Baileys Brownies Remix
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Brownies with Baileys Irish Cream twisted for an adult treat. Substitute part water with Baileys in batter. Layered buttercream with Baileys whipped in, topped with chocolate Baileys ganache. Baking cues over clocks. Freeze to firm frosting before ganache. Microwave cream and Baileys till simmer, pour over chips for silky finish. Cool fully before cutting. Measures swapped slightly; buttercream whipped till fluffy but not overdone. Ganache rests on chilled frosting, sets firm but yielding. Notes on substitutions for Baileys, flours, cream, plus troubleshooting fudgy versus cakey. Real kitchens, real tries—less sugar, swapping oils. The familiar, remade.
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
48 min
Total:
Servings:
16 servings
#dessert
#chocolate
#brownies
#Baileys
#buttercream
#ganache
#American
Brownies without a story? Nope. Baileys mixed into the batter changes the game. I swapped the usual water for Baileys Irish Cream—not just for flavor, but that subtle moisture and a little kick. Adds delta to the brownies, a refined twist, but not over the top. Baking brownies feels basic till your nose tells you otherwise. Shiny crackled tops, fudgy edges, and a little fluff beneath the frosting are what I chase. Then comes the real magic—the buttercream, enriched with Baileys itself, whipped slow till fluffy and tender. Watch it, though; too fast and it droops. Ganache, my final layer, uses Baileys in the cream to melt richness into the chocolate. Hands down, thick but pourable. It sets with a glossy sheen and delicate snap. Chill times play tricks; too cold frosting shatters the ganache, too warm and it sinks. Learn patience—it pays.
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix (8x8 pan size)
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream (replace water in mix)
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream (for buttercream)
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (for ganache)
- 2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream (for ganache)
- 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
About the ingredients
Swapping water with Baileys adds depth but remember Baileys has sugar and alcohol, potentially affecting texture; too much risks sogginess. Butter for frosting? Use room temp, not melted or cold. I avoid margarine; butter’s flavor makes a difference here. Powdered sugar sifted avoids graininess; no skip. Vanilla extract can be bourbon or almond extract for an alternate note. Heavy cream is key for that lift; whip slow, scoop small to catch peak fluffiness without breaking. One cup chocolate chips can be bittersweet for balance or semi-sweet if you like sweeter but avoid milk chocolate—the ganache won’t set as firmly. Baileys in ganache is optional but critical for flavor boost; swap with coffee liqueur if needed but watch varying alcohol content. Parchment helps with easy removal—trust me on this one; cutting brownies straight from pan? Messy, frustrating.
Method
- Heat oven to temp on brownie box but check doneness visually. Parchment line an 8x8 pan with overhang - easy lift-out later. Think edges don’t overcook before center sets.
- Mix brownie mix swapping ¼ cup water for ¼ cup Baileys. Helps flavor, moisture, slight tang. Stir batter just combined; don’t overmix or tough brownies.
- Bake in pan watch the top. Shiny crust cracks gently when done. Toothpick with few moist crumbs OK; dry means overbaked. Cool fully on rack, no rush but no fridge yet.
- While cooling, whip butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar medium speed until just combined. Don’t blast or it dulls gloss. Add 2 tablespoons Baileys slowly running mixer low. Then add whipping cream 1 tbsp at a time, beating to fluffy. Overbeat and frosting turns heavy, starts to separate. Texture matters—should hold peaks but glide.
- Spread even buttercream over cooled brownies. Use offset spatula, patience here. Don’t sink in the buttercream or it’ll soften brownies underneath. Freeze 10-15 minutes to firm frosting. Not long enough and ganache melts it; too long and it won’t spread smoothly.
- Ganache time: Microwave ⅓ cup cream plus 2 tablespoons Baileys just till simmering, bubbles at edges, no full boil. Poor hot cream over chocolate chips, let sit 3-4 minutes—resist stirring early. Then stir smooth with a spatula folding until glossy and rich. Too quick stirring cools it lumpy.
- Spread ganache evenly over cold buttercream layer. Thickness matters—a good thin layer sets firm but can still yield under fork. If ganache cools too fast, warm spatula under hot tap, wipe dry, then smooth quickly.
- Let ganache set ambient 45-60 minutes or fridge 12-15 minutes if in a rush. Go fridge if your kitchen is humid or warm; ambient if dry. Check surface—should not be sticky but slightly tacky.
- Lift brownies from pan using parchment flaps. Cut neat squares with warm knife wiping blade between slices. Otherwise ganache cracks or crumbs ragged edges. Serve immediately or store loosely covered, won’t last more than 3 days without texture loss.
Cooking tips
Heat oven to box directions, but always watch batter edges. Older ovens bake hot in corners—look for shiny cracked tops and test with toothpick. Overbaking dries; underbaking sinks. Let brownies cool fully before frosting. Warm brownies melt frosting or create cracks. Buttercream texture is a balance; overbeat and it becomes greasy, underbeat and it’s stiff. Pour Baileys slowly to avoid curdling. Adding cream tablespoon by tablespoon helps gauge thickness; too watery frosting runs, too stiff won’t spread. Freeze briefly—not more than 15 mins—to set the buttercream before ganache layer. Ganache should be warm, not hot, when spreading. Use warm offset spatula to smooth evenly. Let ganache set in a controlled environment—humidity kills gloss. Cut brownie squares with a warm, dry knife to avoid cracking the ganache or tearing the parchment. Serve fresh as the frosting softens over 48 hours.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Watch edges bake till shiny crack. Not too dry inside. Toothpick with moist crumbs means done. Temperature on box? Check often. Oven corners bake faster. Watch, don’t guess.
- 💡 Buttercream needs slow whip. Add Baileys drop slow to avoid curdle. Cream in tiny sips, not flood. Look for fluffy, peaks but glossy texture. Overbeat dulls gloss, slumps weighty. Underbeat stiff, no glide. Texture is everything here.
- 💡 Freeze buttercream layer 10-15 minutes max. Too short, ganache melts frosting. Too long, ganache won’t spread smooth. Timing fragile. Works best chilled but not icy. Offset spatula warms spread evenly if ganache cools fast.
- 💡 Ganache heat key: cream + Baileys just at simmer bubbles, no full boil. Pour hot over chocolate chips, sit 3-4 mins no stir early. Early stirring cools mix lumpy. Then fold slowly till glossy rich. Rise and fall timings matter.
- 💡 Knife warm between cuts. Wipe blade dry. Stops ganache cracking, keeps edges neat. Cutting straight from pan messy, tears parchment. Parchment with flap overhang essential to lift brownies clean. Clean cuts retention of layers intact.
Common questions
Can I substitute Baileys?
Coffee liqueur works but watch sugar and alcohol. Irish cream coffee syrup okay for flavor less alcohol. Too much swap? Texture soggy, weak rise.
Why crumbly ganache?
Chocolate quality. Mixed chips don’t set well. Ganache too cool too fast cracks. Use bittersweet or semi-sweet. Stir gently, avoid early mixing. Heat cream carefully.
How to avoid soggy brownies?
Don’t overload Baileys in batter. ¼ cup replacement only, moisture balance delicate. Butter room temp, sifted sugar helps too. Overbeat batter triggers toughness.
Best storage method?
Cover loosely room temp 2 days max or airtight fridge 3 days loses texture slow. Freeze well wrapped tight; thaw overnight fridge. Frosting softens after 48 hours.
