Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (2024)

Posted on Published:

20 Comments

This delicious Bailey’s fudge recipe has a surprise addition of coffee for a great flavor. It is creamy and sweet and has a lovely consistency.

This year, make some Irish Cream Fudge as a part of your Christmas traditions!

Who doesn’t love the taste of a glass of Bailey’s Irish cream during the holidays? It is rich and thick and so creamy with that delicious hint of whiskey in the background.

Now imagine that taste in a piece of holiday fudge! BOOM! What a flavor combo!

Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (1)

Making fudge is a favorite of mine pastime during the holidays. I don’t make fudge very often during the year, because I do try to watch my weight, but during November and December I indulge in it.

This recipe for Irish Cream Fudge infused with Bailey’s Irish Cream & cold Coffee is as tasty as can be. It is my favorite sweet treat, so I like to have a lot of fudge recipes on hand.

NOTE: This is not a really easy fudge. In order to get the right consistency, the main fudge mixture must be boiled for five minutes or so to get it to the soft ball stage. But the flavor makes it worth the effort.

More fudge recipes

Are you a fudge lover like I am during the holidays? Try one of these recipes, too:

Time to make someBailey’s Irish cream Fudge

To make the Irish Cream Fudge, you will need Bailey’s Irish Cream. I had a bottle on hand that was unopened, but when I undid the top, I discovered to my horror that it had gone off and I could not shake it to make it good again.Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (2)

Since I had all my ingredients out and it was a Sunday, I decided to make my own Bailey’s Irish Cream.It is just as good as the original and costs a fraction of the price. Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (3)

To make the fudge you will need: (affiliate links)

    1. 3/4 cup of butter
    2. 3 cups of granulated sugar
    3. 2/3 cup of evaporated milk
    4. 1/3 cup of Bailey’s Irish cream
    5. 2 Tbsp-cold coffee (the liquid from a cup of coffee, not granules)
    6. 1 – 7 oz-jar marshmallow cream
    7. 1 11 oz package of butterscotch morsels
    8. 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (4)To make this Bailey’s fudge recipe, start by placing aluminum foil in the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pan. It will make it so much easier to get the fudge out later.

Just use the pieces on the top as handles and then peel it off later. Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (5)Mix together the Bailey’s and cold coffee and place it in a microwave safe bowl and heat for about 20 seconds until it is well mixed. Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (6)On the stove top, combine the butter, evaporated milk, sugar and marshmallow cream until well mixed and smooth. Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (7)Slowly stir in the Bailey’s Irish cream mixture and mix well. Continue to cook after it boils for five minutes, stirring the whole time, so that it does not stick.

It will be at the soft ball stage. (drop a bit of the fudge mixture into a glass of water…it will form a small ball.)Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (8)Stir in the butterscotch chips and vanilla extract. Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (9)Pour the mixture for the Bailey’s fudge recipe into your prepared pan. I had to hurry as it was starting to harden. I love this stage.

I know that I have cooked it long enough when it starts to harden on the sides of my cooking pan. There is nothing as discouraging as spending time on fudge and not having it set later.

Share this recipe for making Bailey’s fudge on Twitter

If you enjoyed this fudge recipe, be sure to share it with a friend. Here is a tweet to get you started:

The holidays will soon be here and fudge is a part of any dessert table. What is better than plain fudge? Fudge made with Bailey's Irish Cream. It's sweet and creamy and a hit at any holiday gathering. Click To Tweet

Tasting the Bailey’s Fudge Recipe

This Irish cream fudge has the perfect texture. I like a fudge that is not too sticky and this one cuts into beautiful chunks.

The taste is sweet and creamy with a hint of coffee in the background. My husband is a big coffee drinker and really likes this fudge!Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (10)

Place in the fridge until set. Cut into pieces and enjoy. For more great Bailey’s desserts, try these Baileys Mudslide Truffles, andBailey’s Irish cream brownies. YUM!

Would you like a reminder of this recipe for Bailey’s Irish cream fudge? Just pin this image to one of your Pinterest dessert Boards.Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (11)

Yield: 30

Bailey's Irish Cream & Coffee Fudge

Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (12)

Get the taste of Bailey's Irish cream in a piece of holiday fudge, for the ultimate in Christmas sweet treats.

Cook Time10 minutes

Total Time10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup of butter
  • 3 cups of granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup of evaporated milk
  • 1/3 cup of Bailey's Irish cream
  • 2 Tbsp cold coffee (the liquid, not granules)
  • 1 - 7 oz-jar marshmallow cream (NOT marshmallows - cream in a jar)
  • 1 11 oz pkg of butterscotch chips
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl combine Bailey's Irish cream and the cold coffee.
  2. Place the mixture in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 10 seconds. or until melted and dissolved well.
  3. Melt the butter milk, sugar and marshmallow cream in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat.
  4. Slowly stir in the Bailey's coffee mixture; mix well and boil for 5 minutes. (Should be to the soft ball stage)
  5. Remove from heat and stir in butterscotch chips and vanilla extract.
  6. Stir for 3-4 minutes. until the mixture is smooth. Pour into a foil lined 8 x 8" pan.
  7. Chill to set and then cut into pieces.
Irish Cream Fudge - Bailey's Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor (2024)

FAQs

Why is my Baileys fudge not setting? ›

The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.

