A boozy hazelnut coffee that drinks like dessert and makes you feel like you have your life together, even if you are wearing yesterday’s sweatpants. Hot coffee, Frangelico for hazelnut, Irish cream for softness, then a whipped-cream hat. It reads holiday because it loves whipped cream and spice, but it is an all-year drink. Same base, different mood.
Bean rule. Medium to medium-dark. Chocolate, toasted nuts, caramel. If the bag says strawberry lemonade, walk away. Bright, fruity light roasts turn this into a sour dessert situation.
Base build, 1 mug
In mug, 1½ oz Baileys + 1 oz Frangelico
Add, 4 to 6 oz hot coffee
Stir, 3 to 5 turns
Top, whipped cream
Optional, cocoa powder or grated chocolate
Dial it
Stronger, drop coffee to 4 oz
More coffee-forward, push coffee to 6 to 7 oz
Order matters, liqueurs first, coffee second, whipped cream last
Remixes, 1 mug each
All-year staples
Whiskey backbone, ¾ oz whiskey + ¾ oz Frangelico + ¾ oz Baileys + 4 to 5 oz coffee. Light cream float ½ to 1 oz. No whipped cream.
Cold brew over ice, 1 oz Frangelico + 1 oz Baileys + 4 oz cold brew. Large cube. Light cream float ½ to 1 oz.
Holiday-coded
Spiced, 1 oz Frangelico + 1 oz Baileys + ½ oz spiced rum or ¼ oz allspice dram + 4 to 5 oz coffee. Whipped cream. Cinnamon.
Rum dessert, 1 oz aged rum + ¾ oz Frangelico + ¾ oz coffee liqueur + 4 oz coffee. Whipped cream. Nutmeg.
Hazelnut mocha, 1 oz Frangelico + 1 oz Baileys + ¾ oz dark crème de cacao + 4 to 5 oz coffee. Whipped cream. Cocoa dust.
Salted caramel, 1 oz Frangelico + 1 oz Baileys + ½ oz caramel liqueur or ½ oz caramel syrup + 4 to 5 oz coffee. Whipped cream. Tiny pinch flaky salt on top.
Warm-weather
Frozen, 1 oz Frangelico + 1 oz Baileys + 1 oz coffee liqueur + 2 oz cold brew concentrate + 1 cup crushed ice. Blend. Whipped cream.
Orange hazelnut, 1 oz Frangelico + 1 oz Cointreau + 4 to 5 oz coffee + ½ oz light cream. Orange zest.
Anchor rule
2 to 3 oz liqueur to 4 to 6 oz coffee. That is the difference between structured and watery.
