Guinness Floats - A Decadent Taste of Ireland

Guinness floats consist of scoops of ice cream, topped with Irish stout and finished with a swirl of freshly whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

This dessert may have originated in America rather than Ireland, but why not make this Irish American treat a party favorite for Saint Patrick's Day.

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Irish American Dessert

Guinness, an Irish stout, is one of the world’s most popular beers. Find out how you can make a Guinness float at home. It’s one of the easiest dessert recipes you’ll find.

Here's my motto for Guinness floats.

If you’re Irish, you’re having a Guinness.

If you’re having a Guinness, you’re having a Guinness Float.

And if you're having a Guinness Float, you're enjoying the perfect pairing of ice cream, cream, and stout.

Guinness and ice cream combine to make a sweet, creamy, and delicious treat. This easy dessert can be made with only 2 basic ingredients.

However, I add a luscious topping made with freshly whipped cream and powdered sugar. Finish it all off with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and I'm in Guinness heaven.

Make a homemade Guinness ice cream float today with my simple and easy recipe. Here's how to do it.

Ingredients for Homemade Guinness Floats

Here's what you'll need to make these decadent and luscious desserts. Remember, these floats contain alcohol, so they're only recommended for over 21's in the US and over 18's in Ireland.

• Guinness stout or any Irish stout
• Vanilla ice cream
• Whipping cream
• Powdered sugar
• Chocolate sauce or chocolate syrup

Stick with vanilla ice cream for a traditional float. You might like to try a mixture of vanilla and chocolate ice creams, since chocolate flavors nicely complement the richness of the stout.

I use freshly whipped cream for the topping. Feel free to add a dash of Bailey's Irish Cream to this whipped topping to take this taste of Ireland to the next level of lusciousness.

You can use chocolate shavings or caramel sauce instead of the chocolate syrup on top of these dessert cocktails.

Directions for Guinness Float Recipe

Let's assemble our Guinness floats. You'll find a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Assemble the Float

Prepare the fresh whipped cream topping before beginning to assemble your floats.

Add heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large bowl.

Whip it until thick and creamy using an electric mixer or stand mixer. You can do it by hand using a balloon whisk if you prefer.

Set the cream to the side as you assemble the floats.

Firstly, choose glasses that are tall so that there's plenty of room for the stout and ice cream. I like to use tall beer glasses for this dessert.

Add two scoops of ice cream to the bottom of each glass. This recipe is for two servings.

Next, it's time to add some Irish stout.

But first, a word of caution. Do this very slowly. If you add it too quickly the Guinness beer will froth up, bubble, and spew over the sides of the glass.

Tilt the glass at an angle, and slowly pour the stout down the side of the glass. As you continue to pour, gradually bring the glass to the upright position.

Fill the glass to within one inch of the top. It's important to leave room for the cream topping.

Decorate the Top - Optional Step

For a lovely finishing touch, spoon the cream into a piping bag with a swirled nozzle.

Pipe a swirl of cream on top of each float.

If you don't have a piping bag and nozzle, simple add a spoon of cream on top, and use the back of a spoon to add a swirl pattern.

Finish off the float with a drizzle of chocolate sauce to decorate the top.

Serve this dessert immediately.

These floats cannot be made in advance and are best served as quickly as possible for full enjoyment.

Recipe Card and Video

Here's a short video outlining the steps.

Here's the printable recipe card for your kitchen files.

More Guinness Recipes

I love how versatile stout beer is for cooking and baking.

Here are some more recipes featuring Ireland's favorite stout or beer.

Guinness Glazed Chicken Tenders

The Best Homemade Guinness Barbecue Sauce

Guinness Chocolate Cake

Flavor Loaded Guinness Marinated Steaks

Irish Shepherd's Pie With Guinness

Plus, you can check out this official Guinness cookbook filled with fabulous stout recipes.

I hope you enjoy this decadent dessert with an Irish twist at your next Irish themed get together or on Saint Patrick's Day.

Move over root beer floats! We've put an Irish twist on this American favorite dessert.

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