What makes high quality fudge? ›

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

Should you stir fudge while it's boiling? ›

Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer

Another key part of a successful fudge texture is when you stir the mixture. Stirring the sugar and milk during the initial stages of cooking allows the sugar to dissolve. However, once the mixture comes to a boil, it's time to put the spoon down.

Why is my fudge not thickening? ›

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

Can you fix fudge that didn't set? ›

OPTION 3) Sieve together some powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and gradually work this into your unset fudge until it reaches the consistency of dough, then roll out and cut into squares, or shape into balls and then roll in powdered sugar (roll the balls in icing sugar, not yourself).

Why is my fudge not setting enough? ›

Why is my fudge not setting? It sounds like your fudge simply wasn't heated enough. ... If it's overcooked (resulting in grainy fudge) or undercooked (resulting in poor setting) all you really need to do is add a bit of cream, reheat the fudge to the target temperature, and let it set again.

What is the key to good fudge? ›

Valuable tips for successful fudge
  • Don't stir during cooking. Fudge can be cooked on the stove or in the microwave. ...
  • Avoid crystallization. During cooking, sugar crystals can stick to the sides of the pan. ...
  • Let cool before beating. After being cooked, the sugar must crystallize again to create fudge. ...
  • Beat the mixture.

What is the most popular flavor of fudge? ›

After years of testing recipes, we're pretty sure we have a handle on the most popular fudge flavors, but chocolate and cherry will always rank high on the list.

What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.

What happens if you stir fudge too early? ›

Don't stir!

Once the fudge reaches soft-ball stage on the candy thermometer, remove from the heat and let the temperature drop to 110°F. Keep that spoon or spatula out of the pot until this happens. If you stir too early in the process, you'll make the sugar crystals too big and end up with grainy fudge.

What happens if you over stir fudge? ›

Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has come to a boil, do not stir it. If you do, the sugar can crystallize, giving your fudge a gritty texture. As you beat the fudge, pay attention to color and texture. Once the fudge loses its sheen and thickens, put down your spoon.

What is the best pan to make fudge in? ›

Secondly, the pot's material should allow for good heat distribution hence your top choice should be copper cookware or a pot with a copper core. Copper's exceptional heat conductivity offers unparalleled temperature control, an asset when working with finicky ingredients like sugar.

Why isn't my fudge creamy? ›

It might be that you haven't dissolved all the sugar before boiling the fudge mixture. It could be that there just wasn't enough fluid or fat to enable the sugar to dissolve or it might even be that the fudge wasn't beaten long enough or hard enough. All of these factors could be the cause of grainy fudge.

Can you over whisk fudge? ›

It could even be because the fudge wasn't beaten long or hard enough. If you are using an electric whisk instead of hand beating your Homemade Fudge it's important to remember that this is a very easy way to overbeat Fudge.

What can I do with ruined fudge? ›

Good use of failed fudge: fudge that is too hard, too soft, too runny, too sugary, too chewy, etc. Proportions are as follows: for every 2 cups (roughly 1 pound yield) of any failed fudge that is not runny, you'll need 1 egg, ½ cup all-purpose flour, and ½ cup milk. If fudge is soupy, halve the milk (to ¼ cup).

How long does it take fudge to set in the refrigerator? ›

Let the fudge rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before placing in the refrigerator, uncovered. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, about 2-3 hours (or overnight), before slicing and serving.

Can I set my fudge in the freezer? ›

If you have oodles of willpower and want to save your fudge for later, it freezes well. Wrap each slice (or the whole box) in foil or plastic wrap to seal it. You don't even have to defrost it – your fudge tastes just as scrumptious frozen and cuts easily with a knife, or better still, grate directly onto ice-cream.

Why didn't my white chocolate fudge set? ›

Recipe FAQs

It's softer in texture too. Why didn't my fudge set? It wasn't chilled long enough or your measurements are inaccurate and you have accidentally added too much condensed milk.

Why did my fudge turn out like caramel? ›

Fudge can turn into caramel due to overcooking or undercooking, incorrect temperatures, or wrong ingredients.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Domingo Moore

Last Updated:

Views: 5876

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Domingo Moore

Birthday: 1997-05-20

Address: 6485 Kohler Route, Antonioton, VT 77375-0299

Phone: +3213869077934

Job: Sales Analyst

Hobby: Kayaking, Roller skating, Cabaret, Rugby, Homebrewing, Creative writing, amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.