This Baileys hot chocolate is smooth and creamy classic hot chocolate with a delicious boozy twist.
Baileys hot chocolate is the perfect cozy drink for a night in. This recipe makes just one cup, so you can sip it on a solo evening, or double the recipe to share.
It’s easy, creamy, and will warm you right up on a chilly evening.
Ingredients
- Sugar, cocoa powder, and water: Instead of using hot chocolate mix or syrup, we’ll make our own chocolate syrup with just these three ingredients.
- Chopped chocolate: You can make hot chocolate without using real chocolate, but adding just a bit makes everything that much better. High-quality chips work too, but make sure you melt them really well because the stabilizers in the chocolate don’t like to fully melt.
- Milk: Any percentage milk works. The higher fat, the creamier your hot chocolate will be. For the most decadent hot chocolate, replace part of the milk with a little half and half or heavy cream.
- Baileys: Or your Irish cream liqueur of choice.
How to Make Baileys Hot Chocolate
- Make a simple chocolate syrup by stirring together sugar and cocoa powder, adding water, and whisking it together in a small pot over medium-low heat.
- Add the chocolate and heat until chocolate is fully melted. Keep the temperature low and make sure all the chocolate has melted into the sauce before adding the milk or you’ll have a hard time getting it to melt later.
- Turn heat up to medium, add the milk and heat, whisking often, until steaming. Do not allow it to come to a boil as the milk can curdle.
- Remove from heat and stir in Baileys. Top with whipped cream and fudge sauce if desired, and enjoy!
Can I make this in the microwave?
Yes. To make your hot chocolate in the microwave, stir together sugar and cocoa powder in a mug and then stir in water. Microwave for 15 seconds and stir until everything is well mixed. Add the chocolate and heat in 15-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate has melted into the sauce. Add milk and microwave for about a minute or until steaming.
Watch closely to make sure the milk does not get too hot and bubble over. Stir in the Baileys and you’re good to go!
What can I use instead of Baileys?
If you don’t have Baileys, you can use any brand of Irish cream liqueur. Kahlua or other coffee liqueurs would also be delicious!
More Hot Chocolate Recipes
- Classic Hot Chocolate
- Rich and Thick Hot Chocolate
- Pink Hot Chocolate
- White Hot Chocolate
- Chai White Hot Chocolate
- Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 12g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 5g ) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ▢ 1 tablespoon water
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate high quality chips are fine
- ▢ 3/4 cup milk any percentage
- ▢ 2 ounces ( 1/4 cup ) Baileys or any Irish cream liqueur
- ▢ Whipped cream optional for topping
- ▢ Fudge sauce optional for topping
Instructions
- In a small pot, stir together sugar and cocoa powder. Add water and heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until well mixed. Add chocolate and stir until chocolate is completely melted.
- Slowly whisk in milk and heat until steaming. Do not let mixture come to a simmer!
- Remove from heat and stir in the Bailey’s. Pour into an 8-ounce mug, top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
Fantastic chewy, peanut-buttery peanut butter oatmeal cookies that everyone will love, plus instructions for freezing the dough for later.
If you’ve never had a peanut butter oatmeal cookie before, friend, you’re in for a treat. They’re the perfect cookie hybrid.
All the satisfying, rich peanut-buttery flavor of a good peanut butter cookie and the bendy, chewy texture and crispy edges of an oatmeal cookie.
Plus (at least here in California) this isn’t a cookie you see every day, so you set out plate of these, and people are always excited to get something a little different and new.
This recipe will make two-dozen large cookies (no worries small-batch friends, here’s a small-batch peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe for you ).
And if you don’t feel like eating all two dozen right now, there are instructions below for freezing baked cookies and dough so you can stock up your freezer for later.
Ingredients
- Softened butter: I like to use salted butter in these cookies, but you can replace it with unsalted butter if that’s what you have. Just add an extra 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Peanut butter: Go with a processed brand like Jiff or Skippy, as these give you the most consistent results for baking. You could probably get away with using natural peanut butter if you really want to, but these cookies have not been tested with it, so I can’t guarantee the results.
