This is the best Baileys cheesecake recipe. It's super creamy, densely velvety, and gently infused with Irish cream liquor. The perfect, indulgent dessert to make ahead of time, I just know this Irish cheesecake will be the edible gift this festive season.
I feel edible gifts are always welcome, especially when festivities are in the air. Be it something simple like rose shortbread cookies in a jar or something with a more decadent character like a homemade Baileys cheesecake. So, if you’ve been looking for a cheesecake recipe (for adults) to try, this one is it.
My only advice? Invest in a weighing scale. It doesn’t need to be fancy. Buy a tiny one. When you weigh ingredients instead of using cup measurements, you get consistently good results, particularly with cheesecakes.
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TRY THIS BAILEYS CHEESECAKE RECIPE
Make-ahead dessert recipe
A crowd-pleaser
Impressive, luxe, and temptation incarnate
A luscious, spiked cake that’s so worth the bake
HOW TO MAKE BAILEYS CHEESECAKE?
There are 3 parts to the Baileys cheesecake recipe. The crust, the filling, and the topping. Not that they take a ton of time and if you make the filling while the crust bakes, you save even more.
THE CRUST
Step 1: Combine crushed biscuits with melted butter and cocoa powder until you have a uniform mixture that feels and looks like wet sand.
Step 2: Tip it into your cake tin and pat it firmly, so the crumbs are packed in tightly.
Step 3: Bake it for 10 minutes.
THE FILLING
Step 4: Whisk cream cheese and caster sugar. Then whisk in 2 eggs.
Step 5: Mix in flour till you have a nice, smooth, lump-free mixture.
Step 6: Finally, add in your Baileys.
Step 7: Pour the cheesecake Baileys filling on top of the crust and then bake for an hour at 160 °C (10 degrees lower than what you used to bake the crust).
Step 8: Right when the middle of the homemade Baileys cheesecake has a little jiggle left (about an inch wide circle on top), turn off the heat. Crank the door open and let the cake cool with the door ajar for an hour.
Step 9: Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool again on the counter. Now you can chill it for 4 - 8 hours. But, like me, you can opt to chill the cheesecake overnight. That's my go-to method!
THE TOPPING
Step 10: Gently heat cream in a saucepan. Take it off the heat. Add dark chocolate and whisk till you have a glossy, thick, lustrous mixture with a soft, spreadable consistency.
Step 11: Let it cool and then stir in Baileys, making sure both the chocolate mixture and the Baileys are at the same temperature. If you use cold Baileys, the chocolate will seize.
Step 12: Pour on top of your Irish cream cheesecake.
Final step: Dust with gold dragees and serve!
IRISH CHEESECAKE TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
I always say a cheesecake, Baileys or otherwise, is a labor of love. It does need some special handling, but if you follow these tips, you’ll master it in no time!
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature and give the cake time. Do not rush the cooling process, which you’re doing thrice. Once in the oven (heat off), next on the countertop, and last in the fridge.
- Give the Baileys cheesecake recipe at least 8 hours of chilling time in the fridge. Make the cake a day ahead, so you can let it cool overnight.
- I’ve found that the best pan for any cheesecake recipe is springform because it’s easier to remove the cake. So, I typically use an 8-inch one.
- For the simple and delicious crust, you can either pulse the biscuits in a food processor or use a rolling pin. I suggest stashing the biscuits in a Ziplock and then going to town on them.
- Don’t overbeat the Baileys cheesecake filling. It allows too much air to seep into the batter, and that causes the cake to first rise excessively and then collapse and crack when cooled.
- If you’re serving the Irish cheesecake in slices, use a hot knife to make sharp cuts. Clean the knife before you cut the next slice.
IRISH CREAM CHEESECAKE INGREDIENTS
Crust: Somehow, I find Marie biscuits the perfect crust for this Baileys cheesecake recipe because they’re just the right amount of sweet (read: barely). But digestives or even Oreos would make great substitutes.
Eggs: if you’re looking to make an eggless Irish cream cheesecake, replace the eggs with cream. I won’t recommend Greek yogurt here because we don’t want a tang to the cake. Plus, cream lends a gorgeous and yummy velvety texture and a deep, deep flavor.
Chocolate: Always, always, bake with good-quality baking chocolate. I prefer Callebaut for this Baileys cheesecake recipe, but any dark chocolate that you love will do.
Baileys: The cheesecake and the ganache have a deeply boozy flavor of Baileys. Of course, that’s my preference. Want a more intense flavor? Increase the quantity of Baileys you add to the ganache.
Toppings: Sprinkles make everything better, according to me, and that’s why my Baileys Irish Cream Cake is sparkling. But you can as easily garnish it with whipped cream or crushed walnuts or hazelnuts.
MORE CHEESECAKE RECIPES
RECIPES WITH BAILEYS
Mocha Cupcakes With Baileys Frosting
Baileys Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Cheesecake Crust
- 1 1/4 cup ( 120 gms) Marie biscuits, crushed
- 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup ( 75 gms) Butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 1/4 cup (500 gms) Cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (115 gms) Caster sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1/4 cup ( 32 gms) All-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup ( 65 gms) Baileys Irish cream
Baileys Ganache
- 1/3 cup ( 60 gms) Dark chocolate I used Callebaut coverture 70%
- 1/3 cup ( 60 gms) Cream
- 2-3 tbsp Baileys Irish cream
Instructions
Cheesecake Crust
- Preheat your oven to 180C. Cover the bottom and sides of your 8" springform pan with aluminum foil.
- Combine the melted butter, cocoa powder, and crushed cookies in a small bowl. This mixture should have the consistency of wet sand.
- Press it down evenly at the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 160C while you're preparing for the filling.
Cheesecake Filling
- Soften the cream cheese using a spatula, in a large bowl.
- Add the sugar. Mix well.
- Whisk in 2 beaten eggs and the flour.
- Add the Baileys Irish cream and mix well.
- Pour into the prepared crust. Carefully place in the oven and bake at 160C for 55-60 minutes. The top of the cake should look cooked and the center should be a bit wobbly. My cake took almost 70 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and slightly crack the door open and allow it to cool for 60 minutes.
- Let the cake cool on the countertop for another hour and then refrigerate for at least 8 hours for it to set completely. Remove carefully from the pan, and place it on your serving plate.
- Spoon over the ganache and spread it evenly on top. Decorate with gold dragees if you wish.
- Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Baileys Ganache
- Gently heat the cream in a small saucepan. Take it off the heat and add the chocolate.
- Mix well until the ganache is smooth and glossy. Let it cool for a few minutes, then add the Baileys Irish cream. Mix well.
- Make sure the Baileys cream is at room temperature so the ganache won't seize.
Alex says
I tried this recipe, it's really good. I will try other recipes. Thanks for the recipe.
Natasha Minocha says
So happy to hear that, Alex! Thank you!