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These soft chocolate-covered cookie balls are the boozy dessert you need in your life! Made in a snap with just 5 ingredients, these No-Bake Baileys Irish Cream Cookies are perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day.
Spiked with Baileys Irish Cream and covered in a silky layer of chocolate, these no-bake cookies are delightful little balls of joy. They’re a cross between fancy liqueur truffles and soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. And you only need 5 ingredients!
You simply crush up some vanilla wafers, mix them with powdered sugar, Baileys and corn syrup, cover them in melted chocolate and wait for the chocolate to set. It’s a super simple process that’s easy to master on your first try. One of the best things about these cookies is that the wafer crumbs soak up the flavor and moisture from the Irish Cream as they sit. So they taste even better the day after they’re made!
What Kind of Alcohol is Baileys Irish Cream?
Baileys Irish Cream is a classic liqueur that combines Irish whiskey, cream and cocoa. It’s known for its sweet, dessert-like flavor, and it’s one of the most popular liqueurs in the world. You can add Baileys to all sorts of desserts, but none of them are as quick and easy as these no-bake cookies!
Recipe Ingredients
Let’s take a moment to go over each ingredient used in these cookie balls. You probably already have everything you need!
- Vanilla Wafers: Crushed in a food processor.
- Powdered Sugar
- Corn Syrup: Or you could try Lyle’s Golden Syrup.
- Baileys Irish Cream
- Chocolate Candy Coating: Such as candy melts or candiquick.
One thing that sets these cookies apart from other no-bake cookie balls is that they don’t need to be chilled. As soon as the balls are formed, they’re ready for the chocolate coating!
- Combine Wafer Crumbs & Powdered Sugar: Combine the vanilla wafer crumbs and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
- Add Corn Syrup & Baileys: Add the corn syrup and Irish cream and mix well. The mixture may seem kind of crumbly, but it does hold its shape very well when you mush it together to form the balls.
- Form Cookies: Make balls of about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough each. Shape the balls with your fingertips and set them aside. The dough might become sticky – you can dust your fingertips with powdered sugar to help with the stickiness.
- Melt Chocolate: Microwave the chocolate candy melts in increments of about 45 seconds, mixing after each increment and reducing the microwave time as needed to avoid burning the chocolate.
- Coat Cookies: Dip each cookie ball into the melted chocolate to coat. You can rest the balls on a fork or use a toothpick.
- Let Set: Place the coated cookie balls onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper and allow the chocolate to set.
Tips for Success
Even though this recipe is easy as can be, it’s always helpful to have a few tricks up your sleeve. Here are all of mine!
- Use Chocolate Made for Melting: Although it’s possible to melt down regular chocolate chips for your cookie ball coating, I recommend using chocolates that are specifically designed for melting and hardening. They’re easier to work with and less likely to burn.
- Stop the Dough from Sticking: Due to the warmth of your fingers, the cookie dough can stick to them and get messy as you work with it. I like to prevent this by dusting my fingertips with powdered sugar when I’m rolling the dough into balls.
- Avoid Burning the Chocolate: Once your chocolate starts to get melty, lower the microwave time to keep it from burning. And don’t forget to stir after each increment. I usually start at 45 seconds and end up somewhere around 10. To simplify the melting process, use a candy melting pot instead of the microwave.
- Make These a Day in Advance: I encourage you to make these cookie balls the day before you plan to enjoy them. They will still be delicious if you eat them right away, but the wafer crumbs will be more distinct rather than fully incorporated and melt-in-your-mouth awesome.
It’s time to talk about finishing touches! There are tons of simple yet elegant ways to decorate your cookie balls.
- Top with Nonpareil Sprinkles: I love decorating my cookie balls with those little round sprinkles known as nonpareils. Sprinkle them over the cookies before the chocolate coating has set so that they stick.
- Add a Chocolate Drizzle: If you’d like to add a chocolate drizzle to your cookies, wait until the chocolate coating has set. Once it has fully hardened, drizzle additional melted chocolate over each ball.
- Decorate with Sanding Sugar: Want to add some green to your truffles to avoid getting pinched by a leprechaun? Try sprinkling the cookies with green sanding sugar before the chocolate sets.
- Top with Oreo Crumbs: Crushed Oreos are another tasty topping for these cookie balls. Once again, you should sprinkle them on before the chocolate hardens.
Storage Instructions
It’s totally okay to keep your cookies at room temperature for 24 hours or so, but if you’re storing them for longer, refrigerate them in an airtight container. They will last this way for up to a week! Feel free to let them come to room temperature before enjoying them if you’d like.
Can I Freeze These?
Absolutely! These cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Keep them in a freezer-safe storage bag or airtight container. Thaw them out in the fridge or on the counter before chowing down.