- Brown and granulated sugar: A mix of brown and granulated sugar is used to sweeten the cookies.
- Large eggs: The eggs in this recipe add moisture to the dough and act as a binder for the rest of the ingredients.
- Vanilla extract: Even in peanut butter cookies, a little vanilla in the dough is such an excellent flavor boost.
- All-purpose flour: Make sure you’re measuring your flour either by weight or using the spoon and sweep method (stir the flour in your container to fluff it up and then spoon it into your measuring cup, sweep excess off with the flat of a knife). Too much flour and your cookies might not spread correctly.
- Quick-cooking oats: I prefer quick-cook oats for these cookies, but see my note below if you don’t have any on hand. Baking soda: Baking soda gives the cookies a little lift and (along with the sugar) helps them spread.
A Note on Oats
This recipe calls for quick-cook oats (AKA instant or minute oats). These are rolled oats that have been processed into smaller, thinner pieces so they cook more quickly. Using quick-cooked oats gives you a less “oaty” cookie. You’ll still get plenty of texture, but your peanut butter oat cookies aren’t going to taste like a granola bar.
If you normally keep old-fashioned/rolled oats on hand, not a problem. You can either embrace the extra texture and use them as-is or place 2 cups of oats into your food processor, pulse until most of the oats have been cut into smaller pieces and measure out 1 1/2 cups of the processed oats to use in the cookies.
Do not use steel-cut oats. No good can come of that.
How to Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Set your butter out to soften about an hour before you’re ready to make your cookies. When your butter is properly softened, you should be able to smoosh an indentation into it with your finger, but the butter around it should still hold its shape. To speed up butter softening, cut it into little pieces and place somewhere warm in your kitchen.
- Once butter is softened, cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars together.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- Beat in the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.
- Scoop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets. Bake cookies 6 to 8 to a sheet because they SPREAD. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to give them time to firm up, and then transfer them to a cooling rack and enjoy!
Freezing Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Freezing Baked Cookies: To freeze baked cookies, cool completely, transfer to a freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat one, you can defrost the cookie on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes or just eat it frozen.
Frozen cookies are surprisingly refreshing on a hot day.
Freezing Cookie Dough: To freeze the cookie dough, shape into balls and place on a plate or tray that will fit in your freezer until dough is frozen solid. Transfer frozen dough to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 to 3 months.
Baking Frozen Dough: Frozen cookie dough can go directly from the freezer to the oven. Bake on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet at 350°F for 13 to 16 minutes, until the top of the cookie/s looks set and bottom edges are lightly browned.
How to store cookies?
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 or 5 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 months.
Can I add chocolate chips?
Yes!!! !!!! Chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookies are SO good. Add about 2 cups of chocolate chips or chunks to the cookies. I particularly love to make them with milk chocolate chips.
Update: On the advice of some readers, I’ve started making these with peanut butter chips, and OMG, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Add 2 cups of peanut butter chips after you’ve stirred in the oats, and you will not regret it!
More Reader Favorite Desserts
- The Best Snickerdoodles
- Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Small-batch Banana Muffins
- Kettle Corn
- Dutch Apple Pie
Baking Notes
- Because of the amount of dough this recipe makes, I prefer to make it in a stand mixer for convenience, but as you can see from the recipe video, you can use a hand-held electric mixer or muscle power and a whisk, and your cookies will come out fantastically well.
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 cup ( 8oz, 2 sticks ) salted butter softened
- ▢ 1 cup ( 264g ) peanut butter creamy or chunky are fine, not natural peanut butter
- ▢ 1 cup ( 200g ) brown sugar
- ▢ 3/4 cup ( 150g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ 2 large eggs
- ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ 1 1/2 cup ( 180g ) all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats*
- ▢ 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until well-combined and fluffy, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until completely mixed.
- Add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Beat (if using a hand-held mixer or making by hand, use a wooden spoon to stir) until just mixed and a sticky dough forms.
- Scoop golf-ball- sized scoops of batter onto baking sheets, 8 to a sheet as far apart as possible (these cookies SPREAD).
