Easy Bailey’s Fudge Recipe

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This Bailey’s fudge recipe makes the best fudge I’ve ever had! Melt-in-your-mouth Irish cream fudge that you can put together in no time.

many creamy pieces of fudge made with baileys and sprinkled with sea salt.

This amazing Bailey’s fudge recipe is made with only four ingredients and is one of the best treats you can imagine. Two sorts of chocolate – semisweet and dark, sweetened condensed milk and Bailey’s Irish Cream come together to create a homemade fudge that’s bursting with flavor.

And yes! You can taste the Bailey’s! That’s one of the best parts of this recipe. On top of that, the texture is just perfect: creamy without being too soft or smudgy and not at all dry or crumbly, which I like best!

The best sweet treat for the holiday season or to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. This easy recipe also makes the perfect gift for anyone with a sweet tooth.

And if you already have that opened bottle, why not try another delicious recipe to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Try this excellent Baileys Bundt Cake, Bailey’s Muffins, or Bailey’s Hot Chocolate.

And once you’re at it, make this Strawberry Fudge with Marshmallow Fluff as well.

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Recipe ingredients
How to make Bailey’s fudge?
Tips
Recipe FAQs
How to store the fudge?
More Irish cream recipes
Recipe
Easy Bailey’s Fudge Recipe

Recipe ingredients

one bottle of baileys irish cream, can of sweetened condensed milk and block of chocolate.

Chocolate: You may use only dark or a mixture of dark and semi-sweet chocolate. I prefer to mix the two; using only semi-sweet chocolate would make the fudge too sweet; both the booze and the sweetened condensed milk are already very sweet.

For the most intense chocolate flavor, use only dark chocolate with at least 72% cocoa (See Tips).

Sweetened condensed milk: Thick and very sweet milk sold in cans; the kind of milk you use to make dulce de leche. Please don’t confuse it with evaporated milk; that is a different product (See Tips). Use more of it to make Condensed Milk Biscuits or Condensed Milk Rice Pudding!

Bailey’s: Irish cream liqueur – an alcoholic drink made with Irish whisky, cream, and cocoa.

Optional: A sprinkle of best-quality flaky sea salt. You don’t have to sprinkle the chocolate fudge with it; it would be amazing without it. If you do, you will know what I mean. It just brings the treat to a whole new level.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make Bailey’s fudge?

Prepare a square baking pan by greasing and lining it, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy fudge removal.
Chop the chocolate finely; rough chopping followed by a quick pulse in the food processor saves time and ensures faster melting.

collage of two pictures of melted chocolate and then fudge mixture in a bowl.

Step #1: Melt the chocolate at bain-marie on very low heat. As there is a lot of chocolate, I prefer to do it in two batches, but if your pan and bowls are large enough, you can do that in one batch.
Step #2: Mix the melted chocolate with ½ cup of Baileys and sweetened condensed milk.

collage of two pictures of fudge mix in a bowl and then in a baking dish.

Step #3: Stir with a spoon until thick and combined.
Step #4: Pour the fudge mixture into the prepared pan, cover, and refrigerate until set, at least 5 hours, better overnight.
Remove the dessert from the tin and cut it into small squares. If desired, sprinkle it lightly with coarse salt.

Tips

I prefer high-quality chocolate blocks for this Bailey’s fudge - they give the best, most intense flavor. Chocolate chips work, but they can't match real chocolate in taste.

I buy sweetened condensed milk from Russian stores - it has the best consistency for fudge and is the cheapest. If unavailable, Eagle Brand or another thick, creamy brand works best. I haven’t used Carnation myself, but many say it’s too runny for fudge.

irish cream fudge pieces stapled on a white plate.

Recipe FAQs

Can I serve Bailey's Irish Cream fudge to children?

No, the alcohol content makes this decadent dessert unsuitable to serve children, pregnant women, or people dealing with alcohol issues.

How to melt chocolate using a double boiler/ bain-marie?

You'll need a medium saucepan and a heatproof bowl that fits on top. Half-fill the saucepan with water and bring it to a simmer. Place the chopped chocolate in the bowl, ensuring it doesn’t touch the water. Melt it slowly over barely simmering water, stirring often with a metal spoon. If the water gets too hot, remove it from the heat and stir until fully melted.

How to store the fudge?

Keep Bailey's fudge at room temperature in a sealed container; it will be fine for at least one week. But you will never manage to keep it for so long because I swear this stuff is addictive.

Freeze it for 2-3 months. Wrap it in wax paper before placing it in an airtight container or freezer bag. However, the texture might change a bit after freezing. Defrost it in the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about one hour before serving.

many fudge squares, one with teeth marks on it.

More Irish cream recipes

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