Served on the rocks, poured into a steaming cup of coffee or in a hot chocolate topped with squirty cream, cream liqueurs in recent years have become synonymous with Christmas.
Typically made with whiskey – or an alternative spirit such as rum or tequila – and blended with cream, these indulgent liqueurs are great to have on hand to serve guests, or to enjoy with your feet up in front of a festive film.
From the first field-to-table cream liqueur to strawberry-flavoured cream tequila, there are all manner of options to choose from if you’re looking to try a new – or established – cream liqueur.
We had the enviable task of determining the top 10 and tried more than 20 different varieties in the process (while watching a festive film and enjoying a mince pie on the side, naturally). Keep reading for those that will make your Christmas very merry indeed.
How we tested
When it comes to criteria, taste was obviously a big consideration. We were looking for a pleasurable balance of cream and alcohol: not too strong that it was unenjoyable, and not too creamy that it was sickly. The quality of ingredients, mouthfeel and consistency, packaging and price point were also taken into consideration.
The best cream liqueurs for Christmas 2024 are:
Five Farms Irish cream liqueur 70cl
Crafted with cream gathered from five family-owned farms from the Cork coast, this rich and creamy liqueur is made with premium triple-distilled Irish whiskey. The small-batch liqueur has a wonderfully clean and velvety mouthfeel and is bursting with rich butterscotch and caramel notes. While at 17% ABV, it may have a higher whiskey than other options, it’s wonderfully balanced thanks to its rich creaminess. It tastes homemade – in the best possible way – and we love the ceramic swing-top lid, which is a playful nod to vintage milk bottles. Quite frankly, it’s worth every penny.
Buy now £36.00, Harveynichols.com
Extra Special white chocolate spiced cream liqueur
New for 2024, Asda’s extra special white chocolate spiced cream liqueur is creamy, well-spiced and laced with rich chocolate notes. Made with triple distilled wheat-based British vodka that’s been blended with smooth Irish whiskey, Madagascan vanilla, aromatic clove, cassia and nutmeg and rich double cream, it’s a cream liqueur with a twist.
It provides a festive kick but is nicely balanced by the sweet, spiced chocolate flavours. It’s delicious on the rocks, but better yet, shake it in a cocktail shaker and pour it into a chilled Martini glass to enjoy a deliciously creamy foam top. A bargain.
Buy now £8.00, Asda.com
Mozart chocolate cream liqueur
A chocolate lover’s dream, Mozart chocolate cream is rich, unctuous and luxurious, and guaranteed to make your Christmas one to remember. The gilded foil bauble-like bottle is a touch of class, and the contents live up to their packaging. Made with natural ingredients including African and Caribbean cocoa, Belgian dark chocolate, Madagascan bourbon vanilla and double cream, this superlative liqueur from Salzburg has been crafted since 1979 and is just the thing to enjoy in cocktails – or on the rocks.
Buy now £14.00, Amazon.co.uk
The Norfolk Nog cream liqueur
Scooping up an impressive array of awards, including bronze at the 2024 Great British Food Awards and Best English Cream at the 2022 World Liqueur Awards, Norfolk-made Norfok Nog superbly blends English single malt whisky with cream.
It’s rich and velvety and the flavours are beautifully balanced, making it a delicate but not too overpowering sip. It also comes housed in a stylish blue bottle and will make a great Christmas Day treat – or gift. For added kudos, it’s made by The English Distillery, England’s oldest registered whiskey distillery.
Buy now £24.75, Thewhiskyexchange.com
Baileys original Irish cream liqueur
When you mention cream liqueurs, Baileys typically springs to mind. It’s become so synonymous with Christmas that supermarkets compete with heavily discounted offers on bottles, and it’s globally the most popular Irish cream liqueur. A crowd-pleaser for a reason, it’s delicious poured on the rocks, into a coffee or hot chocolate or shaken into a cocktail. Made with Irish whiskey, cream, enriched chocolate and vanilla flavours, it’s Christmas in a glass for many.
Buy now £13.00, Amazon.co.uk
Cotswolds cream liqueur
Sweet, fruity and wonderfully drinkable, this lovely liqueur from Cotswolds Distillery, the makers of Cotswolds dry gin, is made in small batches and combines Cotswolds single malt spirit with fresh Irish cream. As well as tasting delicious on its own, it’s fantastic served over ice cream – trust us. Definitely one to serve during the dessert course on Christmas Day, or to have as dessert.
Buy now £23.95, Thewhiskyexchange.com
Warninks original advocaat
An essential component of the classic festive cocktail, the snowball, Warninks’ iconic and distinctively yellow advocaat dates back to 1616. Made from eggs, brandy and sugar, this Dutch liqueur is rich, creamy and custard-like. Alongside snowballs, it sings in fluffy duck and squashed frog cocktails. Or, enjoy it as-is for a vanilla-flavoured libation.
Buy now £15.50, Tesco.com
Bumbu Cream rum liqueur
Brimming with warming winter spices as well as a welcome sweetness and notes of vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon on the tongue, Bumbu Cream is reminiscent of an iced chai latte. From the makers of Bumbu Rum – which uses sugarcane sourced from across the West Indies – this tasty tipple hails from Barbados and is made with Bumbu Rum, spices and cream. A great liqueur for the cocktail cart.
Buy now £22.00, Ocado.com
Dead Man’s Fingers strawberry tequila cream liqueur
With the sweetness and pastel pink hue of a strawberry milkshake, this tequila-laced strawberry liqueur from Cornish-based rum pioneers Dead Man’s Fingers makes a seriously delicious hard shake and tastes just like strawberries and cream. Simply blend with milk and ice cream and top with squirty cream for the ultimate party tipple.
Buy now £13.00, Ocado.com
The verdict: Cream liqueurs
For its rich creaminess, velvety mouthfeel and generous Irish whiskey kick, Five Farms Irish cream liqueur comes out top for us, while Mozart chocolate cream is also worth the accolades for its quality ingredients, chocolate-rich flavour and irresistible texture.
We’ve also been taste-testing the best mince pies to serve this Christmas