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cookies are browned around the edges and tops look mostly set. For crispier cookies, bake until cookies look completely set.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking tray. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
You’ll be so glad to have these freezer burritos in your freezer. They make the perfect easy lunch or dinner when you need something hearty and filling but fast.
One of the very kindest things you can do for yourself is to take a little extra time on a Saturday, prep a few meals in advance, and freeze them for future you . Knowing there’s something homemade and delicious waiting in your freezer when it’s been a year of a day is such a load off your mind.
These freezer burritos are the ideal rainy-day meal to keep in your freezer. They’re so good, filling, and they go from frozen to piping hot and ready to eat in just 4 to 5 minutes.
The best thing about these burritos is that they are totally customizable. The base filling is packed with spices, so it’s incredibly flavorful on its own, meaning you can add just about any meat or protein to it and you’re going to have a fantastic burrito.
I always have some version of these burritos in my freezer these days, and I’ve filled them with tons of different fillings and loved every single one of them.
Ingredients
- Cilantro rice: I like to use a long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati for burritos, but you can use whatever rice you have on hand. It cooks with chicken broth instead of water for extra flavor and fresh chopped cilantro is stirred in at the end. Don’t skip the cilantro in this recipe. Even though there’s only 1/4 cup, it really adds so much good flavor!
- Beans: You can use canned pinto or black beans here, but I prefer pinto beans.
- A large onion: Any color onion will work. I typically use a yellow onion.
- Tomato paste and fresh garlic: Tomato paste and garlic both help build the base flavor of the beans. If you have extra tomato paste, check out my post What to Do With Leftover Tomato Paste for storage tips and recipe ideas for the leftovers.
- Spices: This recipe will use ground cumin, oregano, and either chipotle chili powder or plain chili powder. If you have it, I love chipotle chili powder here. It adds a fantastic heat to the burrito filling, but regular chili powder is also delicious.
- Meat of choice: For this recipe, you’ll use ether 1 pound of raw meat or 2 cups of cooked meat. That means if you want to use raw hamburger or chopped chicken breast use 1 pound—the recipe will explain how to cook it. Or add 2 cups cooked meat like carnitas , carne asada , cooked chicken , barbacoa , or even shredded tri-tip towards the end of the cooking time.
- Chicken broth and lime juice: Chicken broth added to the mix helps keep everything moist, and a squeeze of lime juice adds just the right acidic kick to finish off the filling.
- 10-inch flour tortillas: 10-inch “burrito-size” tortillas are the perfect size for this amount of filling. If all you can find at the store are 12-inch tortillas, I recommend cutting them down to 10 inches with a paring knife or kitchen shears. (You can cut the scraps into pieces, spray them with cooking spray and bake them to make them into tortilla chips.)
- Cheese: Cheese is optional. If you want to use it, go with a good melting cheese like cheddar or jack.
- Toppings: Sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo , your favorite salsa, or hot sauce are always good options.
How to Make Freezer Burritos
- Start your rice. You’ll want to cook your rice according to package instructions and just replace the water with chicken broth. Once it’s cooked, you’ll stir in fresh chopped cilantro and then let it cool to room temperature.
- While your rice cooks, make the filling. Start by pouring the drained and rinsed beans into a bowl and smashing about half of them with a potato masher or fork. Smashing just some of the beans means you will still have plenty of texture in your filling but the smashed beans will help hold the rest of the filling together.
- In a large skillet, cook the onions until softened and then add the tomato paste, spices, and garlic and cook until the tomato paste has started to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan. This adds depth of flavor to the filling and makes sure you’re cooking all the raw tomato flavor out of the paste.
- If you’re using raw hamburger or chicken, now’s the time to add it to the pan and cook it all the way through.
- Add beans and chicken broth and cooked meat if you’re using cooked meat, and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add lime juice and add salt and pepper to taste. Remember that this filling is going to be wrapped inside a tortilla, so it should be a little on the salty side. Don’t be afraid to add more!
- Once the filling is done, let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes to come down to room temperature. If you fill freezer burritos with warm filling, the steam will make the tortillas soggy. (If you’re eating the burritos right away, you can fill them immediately.)
