Irish coffee is a delicious and cozy winter cocktail. It’s a simple blend of coffee, whiskey, your sweetener of choice and a few dollops of fluffy whipped cream. It’s coffee with a boozy sweet kick!

Who created Irish coffee?

If you’re wondering who thought of this brilliant idea, you can thank an Irish chef named Joe Sheridan. In 1943, he ran a new restaurant at the Foynes airbase in Ireland. Where one day, he came across a boat of stranded travelers who returned back to the base due to a winter storm.

Sheridan figured they could all use a little pick me up and whipped up a round of Irish coffees. To their surprise, the Americans loved the hint of whiskey in their hot coffee. And as their plane headed back to North America, so did this delicious Irish recipe.

Irish Coffee Ingredients

• Coffee: Brew about 6 ounces of your favorite coffee (also about 3/4 cup).
• Irish Whiskey: You’ll need 1 1/2 oz or 3 tablespoons. You can use any Irish whiskey, but see below for the best gluten-free options.
• Sugar: I’ve used 1 teaspoon of coconut sugar to sweeten this up. But you can also use maple syrup or a keto-friendly sugar.
• Whipped Cream: Whip up some heavy cream to create the fluffy topping. Or make coconut whipped cream for a dairy-free option.

What Whiskey Brands Are Gluten Free?

Whiskey is one of those nuanced ingredients if you’re celiac or gluten-free. While whiskey is made from grains that contain gluten, the gluten is removed in the distillation process (to less than 20 ppm) making it technically gluten-free, but likely not 100% gluten-free.

The more distillations the better when it comes to whiskey, as it’s likely to me more gluten-free. Just make sure that there’s no colorings or flavorings added after distillation which may contain gluten.

Jameson Whiskey, the Irish whiskey used in this recipe is triple distilled. But even with that, some people may still be sensitive to it. It’s very individual and you should always listen to your body.

If you want to be 100% certain the whiskey in your cocktail is 100% gluten-free, then opt for a whiskey made from sorghum or millet. A few brands include:

• James F.C. Hyde Sorgho Whiskey: made from 100% sorghum
• Koval Millet Whiskey: made from 100% millet
• New Southern Revival Sorghum Whiskey: made from 100% sorghum
• Queen Jennie Sorghum Whiskey: made from 100% sorghum
• S.S. Sorghum Whiskey: made from 100% sorghum

How To Make Irish Coffee

All you need to do is stir the coffee, whiskey, and sweetener together. Then dollop a layer of whipped cream.

1. Pour the maple syrup into a heat-safe mug.
2. Pour the coffee into the mug and stir until the syrup is combined.
3. Add the Irish whiskey and stir again.
4. Top with whipped cream and serve immediately!

More Irish-Inspired Recipes

Need a few more ideas for Saint Patrick’s Day? Something to pair with your Irish Coffee? Give these tasty recipes a try.

• Shepherd’s Pie
• Irish Lamb Stew
• Colcannon
• Sauteed Cabbage
• Lamb Chops