19 Dessert Spirits That Aren't Baileys, Ranked

Do you ever get the urge for a sweet little nightcap, but don't feel like fashioning any concoction? We're in the same boat — sometimes I just want a sip of something to cap off a meal, and I'd prefer it be sans hassle. I'd be okay with a two-ingredient drink, but anything more than that — or anything that asks me to pull out my cocktail shaker — isn't going to fly. I regularly keep at least one or two dessert liqueurs on hand for such occasions, and as I've gotten into refining my bar cart collection, I figured it was high time to explore the breadth of dessert liqueur options on the market.

The following is a roundup and ranking of a whopping 19 different bottles, and if I'm being honest, ranking them was no easy task. All of the below are either single-pour spirits or spirits that can easily be mellowed out with a cream liqueur addition (such is the case with some of the espresso/coffee/chocolate liqueurs below). So, when ranking them, I relied heavily on personal preference. In this piece, I favored bottles that boasted deep, complex flavors without being too saccharine, and I favored single-pour drinks above anything else. I'd encourage you to read through my descriptions of each and buy which will best suit your dessert liqueur needs; for example, if you want a particularly cloying liqueur, it may be advantageous to shop some of the spirits toward the bottom of my list. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Again, if you read my initial bottle review of Kahlúa x Dunkin's Caramel Swirl Cream Liqueur (which was exceedingly positive), you might be wondering why it made the bottom of this list. Ultimately, it couldn't match up to my higher-ranked choices, and it's a very cloying choice. I enjoy a sip or two of this on occasion, but it doesn't boast much sophistication — it's your classic Kahlúa with a punch of caramel, and the result is a little sticky and very sweet.

It's an easily drinkable bottle, and I don't dislike it. I just prefer bottles on this list that have more complexity, which I could pour for a crowd and easily impress my guests. Will I still keep this bottle on hand to accompany the occasional dessert? Yeah, probably. But it wouldn't be my go-to, and ultimately became a last-place contender. 

Yeah, this is a hot take — I've really, really tried to like eggnog, but I just can't make myself love it, which is the primary reason I gave Evan Williams' Eggnog the second-to-last place spot on this list. I found it to be a fairly strong drink, and you get some burn from the various liquors in the bottle. However, that's tempered by the creaminess that's also present. The nutmeg was pretty strong, and though I like nutmeg, it was a little over the top for me. 

If you like eggnog, don't shy away from this bottle. It's previously been named the top choice when compared to other boozy eggnogs, so I don't doubt that fans of nog will enjoy it. But when pitted against the rest of the dessert liqueurs on this list, I couldn't justify ranking it higher. 

I'm a general fan of the Ole Smoky brand, which I was first introduced to when I tried its stellar hard blackberry lemonade, and its jar of White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Moonshine definitely isn't turning me off from the brand. I've just never been big on white chocolate, and that flavor came through dominantly in this jar. I adored the strawberry cream notes, though, and had those been at the forefront, I probably would have ranked this higher.

Moreover, this is a little too sweet for my taste to really indulge in as a solo drink. I do, however, want to pour it over a heaping scoop of strawberry ice cream — I feel the two would complement each other well, and I won't deny the jar's dessert appeal. 

I could identify the salted caramel notes in this bottle of Carolans with my eyes closed — they're obvious, and pretty cloying. So, again, this bottle is difficult to drink solo (though I do want to brush some of it on a brownie). I like the OG Carolans better, and you'll see that further down on this list. Its salted caramel bottle was just too saccharine to get a higher spot here.

Honestly, I'd probably be most likely to enjoy this in the morning — I'd use it as a boozy coffee creamer in a heartbeat. I like it even though it lacks complexity. Do with this what you will; I'll certainly keep this bottle on hand, but I'm not sure how many uses I'll find for it. 

I do love a coffee liqueur. Many of these middling selections on my list couldn't rank higher because they aren't single-pour drinks, nor are they meant to be; still, they'd do a lovely job at enhancing a dessert or another boozy dessert concoction. Such is the case with Char and Stave's Classic Coffee Liqueur, which comes in a bottle that I want to display front and center on my bar cart. 

This is a strong coffee liqueur — it has a bit of a burn to it, and needs to be mellowed out by other additions. I'll absolutely be using it to upgrade my next batch of brownies, and it would make for a lovely espresso martini addition, but I do think this is one I'll use sparingly. 