Watch How To Make Them
Print
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 22
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These soft chocolate-covered cookie balls are the boozy dessert you need in your life! Made in a snap with just 5 ingredients, these No-Bake Baileys Irish Cream Cookies are perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day.
Ingredients
- 3 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
- 1 cup (115g) powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) corn syrup
- 1/3 cup (80ml) Baileys Irish Cream
- 12 oz candy melts
Instructions
- Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
- Add corn syrup and Irish cream and mix well. Mixture will be crumbly.
- Make balls of about 1 tablespoon each of the vanilla wafer mixture. Shape balls with your fingertips and set aside. Dough might become sticky – you can dust your fingertips with powdered sugar to help with the stickiness.
- Melt candy melts in a bowl in the microwave using short time increments of about 15-45 seconds (more explanation on how I do that above).
- Dip each ball into the chocolate (you can rest the balls on a fork, or use a toothpick) and set on a piece of parchment paper to dry.
Notes
- Makes 20-24 cookie balls
- To Store: These cookies can be kept at room temperature for 24 hours or so, but if you’re storing them for longer, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Bring them to room temperature before enjoying if desired.
- To Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe storage bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter before enjoying.
- Recipe modified from Fabulous Foods
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie Ball
- Calories: 155
- Sugar: 20.2 g
- Sodium: 36.9 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat:
- Carbohydrates: 25.1 g
- Protein: 1.6 g
- Cholesterol: 3.1 mg
Categories
More Boozy Treats to Try
Craving more sweet treats that incorporate alcohol? Be sure to check out the following recipes.
When I was young my mom would make rum balls. When I started making these for Christmas myself I changed the recipe and used Bailey’s. You should try the caramel Bailey’s too! It was just like the recipe you have here. I don’t dip mine in chocolate. I just roll the cookies in chopped nuts and then press half a maraschino cherry in the center. I have also used Kahlua in the chocolate flavored cookies. If my dough is too sticky I add more vanilla wafers and refrigerate the dough overnight before rolling into balls. Of course now I use my small cookie scoop. It’s a time saver!
The same sticky mess happened to me too. At first I thought it was from not mixing the ingredients well enough because it seemed like 1/3 cup was wayyyyy too much corn syrup. I used the round disks of vanilla wafers and not the wavy sandwich bars. I have flat gewie cookie shaped treats that don’t look appetizing at all 🙁 since I couldn’t form them into balls, I couldn’t dip them into chocolate so I just drizzled the melted chocolate on top. I’ll try again
I’m sorry about that Lou. I’ve been meaning to go back and adjust the recipe based on the trouble people have had with it, but haven’t had a chance.
Thanks for the reply! I ended up using the gewy bit as filling between the vanilla wafer cookies and made sandwiches. i even dipped some of the top cookies in white chocolate. The best part was that I added a milk chocolate/Bailey’s drizzle mix on top then sprinkles. Everyone loved them and enjoyed the slight Bailey’s after taste and not too sweet treat.
Oh my gosh, they sound great! I’m glad you were still able to use them!
I may be out in left field, but I’ve been baking for nearly 50 years and I would suggest setting aside enough to make 3 or 4 balls and adding 1/2 Nilla Waffer at a time (obviously crumbled) to stiffen your batter. If you think back to when you were a kid and made your first pancakes from scratch, the batter was either too thick or too thin. The principal is the same. Too wet to form into a ball, add more crumbs to it. Careful to make note of how much extra you have to add, so you can adjust your recipe in the future. Overall this sounds like a great non bake way to start the day! Thanks for letting an old man express his thoughts.
John P.
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Hi…I tried making these no bake bailey’s irish cream cookie balls today & it was a disaster. I followed the directions to the T too. I can’t figure out what happened…I too used my food processor to crush up the wafers…when I “mushed” everything together I couldn’t form a ball and it didn’t hold it’s shape…Everything was very sticky…when I tried to shape into balls…they got flat…I even put them in the freezer to harden up before dipping into chocolate…that didn’t help….I ended up throwing the whole batch out…what a waste of the Irish Cream….I so wanted this to work out.
I’m so sorry that happened Patricia! If you decide to try them again and they still aren’t holding their shape, try adding a little more liquid. If they seen too sticky and you don’t want to add more corn syrup or Baileys, you could try a little milk or melted butter. Again, I’m sorry about that – I hate that they didn’t work out for you – they really are tasty if you want to give them another try!
Hi….Thank you for responding to me…but I was wondering how more liquid can make it better?
