Irish Cream Nanaimo Bars
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Irish Cream Nanaimo Bars. One of Canada's favourite tipples meets one of the country's iconic cookie bar treats. An absolute must-have for the Holiday freezer!
Like many Canadians, I have a bit of an obsession with our nation's favourite cookie bar treat and these Irish Cream Nanaimo Bars are the latest way to feed it.
With Bailey's Irish Cream flavouring both the filling and the chocolate ganache topping, the familiar taste of one of our favourite liqueurs shines right through.
My own improvements.
Again with this recipe, I have included my new and improved base for these cookie bars. With what is essentially a thick buttercream frosting centre, I found myself wanting more of the chocolatey, nutty flavoured bottom layer to balance out the sweetness better.
I first used this new and improved base in my updated version of Classic Nanaimo Bars and it got a very positive response.
I will however, include the original measurements for the base in the recipe notes here, just in case you prefer the thinner cookie bar.
No worries, you're covered either way.
Either way you prefer them these are completely delicious and since they freeze so well they make an ideal addition to your Holiday cookie collection.
Just try not to nick the occasional one from the freezer when nobody's looking like me. I tend to do that too often in the pre-season run up.
One of the other things worth noting in making Nanaimo Bars of any flavour is the choice of nuts in the bottom. I get asked questions all the time about substituting them. My answer is generally, "Use what you like."
Since these are all no-bake cookie recipes, I think it is important to toast any nuts before chopping or grinding them finely to use in the recipe. The flavour will be so much better.
Generally, most nuts like pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds will take from 7-10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven. Lay them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toss once during the cooking time.
Let you nose guide you, the nuts will begin to smell quite toasty and delicious when they are done. They should also be hot enough that you would not pick them up with your fingers. If it's not completely heated through, it isn't properly toasted.
A festive hit!
These Irish Cream Nanaimo Bars are sure to be the hit of the upcoming festive season. Make them for your own cookie trays, give a dozen as a terrific hostess gift,
or make several batches for your annual Christmas cookie exchange. Wherever these show up they are sure to be an instant hit!
If you liked this recipe you many want to check out this great collection of No Bake Cookies that was incredibly popular during our last Holiday season.
Love Nanaimo Bars?
Be sure to check out all the other flavours in our Nanaimo Bars Collection!
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Irish Cream Nanaimo Bars
Irish Cream Nanaimo Bars - one of Ireland's favourite tipples meets one of the Canada''s iconic cookie bar treats. An absolute must-have for the Holiday freezer or St. Patrick's Day!!
Ingredients
For the Base Layer
- ¾ cup butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 8 tbsp cocoa
- 2 beaten eggs
- 2 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¾ cup fine or medium unsweetened coconut
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
For the the Irish Cream Frosting Filling
- ¾ cup butter
- 4 ½ cups icing sugar i.e. powdered sugar or confectioners sugar
- ⅓ cup Irish Cream Liqueur
For the Chocolate Topping
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup Irish Cream liqueur
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt together the butter, sugar and cocoa over low heat.
- Add the beaten egg and continue to cook, stirring constantly to fully cook the egg with the mixture resembling a soft scrambled egg texture.
- Add the graham crumbs, coconut and walnuts.
- Mix together until well combined then, press into the bottom of a parchment paper lined 9×9 inch baking pan.
- With an electric mixer, beat together the butter, icing sugar and Irish cream until very smooth.
- This frosting should be very stiff but spreadable. If you think it’s too thick, you may add a few drops of Irish Cream at a time to bring it to the right consistency. If it is too soft, add a little more icing sugar.
- Spread evenly over the bottom layer. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before adding the chocolate topping.
- Melt the Irish Cream and chocolate chips together over low heat, just until the chocolate is melted, don’t over heat it.
- Spread quickly over the chilled frosted layer. Return to the fridge until the chocolate sets.
- Cut into squares or bars. These freeze very well.
To Prepare the Base Layer
To Prepare the Irish Cream Frosting Filling
To Prepare the Chocolate Topping
Notes
Here is the ingredient list for the base of the original version of this recipe as noted in the post above. For the Base Layer
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup sugar
- 5 tablespoon cocoa
- one beaten egg
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¾ cup fine or medium unsweetened coconut
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
Notes on Nuts
One of the other things worth noting in making Nanaimo Bars of any flavour is the choice of nuts in the bottom. I get asked questions all the time about substituting them.
My answer is generally, "Use what you like." Since these are all no-bake cookie recipes, I think it is important to toast any nuts before chopping or grinding them finely to use in the recipe. The flavour will be so much better.
Generally, most nuts like pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds will take from 7-10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven.
Lay them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toss once during the cooking time. Let you nose guide you, the nuts will begin to smell quite toasty and delicious when they are done.
They should also be hot enough that you would not pick them up with your fingers. If its not completely heated through, it isn't properly toasted.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 589Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 15gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 49mgSodium 216mgCarbohydrates 82gFiber 4gSugar 63gProtein 5g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Do you always sift your icing sugar before you measure?
Can you leave the nuts out of the base layer?
I'd say so. You may want to add a little more coconut, but not equal the amount of nuts.
Made these cookies today for the first time. Wow! What an incredible flavour! Love the Irish Cream in the filling and chocolate! Santa will love these for sure!
I love coconut but i am the only one in my family.. I notice most of these recipes call for coconut.. I know my family would love this Irish cream desert.. Do you have to use coconut in these desserts?? I would love to make all of these but i would have to omit the coconut.. Can i use anything in replace for the coconut or do i have to add it at all?? Thanks, Melanie
You could take it out and replace with a little more nuts. Not as much as the coconut, but a bit more.
I dont see the custard powder in most of these recipes. Should we add some ?
No, only the original version uses custard powder.
Do you have to keep these bars in the fridge? I made them last week so good only thing I messed up and made the filling to soft ( I used soft margarine so this may have been the problem) I kept them in the fridge so they would stay in shape. I will tray making them again as they are delicious, Thank you for sharing your recipe I am looking forward to trying some more of your great treats
NEVER use margarine in anything and especially not soft margarine for baking. That's a recipe for failure.
Lol I learnt the hard way, I made them the other day again and worked out way much better .:-)
Hi, I was wondering do you have to keep these in the fridge? or can I keep in a air tight container in my larder!! Thank you in advance
I freeze them mostly and take them out as needed. I do store them in the fridge after.
I’m a fan of the Nanaimo Bar and was very curious about this particular recipe. It was easily assembled and the Irish Cream was the perfect addition to this treat. It tastes like Christmas and will be a great new tradition in our house.
2020 has been such a crappy year so it's critical we focus on the good......such as this super delicious Irish Cream Nanaimo Bar. Breakfast of Champions!! Merry Christmas all and wishing you a very Happy, Safe and Healthy 2021.
The 1/3 cup of bailey's made the filling very thin, so I had to add almost 1 cup more of icing sugar to thicken it up. The result was an overly sweet filling in which the taste of the bailey's got lost. The bailey's in the chocolate topping probably saved this one from being a bit plain. I used salted caramel bailey's rather than plain for something different. Next time will not add the full 1/3 cup and see how that works. I've made these before with no issues, so maybe I didn't add all the bailey's last time.
I was wondering if these would work if you substituted the Irish cream for egg nog?
Worth a try but you may not get the same depth of flavour
Hi, my husband cannot eat nuts of any sort ( health issues), myself, I just don't eat them. So my question is, can I replace the nuts with coconut?
You can add coconut or add more graham wafer crumbs