It's completely eggless and dairy-free, with the ladyfingers, mascarpone, and Irish cream all made from scratch. You can prepare the individual components ahead too, which makes it particularly useful for Christmas or a dinner party.

If you'd rather turn your dairy-free Irish cream into a cheesecake, try my no-bake Baileys cheesecake, or browse my vegan Christmas desserts for more festive make-ahead desserts.

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Why this recipe works
key ingredients
how to make baileys tiramisu
Christina's recipe tips
Make Ahead & Storage
More Baileys & Christmas Desserts
📖 Recipe

Why this recipe works

Baileys in both the cream and the soak. The homemade Irish cream isn't just a finishing flavor - it's used throughout the vegan tiramisu so the whiskey, coffee, vanilla, and chocolate come through in every layer.

Proper tiramisu texture without eggs or dairy. Cornstarch thickens the Baileys custard in place of eggs, while vegan mascarpone creates a rich, creamy filling.

Coffee and Irish cream balance each other. Espresso cuts through the richness of the mascarpone while complementing the coffee notes already in the Baileys.

Made for preparing ahead. The mascarpone, ladyfingers, and Baileys can all be prepared in advance, and the assembled tiramisu needs time in the fridge to set anyway.

key ingredients

Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

ingredients for vegan baileys tiramisu measured out in bowls on a marble gray surface.

Vegan Baileys: I use my homemade vegan Baileys, made with Irish whiskey, cream, espresso, vanilla, and chocolate. It's used both to flavor the mascarpone filling and alongside espresso to soak the ladyfingers.

Vegan mascarpone: Use a good store-bought vegan mascarpone or make my dairy-free mascarpone. If you're short on time, I've included a quick cream cheese and yogurt alternative in the recipe notes.

Vegan ladyfingers: Traditional savoiardi contain eggs, so I use my vegan ladyfingers made with aquafaba. They can be baked a day ahead and kept airtight at room temperature.

Espresso: Freshly brewed espresso gives you the best coffee flavor. Let it cool before dipping the ladyfingers so they don't soften too quickly.

Cornstarch: This takes the place of eggs in the Baileys custard and gives the filling enough structure once chilled.

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how to make baileys tiramisu

Here's a visual overview of this recipe. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.

The Baileys custard is the part to pay closest attention to. Whisk the cornstarch completely smooth before heating, then cook it gently while stirring continuously. It should become noticeably thick and custard-like rather than simply warm. On a gas hob, I use the lowest heat because it can thicken very quickly around the edges of the pan.

Adding the cold vegan butter off the heat makes the custard smoother and richer. Once blended with the mascarpone, you're looking for a completely silky cream with no visible lumps.

Four step-by-step photos showing the preparation of vegan Baileys tiramisu, including whisking a thick caramel-colored mixture, blending smooth dairy-free cream, and preparing the coffee soaking mixture.

Be careful not to oversoak the ladyfingers. They're meant to absorb the espresso and Baileys while still having enough structure to hold the layers together. A quick dip is enough; leaving them sitting in the liquid makes the finished tiramisu much softer.

Once assembled, chill the tiramisu for at least 4 hours, but a longer rest creates firmer, cleaner layers. For entertaining, I prefer assembling it the day before and decorating shortly before serving.

Four step-by-step photos showing the assembly of dairy-free Baileys tiramisu, from layering soaked vegan ladyfingers and smooth mascarpone-style cream to piping whipped cream and dusting with cocoa powder.

Christina's recipe tips

Make the components ahead. Preparing the mascarpone, ladyfingers, and Baileys separately turns what looks like a fairly involved dessert into a very manageable assembly job.

Cool the espresso before soaking. Warm coffee softens the ladyfingers much more quickly.

Divide the mascarpone filling before layering. Splitting it into two portions before assembling makes it much easier to get even layers rather than guessing as you go.

Use a wide, shallow dish for soaking. It makes dipping the ladyfingers much quicker and gives you better control over how much liquid they absorb.

Dust with cocoa shortly before serving. The cocoa looks much fresher when it hasn't had hours to absorb moisture from the cream.

Make Ahead & Storage

This recipe is particularly well suited to making ahead.

The vegan Baileys can be prepared several days in advance and refrigerated. Homemade mascarpone can be made 1-2 days ahead, and the ladyfingers can be baked the day before and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Once assembled, chill the tiramisu for at least 4 hours. For Christmas or a dinner party, I recommend assembling it the day before so the layers have plenty of time to set.

Add the whipped cream topping and cocoa shortly before serving for the neatest finish. Then store leftover tiramisu covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

You can freeze individual portions for up to 1-2 months, although the ladyfingers become softer after defrosting, so I prefer this tiramisu fresh. Thaw frozen slices overnight in the refrigerator.