Combine Affogato And Irish Coffee For The Ultimate Boozy Treat

Sometimes, you wake up on a cool fall day, glad that the morning is as hazy-looking as you feel. Other times, you're sweating bullets on the front porch during a sweltering August night, jonesing for a cold dessert to whisk you into the summer evening. Coffee sounds nice, but so does ice cream — and so does a stuff drink. Great news, folks: You can have it all. Introducing the Irish coffee affogato: the boozy, chilled dessert of your grown-up dreams.

If you've never tried an affogato before, it's more of a dessert than a drink. Traditionally, it's espresso over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The hot shot slightly melts the ice cream for a sweet, creamy, coffee-ice cream fusion. What could be better? That might seem like a rhetorical question, but it isn't: Add booze.

Just like you would when making a regular Irish coffee, grab your whiskey and Irish cream liqueur. Then, grab a pint of ice cream and some cold brew. Store-bought or homemade are both fine; This recipe could even be a thrifty way to use up that leftover half-cup of cold brew in the fridge that you never finished this morning (or yesterday, we aren't judging). To assemble, simply scoop the ice cream into a clear glass and top it with a few slugs of the Irish cream liqueur, whiskey, and cold brew. That's it. 

We all scream for Irish cream

Start your Saturday morning off right, or punctuate any legendary meal with a proportionately stunning dessert. Plus, since this Irish coffee affogato is both spiked and caffeinated, it'll stave off a post-dinner food coma in style, or give you the pick-me-up to bare-knuckle box the hair of the dog in the morning.

This treat can be enjoyed at any time of the day, so feel free to exercise a little creative liberty with your recipe, too. Vanilla ice cream is standard for affogatos, but java, butter pecan, and rum raisin are all fair game. If you prefer a milder flavor, try using Sláinte Irish whiskey, which has subtle notes of vanilla, pastry, and pepper. Or, if you have a sweet tooth, give Peanut Butter Skrewball a whirl.

For a playful presentation at a dinner party, serve your Irish coffee affogato in a martini glass. In true espresso martini style, you could even garnish your treat with a few lightly-toasted espresso beans. If you have a little extra time on your hands, you could also make an extra-fancy version and turn this affogato into a layered dessert: Vanilla ice cream, a shot of espresso, Irish cream liqueur, and a small slice of vanilla pound cake. The cake will soak up a good bit of the moisture, leading to a kick of flavor in every bite.