- Microwave the tortillas to make them easily pliable and then fill them with equal parts rice and filling. Roll the burritos tightly by folding in the ends, folding the long side closest to you over the filling and then rolling the burrito away from you.
How to Freeze Burritos
To prepare burritos for freezing, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in a large freezer bag.
How to Reheat Frozen Burritos
To reheat frozen burritos in the microwave, remove plastic, wrap burrito in a paper towel, and microwave for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
How long will burritos last in the freezer?
For best results, eat burritos within a month. The tortillas will slowly dry out in the freezer, and the places where you have a double layer of folded tortilla can become tough.
However, I often store mine for up to two months without a huge noticeable loss in quality. If I find the bottom seam of the burritos is getting hard to cut through, I’ll just tear it off right after it comes out of the microwave while it’s still warm and pliable. These burritos are easiest to eat with a fork anyway, so it doesn’t matter it some of the filling is coming out of the bottom.
What to serve with freezer burritos?
Go with a super simple side for your burritos like microwave steamed broccoli or green beans . Or serve alongside tortilla chips and salsa (or maybe smothered in nacho sauce or cheese sauce ).
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Salsa Chicken
- Chicken and Broccoli Orzo
- Teriyaki Beef
- Baked Ziti
- Cheesy Sausage Potato Soup
Ingredients
Rice
- ▢ 1 cup uncooked rice
- ▢ 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ▢ ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
Filling
- ▢ 1 15-ounce can pinto or black beans drained and rinsed
- ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ▢ 1 large onion diced
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 50g ) tomato paste
- ▢ 3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ▢ 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder OR regular chili powder
- ▢ 1 pound raw ground beef or chopped raw chicken breast or 2 cups cooked meat
- ▢ 2/3 cup chicken broth
- ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 8 10-inch flour tortillas
- ▢ 2 cups ( 8oz ) shredded cheddar, jack, or Mexican cheese blend optional
Optional Toppings
- ▢ Sour cream
- ▢ Guacamole
- ▢ Salsa
Instructions
Cilantro Rice
- Cook the rice according to package instructions, replacing the water with chicken broth and adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt (if package instructions already call for additional salt, do not add more than the package calls for).
- Stir in minced cilantro and set aside to cool.
Filling
- While your rice cooks, pour your drained and rinsed beans into a bowl and use a potato masher or fork to mash about half of the beans. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat and add onions. Cook for 5 minutes if using raw meat, about 10 if using cooked meat, until onions are mostly softened. If they begin to brown too quickly at any point, turn the heat down.
- Add tomato paste, garlic, and spices, and cook until paste just begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan and spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- If using raw hamburger or chicken, add meat and cook until meat is cooked through.
- Add beans and chicken broth and stir, cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- If using cooked meat, stir in the cooked meat and heat until heated through.
- Add lime juice and salt and stir to combine. Add more salt to taste if necessary. If making burritos to freeze, cool filling to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes.
Assemble Burritos
- Gently heat tortillas in the microwave by wrapping them in a barely damp dish towel and microwaving for about 1 minute.
- Fill each tortilla with 1/2 cup of rice, 1/2 cup of filling, and 1/4 cup of cheese if desired. Fold into a burrito and wrap each individually in plastic wrap. Store wrapped burritos in an airtight freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
To Reheat
- Remove plastic wrap and wrap burrito in a paper towel. Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Add any desired toppings, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Adapted From: The Make-ahead Cook
Baileys Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ( 12g ) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ( 5g ) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons chopped semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate high quality chips are fine
- 3/4 cup milk any percentage
- 2 ounces ( 1/4 cup ) Baileys or any Irish cream liqueur
- Whipped cream optional for topping
- Fudge sauce optional for topping
Instructions
- In a small pot, stir together sugar and cocoa powder. Add water and heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until well mixed. Add chocolate and stir until chocolate is completely melted.
- Slowly whisk in milk and heat until steaming. Do not let mixture come to a simmer!
- Remove from heat and stir in the Bailey’s. Pour into an 8-ounce mug, top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce if desired, and enjoy!
