Does Baileys Have Dairy?

Find out what Baileys is made of, what varieties they offer, and if it’s safe for a dairy-free diet. Plus which variety is dairy-free.

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Are you a fan of Baileys Irish cream liqueur? This creamy sweet liqueur is perfect for dessert cocktails and mixed drinks, as well as adding a little something boozy to homemade desserts, like ice cream or mixed into hot chocolate.

If you follow a dairy-free diet, you know that dairy is particularly hard to find in many foods – and especially drinks, because it hides under many names. That said, it’s even harder to know when something is dairy-free, because alcohol companies aren’t required to disclose their ingredients to the public.

That’s why in this post, we’re going to get our big questions about Baileys Irish Cream answered and find out if it’s dairy-free. We’re going to talk about what Baileys is, what it’s made from, what products Baileys produces, and wrap up the post with which Baileys varieties are dairy-free.

This post is part of the Gluten-free Alcohol Series, where we’re going to discuss different types of alcoholic drinks and how they fit into a gluten-free diet. 

What is Baileys?

Baileys is an Irish cream flavored liqueur with flavors of cream, cocoa, and made into an alcoholic beverage with Irish whiskey. It’s a popular drink to add to coffee or hot chocolate, or one of the main ingredients in dessert drinks, like Mudslides and White Russians.

Some people even prefer to drink it plain, on the rocks or served over ice cream. Baileys has a 17% alcohol content.

What products does Baileys make?

Baileys produces a number of different liqueurs. Here are the current offerings from their website:

• Baileys Original Irish Cream
• Baileys Almande
• Baileys Salted Caramel
• Baileys Strawberries & Cream
• Baileys Espresso Creme
• Baileys Red Velvet
• Baileys Apple Pie
• Baileys Deliciously Light
• Baileys Vanilla Cinnamon
• Baileys Colada

What is Baileys made of?

Baileys Irish cream is made with Irish dairy cream, cocoa, vanilla and Irish whiskey with a proprietary recipe. Since Baileys is an alcoholic drink, the company is not required to share their unique recipe or ingredients.

This brand of Irish cream comes in a variety of flavors, so these different options will have different ingredients in them. 

What is dairy?

Dairy is a general name for ANY food that is made from milk. Technically, this is any food made from cow’s milk or goat’s milk or sheep’s milk. Any animal milk is dairy. 

However, mostly when we’re talking about dairy, we’re talking about drinking cow’s milk, because that’s what is most popular here in the United States.

Is Baileys dairy-free?

Baileys Original flavor is not dairy-free, and most of their other products contain dairy. This includes their Salted Caramel, Strawberries and Cream, Espresso Creme, Red Velvet, Apple Pie, Deliciously Light, Vanilla Cinnamon, and Colada varieties.

If you are avoiding dairy, choose Baileys Almande, as this is made with almond milk instead of dairy milk. 

What Baileys products are dairy-free?

If you follow a dairy-free diet, opt for their Almande variety as this is their one dairy-free and vegan option. Baileys Almande is made with almond milk instead of cow’s milk. 

According to the Baileys website, this liqueur is “almond milk is made from sweet almond oil and almond essence (extracted from crushed almonds), cane sugar, and purified water with a touch of real vanilla.”

The Baileys brand recommends this liqueur be served plain over ice or in a chilled cocktail for best flavor.

Is Baileys gluten-free?

According to the Gluten Bee, Baileys is considered gluten-free as they don’t use gluten-containing ingredients and they have no knowledge of traces of gluten in their products. 

Baileys doesn’t make any gluten-free claims on their Original and flavored products except that their ingredients do not contain gluten. This may imply there are traces of gluten, but it also may not. Use your best judgement as to whether that works for you before buying and drinking this beverage.

Baileys Almande is considered gluten-free by the company. 

Read on: Is Bailey’s gluten-free?

Read on: Which liqueurs are gluten-free?

If you are a fan of Baileys Irish cream liqueur, I hope this post has been helpful for you to choose an option for your favorite mixed drinks that works for your dairy-free diet. As of right now, Baileys only offers one dairy-free option, their Almande liqueur, but here’s hoping they create some other varieties down the road!

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