Irish Cream (Baileys) Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Irish cream is a lovely addition to chocolate chip cheesecake! This cheesecake is creamy, decadent, and delicious! Make it for any holiday or dinner party!

Irish cream is a cream liqueur that includes dairy cream, Irish whiskey, and sometimes notes of cocoa or coffee. It can be served on its own or in mixed drinks. Usually, it is an ingredient in drinks like Irish Coffee or White Russians. Irish cream is not traditionally Irish, but within the European Union Irish cream liqueur is a protected geographical indicator product that must be produced in Ireland. It was invented in 1973 by Tom Jago. He was working for Gilbeys of Ireland, a creative agency that was a division of International Distillers & Vintners. The first version of Irish cream was Baileys. The creation of Baileys was partly due to the availability of whiskey from a distillery that was losing money, and the availability of cream from Express Dairies.

When I was at university I spent the weekends exploring the city with my friends. We would take the train to random destinations and see what hidden gems we could find. One adventure led to a lovely Irish pub in the city. The inside of the place was covered with dark wood paneling that absorbed most of the light that tried to stream through the windows. It was charming with flags and Guinness memorabilia everywhere. We immediately felt comfortable. So we sat on some bar stools and ordered our meals. I remember this place had amazing food, but the real star of our lunch was the Irish cream cheesecake. It was luscious, creamy, and rich. We savored every bite.

I have had a few Irish cream cheesecakes since then. It is a dessert that I like to seek out. Unfortunately, they are typically made available only around St. Patrick’s Day. I thought it was time to have my own spin on the Irish cream cheesecake, that way I and my readers could make it any time of the year. I used a water bath technique for this cheesecake, which is tedious, but the result is a very smooth and evenly set cheesecake. I hope that you and your friends like my take on this dessert. Please enjoy!

Irish Cream (Baileys) Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Yields one 9 inch cheesecake

8-10 servings

Specialty Tools: Stand mixer, springform cake pan, and a roasting pan large enough to fit the springform pan

Prep Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Bake Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 32 minutes

Inactive Time: 7 to 11 hours

Ingredients

Crust:

9 sheets of graham crackers (about 5 ounces)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

Filling:

16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

8 ounces ricotta cheese

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur (Baileys is very popular)

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 F

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch spring form cake pan. Cover the outside of the pan with two layers of tin foil. Set aside.

Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Either put the graham crackers in a plastic bag and beat with a rolling pin until they are crumbs. Or pulverize the graham crackers in a food processor.

Melt the butter.

Add graham cracker crumbs and melted butter into a large bowl and mix well.

Pour the graham cracker mixture into the springform pan.

Press the graham cracker mixture onto the bottom of the springform pan using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup.

Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling.

Place the paddle attachment onto the stand mixer.

Add the cream cheese and ricotta to the stand mixer bowl. Beat the cheeses on medium speed to break them up.

Reduce to a slow speed and add the sugar. Beat for 3 minutes until the sugar is well incorporated.

Pour in the eggs one at a time as the mixer runs. Gently combine.

Add in the sour cream, Irish cream liqueur, heavy cream, and vanilla extract into the mixer bowl. Mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust.

Carefully place the cake pan into a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan half way to two-thirds of the way with water to create a water bath.

Place the pans into the oven.

Bake until the cake is only a little wobbly when the pan is shaken about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Turn off the oven and leave the oven door slightly ajar for 1 hour.

Remove the springform cake pan from the roasting pan. Place onto a cooling rack for about 2 hours, until it reaches room temperature.

Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least four hours, but preferably overnight. (Make sure you do not have any cut garlic or onions in the refrigerator because the cake will absorb the smells.)

Place the springform pan on a flat platter or a large plate.

Run an off set spatula or a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it, if necessary.

Carefully unclip the outer ring of the springform pan.

Garnish with some more mini chocolate chips.

Cut into slices and serve cold.

This dessert will be a wonderful end to a dinner of Irish soda bread and corned beef.

If you want more chocolate flavor switch out the graham crackers and make a chocolate cookie (Oreo) crust instead!

Want more cheesecake recipes? Try my Greek Yogurt Cheesecake, Apple Cider Pie Cheesecake, or Smores Cheesecake!

DID YOU MAKE THIS DISH?

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