When they were so sticky, I couldn’t even handle them. I ground the vanilla wafers real fine in my processor…would that have made a difference? Would adding more powdered sugar help? Please let me know. Thanks. Patricia
It sounded as though they weren’t holding together, so I thought maybe more moisture would help. It really is hard to say without being able to see and feel it. I don’t remember them being sticky. If the problem you’re having is that they are too sticky to form balls because it’s sticking to your hands, adding powdered sugar could help. You could also try putting powdered sugar on your hands to keep it from sticking to you. I’m sorry you had that problem. 🙁
What kind of corn syrup works best for this recipe…light or dark? I’m about to try this and I’m not sure which to use! THANK YOU! 🙂
I use light corn syrup
Hello. I think Patricia may have made the same mistake that I did. I just finished mixing all my ingredients…and the balls just weren’t holding together. So I started reading through the comments to see if anyone else had this problem. Then I discovered it…you used Nilla Wafers. And I used sugar wafers. It’s my own fault, but when I read vanilla wafers, I pictured the sugar wafer sandwiches we all ate as kids. Ya know, they have a waffle look to it? Anyways, they don’t work…and I have a feeling the balls would be TOO sweet even if it did. So now I’m off to the grocery store to get some Nilla wafers! We have a St. Patrick’s Day bridal shower for my cousin this weekend and my mom is looking forward to this recipe!
OK – I’m back again. Unfortunately, I’m still with Patricia. I got the correct Nilla Wafers and the recipe still isn’t working for me. The only thing I can think is that it’s too much liquid, too. Maybe the corn syrup? I am trying to double the recipe. Not sure if that’s the problem. I’m using light corn syrup. Is there another kind?
It’s a great looking recipe! I just wish I could figure it out!
Hi Liz! Thanks for letting me know that you’re having trouble. I cam home after work to try and make them again to see if I can recreate the problem. For me, they are very moist. Not having an issue holding together at all. Are you having trouble getting them into balls, or with them staying together when dipping them in the chocolate?
Also Liz, as the mixture sat for about 15 minutes, it really firmed up a lot for me which made the balls even easier to make. Did that not happen for you? I’m really trying to figure this out. I’d like to be able to update the instructions so that people don’t keep having trouble. So thank you for your responses. And I’m sorry for all the trouble you’ve had with it.
I had the same problem that Patricia had. 🙁 I ended up with a bowl full of sticky mess that would not form balls. I even tried adding more powder sugar and freezing them…. I currently have what looks like very flat cookies in my freezer. I keep hopping for a way to save them. I was so excited about these! 🙁
I’m sorry to hear that Megan! After a few comments about having trouble, I tried making them again myself last night and while the mixture was certainly moist and sticky, after sitting for about 15 minutes, it really firmed up and was quite easy to shape into balls. I hope you were able to use them. I’ll be updated the recipe soon to make the instructions more clear.
I just love the idea of using cookies instead of cake – looks so good!
Thanks Summer! Yea, it’s nice to not have to bake a cake sometimes 🙂
I’ve been making these for a while using my rum ball recipe, also different alcohols . Dipping in chocolate is a new thought, I usually roll in a coco powder and 10x
They’re tasty, aren’t they? Yum!
I was wondering, do you dip then , then let them sit overnight? Or make the balls, let them sit overnight, then dip them?
Dip them, then let them sit overnight. The chocolate coating holds in the moisture and the flavors really soak into the cookie crumbs.
Could you use Bailey’s coffee creamer instead of the real stuff?
I haven’t tried it, but it shouldn’t mess anything up. The taste of Baileys may not be as strong though. Also, you might want to refrigerate the balls, since they’ll have the creamer in them.
I’m in the UK and wanted to know what vanilla wafer cookies are? I’ve googled and found the wafer sandwiched fingers which we have here in the UK and also little circular biscuits which we don’t have here like Nilla wafers.
The vanilla wafer cookies I used were Nilla Wafers. I’m not sure what you have available there to suggest the best substitute, but I’d think graham crackers would work. The flavor might be a little different since Nilla Wafers have more of a vanilla flavor to them, but the texture should be similar.
I was just going to ask if they were the “Nilla Wafers” or some other sort of vanilla wafer.
Yes, I use Nilla Wafers.
i am giving them a try for St. Paddy Day.. Yummy
do you leave them overnight at room temp or in the fridge?
Hi Laura – I left them at room temperature. There’s nothing in them that will spoil if left out of the fridge and I think things like cake pops and these cookie balls taste best at room temp.
What a great idea to use nilla wafers. I’m SO doing that!
Lindsay these are adorable!! And sometimes no-bake is just what I need when a hectic week hits me. 😀 YUM.
Thanks Jess! I love no-bake stuff. Sometimes I just want something quick and easy 🙂
Looks like a great treat!!
Thanks Bernice!
You can never have too much Bailey’s! These sound amazing!
Thanks Elise!