Fall is my favorite season — and as the fall season sets in, I’m all for soaking up the cozy cocktails and autumn vibes while I can. I don’t drink often — but when I do, I’ll take every excuse I can to mix espresso and alcohol in the same beverage.
As soon as I saw the Baileys Crème Brûlée Iced Latte cocktail, it instantly went to the top of my must-try list. Perfect for dinner parties, this fall coffee cocktail is so much easier to make than it sounds. Lightly indulgent with flavors of vanilla custard, this cocktail is just like the classic Crème Brûlée dessert — but in a glass. Here’s how you can make it for yourself in under five steps (and why you should make it for your next fall dinner party).
Trying the Crème Brûlée Iced Latte
After a long and busy summer, the autumn season is the perfect time for indoor gatherings to catch up with friends and family. Whether you’re hosting a fall dinner party, a game night, or a friendsgiving — this dessert cocktail is an easy crowd pleaser that requires minimal effort to make. As I was making this recipe, I was surprised to find how easy the process was (as I like to think of myself as leaning more towards a Barista than a bartender).
Though I expected this coffee cocktail to be overly sweet, it was not overpowering at all. The light hint of sweetness reminded me exactly of what you’d get from ordering a Crème Brûlée dessert. Sweet enough to drink on its own, yet not too sweet that you couldn’t pair it with physical desserts.
Ingredients
- 1/2 oz Baileys Original Irish Cream
- 1 oz espresso (also known as one shot)
- 1/2 oz Ketel One Vodka
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 oz heavy cream
- 1 tbsp caramel sauce
Method
- Mix milk, Baileys, vodka, and vanilla extract. Pour into a glass with ice.
- Mix brown sugar and espresso, then pour into the glass.
- Mix caramel sauce and heavy cream, and whip into cold foam.
- Sprinkle sugar on top and torch. If you don’t have a torch, you can try heating a metal spoon to create a caramelized effect.
Tips and swaps
- Tip: I chose to pour everything directly into the glass; however, you could mix the ingredients separately and then pour over ice for a more uniform look, if desired.
- Swap: Don’t have a regular shot of espresso to use in this recipe or an espresso maker nearby? You can substitute instant espresso powder, such as Cafe Bustelo Instant Coffee. However, you’ll want to make sure you use warm enough water to ensure the brown sugar fully dissolves into the heavy whipping cream to make your cold foam.
- Tip: I used my De’Longhi Latte Mix to whip up the cold foam easily. However, you don’t need to have this device to make cold foam. You can use a handheld whisk or frother just as well.
- Swap: This recipe calls for regular brown sugar, but I chose to use Truvia Brown Sugar, made with stevia leaf, as a lower-sugar swap. I appreciate that this coffee cocktail recipe is super flexible and can be adapted to your needs (dairy-free milk or heavy whipping cream, for example).
