Toast St. Patrick’s Day with this rich and decadent Irish Cream Coffee Milk Punch. It’s an easy fix that tastes like a grown-up version of your favorite sweet iced coffee drink.
Next week ushers in a whole new month, and along with it, a couple of occasions worth celebrating. St. Patrick’s Day will be here before you know it, and the spring equinox follows just three days later. I’m excited to plan an Irish meal with all the fixin’s, and the promise of some sunshine? Count me in!
Use your favorite coffee and brew it strong! I highly recommend filling some ice trays with coffee and freezing them ahead of time, so I’ve added that step to the recipe text. Added to a glass, they keep this coffee punch cold without diluting the drink.
Whipped cream is a must if you’re having this for dessert. I usually get about halfway through a glass before I begin stirring the whipped cream into the coffee. This makes it so luxurious. It almost becomes a milkshake, or something akin to a big box coffee drink.
A batch of this punch will keep well in a pitcher in the refrigerator for a few days. Keep the top covered with plastic wrap and give it a stir before enjoying.
About 8 servings
6 cups (48 oz.) strong brewed hot coffee
1/2 cup (156 grams) chocolate syrup
2 cups (16 oz./480ml) whole milk or half-and-half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) Irish Cream liqueur (or more to taste)
Coffee ice cubes (1 cup/8 oz. cooled coffee frozen in an ice cube tray)
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 oz. chocolate shavings (half of a 4 oz. bar/tablet)
Pour the strongly brewed coffee into a large pot while it is still hot, and stir in chocolate syrup until blended. Add milk, vanilla extract and Irish Cream, and stir until mixture is well blended. Let mixture cool to room temperature. Transfer to a pitcher, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours until ready to serve.
Whip the heavy cream and granulated sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, pour punch into cocktail glasses 2/3 full and add a few coffee ice cubes. Top each glass with whipped cream and add chocolate shavings.
Note: For a non-alcoholic version of this punch, use Irish Cream flavored coffee cream in place of the Irish Cream liqueur.
