 32 ounces regular cream cheese, 4 bricks, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 5 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or ¾ teaspoon vanilla paste
- ¼ cup Baileys liqueur
- 2 tablespoons cream, at room temperature
For the sour cream topping:
- ¾ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons Baileys liqueur
Instructions
For the cookie base:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).
- Have ready a 9-inch (24cm) springform cake pan with a removable bottom.
- If starting with whole graham crackers, grind them in the food processor until you have fine crumbs.
- Stir 1 ½ cups ground graham crackers with ½ cup unsalted butter in a medium bowl until the mixture looks like wet sand. If starting with whole graham crackers, grind them in the food processor until you have fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse to mix.
- Press this mixture firmly onto the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack while making the filling.
- Turn the oven down to 300°F (150°C).
For the cream cheese filling:
- In a large bowl, beat 32 ounces regular cream cheese on low speed until very smooth. You can use an electric mixer or wire whisk. If the cheese is at room temperature, mixing by hand should not be a problem.
- Gradually add 1 ¼ cups sugar and beat until well incorporated.
- Add 5 eggs, mixing until incorporated but not beating, and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup Baileys liqueur and 2 tablespoons cream, stirring to incorporate well. Don't beat.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 300°F (150°C), turn the oven down to 250ºF (120°C) and bake for another 30 minutes. (This can vary depending on your oven). At this point, the cheesecake should jiggle in the center. Don't be tempted to bake it longer.
- Turn off the oven, but keep the cheesecake inside for half an hour with the door ajar.
- Take the cake out of the oven and spread the topping (below), leaving a ½-inch edge around, being careful not to tear the top crust.
- Very carefully, run a small smooth-bladed knife around the edges (top part) to loosen up any bits that might be stuck.
- Cool to room temperature, wrap the pan in plastic without removing the cheesecake, and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. For the creamiest consistency, I recommend 1 day.
- Remove the cheesecake from the cake pan carefully by running a knife around the edges and using a spatula to lift it from the pan. Transfer it to the serving plate and sprinkle chopped white chocolate on top before cutting.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated or frozen, covered in plastic wrap or an airtight container.
For the topping:
- In a small bowl, mix ¾ cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons Baileys liqueur.
- You can add a few drops of vanilla extract if you want to. I normally don't.
Jane WT says
Just finished making this cheesecake for a family dinner tomorrow. It is wrapped and in the fridge.
I followed your instructions but the top of my cheesecake has badly cracked. Why could this be?
I have to make one for a wedding anniversary dinner in a few weeks time so was having a trial run.
Smells nice!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Jane! Cracks might be due to incorporating too much air in the batter during mixing, an incorrect oven temperature, drastic changes in temperature, sticking to the pan sides so it shrinks as it cools down, a mix of these issues.
P J Keenum says
The filling recipe calls for "5 huevos". I don't know what these are and I also do not see them mentioned later in instructions. Please explain. Thank you.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi P J, that's 5 eggs. It was a typo and it's corrected. I write recipes in Spanish (my first language) when testing them and even though I proofread the recipe several times, sometimes a typo slips through anyway. Have a great week!