Easy Baileys Ice Cream (No Churn)

This sumptuous Baileys ice cream recipe makes a wonderful grown up treat for any occasion. Whether you serve it with a special dessert or enjoy it alone with a splash of your favourite Irish cream as a sauce, this deliciously rich ice cream is one to make and enjoy over and over again. 

Easy Baileys ice cream

This deliciously indulgent Baileys ice cream is rich, sumptuous and really rather special. Although it is easy to make, it makes a big impression and allows you to show off and spoil your loved ones whenever you like. 

I have used the most famous of Irish cream liqueurs but others will work just as well. If you are not fond of the whiskey flavour, there are many alternatives. 

The great thing about using alcohol in ice cream is that you get a lovely softly ice cream that is more akin to a gelato, and is scoopable straight from the freezer. 

Most of my no-churn ice cream recipes use condensed milk, but this is a more traditional approach. It does use uncooked eggs, and as long as the eggs have the lion mark (or meet local safety standards outside the UK), this should be safe for most people. If you can’t eat uncooked eggs, however, you might want to try one of my other ice cream recipes instead.

Why you will love this Irish cream ice cream

• Bailey’s ice cream! Three delicious words!
• Anyone can make this from just 4 four basic ingredients.
• No specialist equipment needed – just an electric mixer. There’s no need for an ice cream machine, and no churning.
• No churn ice cream without condensed milk is less sticky and sweet and a lot more grown up. In fact, it is a lot like store-bought ice cream – but better.
• It is utterly delicious!
• My Baileys ice cream recipe is scalable, adaptable and fairly forgiving, so you do not need to measure or be accurate. Adjust the sugar to suit your taste and use your own favourite cream liqueur.
• It is far cheaper than buying premium ice cream from the store.
• Did I mention easy Irish Cream Ice Cream? So good! So impressive!

Baileys ice cream – ingredients 

• Sugar – I use golden caster sugar for almost everything (aside from preserving), but white sugar is also fine. If you only have granulated sugar, pulse it in a blender or spice grinder for a few seconds, taking care not to turn it into icing sugar.
• Double cream – Again, regular double cream. You can use the expensive extra thick if you want, but it isn’t necessary. 
• Baileys – or your favourite Irish Cream liqueur, it makes no difference to the ice cream recipe. The seasonal flavoured variations such as chocolate or salted caramel would work well too. Alternatively, you could use a cream liqueur based on a different spirit, such as Amarula or Disaronno Velvet.   
• Egg – I always buy free range. 

Helen’s Top Tip – Raw Eggs

I don’t worry about eating raw eggs that I buy in the UK. The risk from hens’ eggs with a British Lion stamp is low and most people can safely eat them. More information on raw eggs from the NHS.

 How to make Irish cream ice cream

Step one – Crack and separate the egg. Put the white into a clean bowl and whisk with the electric whisk until you have soft peaks. Whisk in a teaspoon of the sugar to stabilise it.

Helen’s Top Tip – Successfully whisking egg whites

It is important that you do not have any grease, oil or fat in with egg whites or they will not whisk.

– Use a scrupulously clean bowl – I far prefer glass, metal or ceramic. It is almost impossible to get a plastic bowl clean unless you have a dishwasher.

– You don’t want any of the egg yolk to mix with the whites, so if you are using more than one egg, don’t break them over the mixing bowl! It is important to separate each egg before you add the white to the bowl with the other whites so crack each into a small bowl first, one at a time, checking for any stray bits of shell. If you break a yolk, set that egg to one side and use it for something else.

– Slightly older eggs are better when you need to whisk egg whites. If you only have very freshly laid eggs, leave the separated whites in a bowl for an hour or two before whisking.

Step two – Whip the remainder of the cream until you have soft peaks.

Helen’s Top Tip

If you whisk the cream after the egg whites, there is no need to wash the whisk between the two tasks! If you whisk the cream first, then you must clean the whisks scrupulously to avoid introducing any fat into the un-whisked eggs.  

Step three – Add the sugar and egg yolk to the cream. Whisk again to soft peaks. 

Step four – Add half the Bailey’s Irish cream to the cream, sugar and egg mixture and whisk to soft peaks. Then add the rest and whisk in. The extra liquid will prevent the cream from really thickening, but get it as stiff as you can.  

I find that if you add the egg yolk, sugar and liqueur all at once, it takes forever for the cream to thicken and it can split. Best to do it in stages!  

Step five – Add the whisked egg white to the mixture and use a spatula to gently fold it in. The air in the egg white is what gives the ice cream its texture, so you need to fold it gently! 

Step six – Transfer your Baileys ice cream mixture to an airtight box, seal and freeze overnight or for at least 6 hours before serving.  

FAQS

How long does this keep? 

I find that homemade ice cream doesn’t last as long as commercial ice cream, as the texture can change. Provided it is in a sealed container, it is good for at least several weeks. Ours, however, never goes uneaten for that long! If you want to make and serve in a pretty dish or a tin, then seal it in a plastic bag and try to eat within a few days.

Can I make a big batch? 

Absolutely – although using a full 300 ml carton of cream and two eggs makes a lot of ice cream! 

Are raw eggs safe? 

I think the risk is minimal and I am happy to eat raw hens’ eggs with the British Lion Mark in accordance with the NHS guidelines. If you have any doubts, you might prefer my creme egg ice cream, which does not contain eggs.

Hints, tips & variations

• Make Chocolate Baileys Ice Cream. Follow the instructions for making the ganache for my no churn mini egg ice cream and then whisking into the Baileys cream at step 4 above. 
• Serve with a generous drizzle of Baileys (or your chosen liqueur).
• Add a spoonful of Irish cream when making my hot fudge sauce, then drizzle over the ice cream.

More Ice Cream Recipes!

• Mini egg ice cream
• Toblerone ice cream
• Fudge ice cream
• Twix Ice cream
• Lemon curd ice cream

And because ice cream is better turned into a sundae with a hot ice cream sauce, top with 

• hot fudge sauce
• two ingredient chocolate sauce
• caramel toffee sauce