This and the previous bottle are quite similar, but I found a bit more depth to St. Elder's Espresso Coffee Liqueur that endeared me to it more. Coffee nerds will enjoy this bottle, and I appreciated its slightly lower ABV, which lent less of a burn to this liqueur. Espresso is obviously at the forefront, but it's also a little chocolatey and a little nutty, and though I wouldn't drink it solo, it would be easy to dress up.

I'd use this liqueur to spike a hot chocolate without hesitation, and it's another that would work well in an espresso martini (though I'd probably prefer the strength of the previous bottle for the latter drink). I'm sure I'll find more uses for this bottle down the road.

I do love a good chocolate liqueur, and Sausalito's Unsinkable Chocolate Liqueur is definitely a strong competitor among other chocolate liqueurs I've tried. It's clear that the company uses high-quality chocolate (check out TCHO, the chocolate used in this liqueur, when you get a chance), and the result is a strong, rich chocolate liqueur that I'll be using in any number of concoctions. 

Still, the thin mouthfeel and burn at the end of the sip make this a bottle that you won't drink solo, but I won't fault it for that. It doesn't need many additions to make a complex, inviting drink, and it's undeniably dessert-y. If you need a strong chocolate liqueur, grab this one; if you want a solo pour, there are many more to come.

Of the coffee liqueurs on this list, I'd have to call Veritable's Coffee Liqueur the fullest in terms of its flavor profile. This bottle melds the alcohol and coffee notes remarkably well to almost give the impression that you're just drinking a strong, cold (or room temperature) coffee. It has the sweetest profile of all the coffee liqueurs but lacks some of the chocolate and nutty notes present in the others, so do with that information what you will.

The reason this is the highest-ranking coffee liqueur is just that it's the one I'd be the most likely to drink straight. It has the smoothest journey with a nice, rich mouthfeel, and is a great bottle to have on hand for any occasion.

Another eggnog! I was significantly more endeared to Evan Williams' Peppermint White Chocolate Eggnog than I was to its classic bottle. Yes, adding in the peppermint and white chocolate notes to temper the 'nog is what won me over here, and I won't apologize for that. I think this makes a really good entry bottle for those unaccustomed to eggnog, or just trying to dip their toes into noggy waters. 

The flavor is more complex in this bottle, with peppermint sitting as a subtle overtone and white chocolate just adding a slightly sweet balancing element. This bottle also tastes more seasonally appropriate than the former (obviously), and I like the extra oomph it gets from the additional flavors. 

Ah, the top-ranking chocolate liqueur in this roundup! Joseph Cartron's Cacao made the No. 10 spot on this list because of how smooth it is — it tastes like liquefied chocolate with a slight astringency at the end of the sip. The chocolate in this liqueur is dark (which I adore), but my favorite aspect of this bottle was how the flavor lingers after the sip. Chocolate sat on my tongue for a wildly long time, which is never a bad thing. 

Overall, this is a bottle of very punchy liqueur that I could still drink straight when in the mood. My immediate urge is to mix it into some hot chocolate for a luxurious chocolate-on-chocolate appeal. 

If you've been on the pumpkin spice bandwagon for as long as it's been a thing, move this liqueur to the top of your shopping list, stat. I never managed to buy into the pumpkin spice hype, but even I liked this bottle, which boasts about its flavor profile without ceasing — indeed, I could have easily identified it with my eyes closed. It's fairly nutmeg-forward as far as pumpkin-spiced products go, but I didn't find that to be a turnoff. 

The only reason I couldn't rank this higher is that it may have a narrow audience, and if you don't like pumpkin spice, you won't be a fan. It also doesn't allow for much experimentation. Still, it was an easy top 10 contender.

I love Irish cream liqueurs, yet somehow I've managed to stay away from Carolans until now — and I sorely regret it. I know, I know, don't worry, I've berated myself enough already. The flavor of Carolans liqueur is complex and far nuttier than I was expecting, with a slightly sharp finish that'll remind you that you're drinking something boozy. 

One reason I appreciate this expression in particular is that it's less sweet than Bailey's or Kahlua, instead boasting a depth of flavor that's still very inviting as a solo sipper. It tastes like a very sophisticated pour and seems amenable to a variety of uses; drink it sans accoutrements, or pour some atop ice cream for a boozy kick.

I know I didn't rank the previous Ole Smoky liqueur very high (again, I'll call that a personal hot take), but I absolutely loved its Butter Pecan Moonshine. It may help that butter pecan is one of my favorite ice cream flavors, and this tasted like a liquefied, alcoholic version of the cold treat. It has a distinctly Southern appeal that will make anyone feel right at home — in fact, I may pour myself some right now.

