Blend up this copycat version of the famous Frozen Irish Coffee at Erin Rose in New Orleans. Think of it as a boozy coffee milkshake. It’s creamy, cold, and packs a punch! Make it for celebrating Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, or cooling off on a hot summer day.
Picture this. You’ve just arrived in New Orleans and checked into your hotel in the French Quarter. It’s midday and time for your first bite and sip in a city renowned for its incredible cuisine and bar scene.
You round the corner and arrive at an unassuming rust-colored building with dark green shutters. It’s Erin Rose.
This Irish pub just off of tourist-riddled Bourbon Street is a NOLA institution. It’s divey and kitschy with sticky floors and a back room where you can order some of the best po boys in town.
The Frozen Irish Coffee is legendary. And that’s why you’re here (also for those po boys!).
The bartender dispenses the thick and creamy concoction from a frozen daiquiri machine into black plastic cups (yours to keep!) and adds your whiskey of choice. Your friend gets hers with Jameson, while you opt for Skrewball peanut butter whiskey. It somehow tastes faintly like Reeses. There are no regrets!
The perfect libation to kick off a visit to the Big Easy is also the perfect frozen adult beverage for coffee lovers. This simple copycat recipe recreates the flavors and textures of a visit to Erin Rose (minus the sticky floor).
A combination of vanilla ice cream, frozen coffee ice cubes and of course the whiskey of your choice is all you need to feel like you’re back where it all started. Whether you blend up a frozen Irish coffee at breakfast or dessert, we won’t judge. What happens in NOLA stays in NOLA.
Ingredient notes
- Whiskey: Customize your frozen Irish coffee with your favorite whiskey. Anything goes, but bonus points if it’s Irish. Personally, I love adding Skrewball peanut butter whiskey since I’m not a big fan of whiskey in general. This one has a great flavor for non-whiskey-fans who happen to love peanut butter. My recipe calls for 1 ½ ounces whiskey per serving, but you can bump it up to 2 ounces or more per serving for an even boozier version.
- Coffee: You’ll want to either brew strong coffee and let it cool or use cold brew and then freeze it in an ice cube tray. This will keep the coffee flavor saturated without watering down the flavor with regular ice. If you don’t drink caffeine, this is the perfect opportunity to make yours with decaf!
- Vanilla Ice Cream: Soften your ice cream just enough to make it easy to scoop and measure. If you’re using a pint of vanilla ice cream, you can add the entire thing (it's already 2 cups!). If you are using a larger container of ice cream, you’ll need to measure but you could roughly eyeball it and still get good results. Want a lighter version? Try using light vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt instead.
How to make it
Pour cold black coffee or cold brew into ice cube trays and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Add coffee ice cubes, ice cream, and whiskey to a blender and puree until smooth and creamy.
Divide between 2 highball glasses, garnish with coffee grounds, and serve with straws.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
Add the coffee ice cubes to the blender first, before adding the ice cream. They require the most effort from the blender blades to break down. I also like to start my blender at the lowest speed and then progressively increase the speed until I’m almost at the highest speed.
To soften your ice cream enough to scoop, you can leave it out at room temperature for a few minutes, or you could microwave it for about 10 seconds. The exact time it takes to barely soften will depend on the ice cream so keep a close eye on it.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape every last bit of the mixture from the blender jar! It will be quite thick and the spatula can also help you pour the mixture into the glasses by helping it along.
It won't be frozen Irish coffee, but you could make a frozen Baileys coffee instead by using Baileys Irish Cream in place of the whiskey. Technically Baileys Irish Cream contains whiskey so it's not a huge stretch to use it instead if that's what you have and what you prefer.
Ideally, use straws that have a slightly wider diameter to make it easier to drink your thick and creamy frozen Irish coffee. Regular straws are fine too, but the mixture is pretty thick so a wider straw is better if you have one.
Other recipes you may like
- Easy Cold Brew Iced Coffee
- Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Baileys Frosting and Irish Whiskey Ganache Filling
- Tiramisu Ice Cream with Mocha Ripple
- Duke’s Hula Pie (Copycat Recipe)
- One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
- Creamy Cajun Shrimp Étouffée
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Frozen Irish Coffee (New Orleans-Style Erin Rose-Inspired)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (1 cup) cold strong black coffee or cold brew
- 2 cups (1 pint) vanilla ice cream
- 3 ounces whiskey or more as desired (use your favorite, preferably Irish whiskey or I recommend Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey)
- Coffee grounds for garnish
Instructions
- Pour cold black coffee or cold brew into ice cube trays and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
- Add coffee ice cubes, ice cream, and whiskey to a blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Divide between 2 highball glasses, garnish with coffee grounds, and serve with straws.
Notes
- My recipe calls for 1 ½ ounces whiskey per serving, but you can bump it up to 2 ounces or more per serving for an even boozier version.
- It won't be frozen Irish coffee, but you could make a frozen Baileys coffee instead by using Baileys Irish Cream in place of the whiskey. Technically Baileys Irish Cream contains whiskey so it's not a huge stretch to use it instead if that's what you have and what you prefer.
- Add the coffee ice cubes to the blender first, before adding the ice cream, because they require the most effort from the blender blades to break down. I also like to start my blender at the lowest speed and then progressively increase the speed until I’m almost at the highest speed.
- To soften your ice cream enough to scoop, you can leave it out at room temperature for a few minutes, or you could microwave it for about 10 seconds. The exact time it takes to barely soften will depend on the ice cream so keep a close eye on it.
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape every last bit of the mixture from the blender jar! It will be quite thick and the spatula can also help you pour the mixture into the glasses by helping it along.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
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