Inspired by a classic Irish cocktail, these fudgy and decadent Irish Coffee Brownies are a must-bake for St. Patrick's Day (or any day of the year!)...
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website.
Can we just chat about my love for Irish whiskey for a quick second? Because prior to about a year ago, I was absolutely not a whiskey drinker at all. I didn't like the smell of it or the taste of it, and I definitely wasn't sitting around on a Saturday night sipping it on the rocks.
But it just turns out that I had been experiencing the wrong whiskey for pretty much my entire life. Who knew?
You see, my only experience with whiskey for most of my adult life was either the Canadian variety (ahem... Crown) or Kentucky whiskeys and bourbons. Other than a few sips of Jameson here and there, I had never really tasted Irish whiskeys before.
Then last year I discovered what has now become my go-to whiskey- Tullamore Dew.
I have to give credit where credit is due. My boyfriend introduced me to the right kind of Irish whiskeys. Being a mixologist, he was able to pinpoint just what it was that I hadn't liked about the whiskeys I had tried before and was able to finally help me find one that I not only actually like, but that I absolutely enjoy as well.
While I can always go for their original whiskey, my favorite variety for sipping on that Tullamore Dew distills is their XO Caribbean which is finished in a rum cask. But I do recommend using their original Irish whiskey in this boozy brownie recipe.
Not only does the brownie recipe I am sharing with you all today embody my love for Tullamore Dew, but it also happens to be inspired by a classic Irish cocktail- an Irish coffee. An Irish coffee is simply coffee, cream, brown sugar, and Irish whiskey. And I have incorporated all of these ingredients and flavors into this brownie recipe.
Now, you don't really need a special occasion to bake up a batch of these decadent, fudgy brownies, but I can think of no better reason than to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. ;)
A few tips & tricks for making these brownies:
- One question I always seem to get asked when I include booze in a recipe is this- is there anything you can substitute in for it? And my answer for this particular recipe is yes and no. You could do a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead, but then you really couldn't call these Irish Coffee Brownies, could you? If you are worried about the alcohol content, rest assured that all of that bakes out in the oven. No, you will absolutely not get tipsy eating these brownies- even if you happen to eat the entire pan in one sitting. ;)
- I like to use very finely ground coffee beans in this recipe because it gives these brownies a nice bold coffee flavor. But you do need to own a coffee grinder to get the beans ground fine enough. Don't have a coffee grinder? You can substitute in instant coffee or espresso powder instead.
- You don't have to use Tullamore Dew in this recipe. Any decent Irish whiskey will do. Think Jameson, Proper Twelve, or Slane. I would save the really good stuff for sipping on though and not baking with, folks.
- Don't have dark chocolate cocoa powder on hand? Regular cocoa powder will work just as well in this recipe. I just like using the dark chocolate variety for a more intense chocolate flavor.
Yield: 12 servings
Irish Coffee Brownies
Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 30 min Total time: 40 min
Ingredients
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup Irish whiskey
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon finely ground coffee beans or espresso powder
- 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
- Spray the inside of a 9x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, oil, and sugars. Whisk the ingredients together until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the eggs and whiskey. Whisk until smooth.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and ground coffee beans. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and whisk until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks or chips.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center is set. The center shouldn’t jiggle when you shake the pan. Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan. Cut into 12 brownies right before serving. Enjoy!
If you loved this recipe, then you might also like my...