There's a little bit of burn to this one, which is to be expected, as it's moonshine, but it almost gives a spicy kick that only adds to its complexity. Its flavor profile is unmistakable and full of nutty earthiness, along with a nostalgic element that takes me straight back to childhood. It's not hard to love. 

Tamworth Garden made an appearance in my roundup of excellent berry liqueurs, so I was excited to try another entry from the brand. It didn't disappoint in the slightest. Tamworth Garden's Sierra Fig Cordial is uniquely inviting as a dessert liqueur. To be frank, it's a lot to drink solo, and I couldn't give myself a big pour of it — but it's so yummy that I couldn't possibly rank it any lower.

The spirit tastes like liquefied, fermented figs. It's thick, syrupy, and tastes incredibly pure. It's a decadent bottle to be savored, and I can think of a dozen uses for it off the top of my head. If not drinking it solo, I'd use it to accent pretty much any dessert, or as an add-in to berry compote. It's divine. 

Irish cream, bourbon cream — I love them all, but I may love Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream the most. And no, it has nothing to do with its undeniably attractive, minimalistic bottle design. Again, I loved the complexity of flavor in this bottle and really appreciated that it wasn't too sweet, which made it endlessly more palatable (to me, at least). 

I found the bourbon and cream flavors to be particularly well-balanced in this rendition; each shines in its own right, complementing the other beautifully. The bottle packs a punch of flavor with a slightly sharp finish, but I still finished a glass faster than I'd care to admit. But while delicious, it couldn't top the following selections. 

My mother adores RumChata, so my affection for the drink may be an inherited taste, but can anyone blame me? What's not to like about a booze-ified horchata? And this certainly does the job well — it's a classic for a reason. It's smooth, cinnamon-y, and full of that rice milk flavor that horchata lovers know all too well. 

This bottle has a particularly low ABV, which may be a turnoff to some, but ABV wasn't a consideration in my ranking factors for this piece. That said, this hardly tastes alcoholic (almost in a dangerous way). It tastes very much like a dessert, and is easily its own drink, though you'll certainly be finding other uses for it once it's on your bar cart. Were it slightly more sophisticated, it might have made the top three.

XXI is the brand behind my favorite bottled espresso martini, so it came as no surprise that its chocolate peppermint rendition is similarly exquisite. It's a whole cocktail all on its own. The drink gives undeniable holiday appeal if you're looking for seasonally-appropriate sipping, and though it's served cold, it'll warm up even the iciest personality in your living room. 

Peppermint hovers over the rich, chocolatey profile of this cup rather than taking the starring role, which I found particularly appealing. It's neither too sharp nor too sweet, and I see this drink being palatable to a wide variety of consumers. This and the following two are all different enough from each other that I'd recommend stocking your cart with all of them. But ultimately, the next two had a slight edge. 

If you find yourself with a little extra cash on hand, you wouldn't be remiss to splurge on a bottle of Hacienda de Chihuahua Crema de Sotol. I was a little taken aback at my first sip; this isn't your average cream liqueur, nor does it want to be. It's sophisticated beyond belief and definitely a bottle to have on hand if you want to impress your guests. Just make sure to savor it along the way. 

The depth of the liqueur's nutty flavor profile knows no end. I got ample hazelnut and pecan, with a subtle sweetness that just accentuates the nuts (almost making them taste candied) without being at all cloying. You'll be left with some heat on your tongue at the end of the sip, and it has a thick mouthfeel that just helps it linger. This is a gourmet bottle if there ever was one.

At the end of the day, nothing could beat my top choice: Metcalfe's Vermont Maple Cream Liqueur. Have you ever wanted to drink maple syrup, but make it creamy, boozy, and not as sweet? Then this is your bottle. And no, I didn't know I needed it in my life, either — until I tried it, that is. 

"Divine" was the first word to come to mind after sipping this one. Maple is amply present, and somehow, it's not at all cloying. There's surprisingly little burn to this bottle, too, especially considering its 17% ABV. Its mouthfeel is thick, rich, and creamy, with a complex maple profile that any syrup aficionado would easily appreciate. BRB, I think it's time for my nightcap.

Again, ordering this list was difficult. Ultimately, my ranking came down to which bottles I'm most likely to drink next, whether solo or as part of a larger (yet still minimal) concoction. My bottom choices were too saccharine for my palate, which certainly doesn't make them bad — rather, they'll just appeal to a different consumer base. My top choices are complex and well-balanced, with flavor profiles that will appeal to a wide audience of imbibers.