Equipment
- Shot Glass
Ingredients
- 1/2 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
- 1/2 oz Irish Cream
Instructions
Prepare the Shot Glass:
- Start by placing a clean shot glass on a flat surface. This will make it easier to layer the ingredients accurately.
Add the Butterscotch Schnapps:
- Pour 1/2 oz of Butterscotch Schnapps into the shot glass. This will form the first layer of the shot. The schnapps serves as a sweet, caramel-like base that sets the tone for the drink.
Layer the Irish Cream:
- Next, carefully layer 1/2 oz of Irish Cream on top of the butterscotch schnapps. To do this effectively, hold a spoon upside down over the shot glass and slowly pour the Irish Cream over the back of the spoon. This method helps the Irish Cream to gently sit on top of the schnapps without mixing, creating a beautiful two-layer effect.
Serve Immediately:
- Once you have successfully layered the shot, serve it immediately. The visual appeal of the layers is best enjoyed right away, and the combination of flavors is particularly enjoyable when fresh.
Video
Notes
- Chill the ingredients beforehand to enhance the smoothness and richness of the shot.
- You can garnish the shot with a small sprinkle of edible gold dust or a tiny drizzle of caramel sauce for an extra touch of decadence.
Estimated Nutrition:
Where the name came from
The Buttery Nipple is part of the 1990s-2000s wave of dirty-named shots that included the Slippery Nipple, Cocksucking Cowboy, and Wet Pussy. American college bars named them for shock value; the recipes happened to be good enough to outlive the joke.
There is no documented inventor. The recipe is so simple, two ingredients layered, that multiple bars likely arrived at it independently in the late 80s or early 90s, when butterscotch schnapps and Baileys both got popular.
What it tastes like
Butterscotch hits first: sweet, faintly burnt-sugar, slightly artificial in the way schnapps always is. Then the Baileys lands with the creamy, vanilla-Irish-whiskey weight. The combination tastes more like a dessert spoonful than a shot.
The texture matters. Layered correctly the schnapps sits on the bottom and the Baileys floats on top, so the first sip is creamy and the last is sweet. Drunk in one (the right way) you get all of it at once and your mouth feels coated.
The technique
Pour the butterscotch schnapps in first. Then float the Baileys over the back of a bar spoon. Baileys is lighter than schnapps, so the layering is forgiving. If it sinks, pour slower and lower the spoon closer to the surface.
Cold ingredients layer cleaner. Both bottles in the freezer for 15 minutes before serving fixes most layering problems before they start.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The butterscotch schnapps
- Use
- Buttershots (DeKuyper) or Butterscotch DeKuyper
- Skip
- Caramel liqueur (different flavour, more burnt)
- Why
- Buttershots is the standard. Most bars use it.
The Baileys
- Use
- Original Baileys Irish Cream
- Try
- Baileys Salted Caramel for a deeper version
- Why
- Cheaper Irish creams curdle. Baileys is engineered not to.
The glass
- Use
- Standard 30ml/1oz shot glass
- Try
- Tall shooter glass for cleaner layering
- Why
- A taller, narrower glass shows the layers better.
Variations
Other layered cream-and-schnapps shots in the same family.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Caramel liqueur is the closest swap. The flavour is more burnt-sugar, less buttery, but it works. Goldschlager would change the drink entirely.
Any Irish cream liqueur works (Carolans, Kerrygold). For non-dairy, Baileys Almande or coconut-cream-based liqueurs.
Pour the Baileys slowly over the back of a regular teaspoon. Same physics, same result.
Add 15ml of vanilla vodka under the schnapps. Three layers, more punch.
Just shake both ingredients with ice and strain. Same flavour, no presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is a Buttery Nipple shot?
A Buttery Nipple is a layered shot with butterscotch schnapps on the bottom and Baileys Irish Cream floated on top. It is served in a 30ml/1oz shot glass and drunk in one.
What’s in a Buttery Nipple?
Two ingredients: 15ml/0.5oz butterscotch schnapps (Buttershots is the standard brand) and 15ml/0.5oz Baileys Irish Cream. Layered, not mixed.
How do you layer a Buttery Nipple?
Pour the butterscotch schnapps in first. Then float the Baileys slowly over the back of a bar spoon held just above the schnapps. The Baileys is lighter and will sit on top.
Why is it called a Buttery Nipple?
It is part of the dirty-named shot family from 1990s American bars. The name is shock-value humour. The buttery half refers to the butterscotch schnapps; the nipple half is the joke.
Is a Buttery Nipple the same as a Slippery Nipple?
No, but they are cousins. Slippery Nipple is sambuca and Baileys. Buttery Nipple is butterscotch schnapps and Baileys. Same Baileys top, different bottom.
How strong is a Buttery Nipple?
Around 17-20% ABV. Butterscotch schnapps is usually 15%, Baileys is 17%. It is a sweet shot, not a strong one. About half the alcohol of a tequila shot.
Can I make a Buttery Nipple without Baileys?
Yes. Any Irish cream liqueur (Carolans, Kerrygold, store-brand) works. Baileys is just the most common.
Does the Baileys curdle?
Not in this drink. Curdling happens when Baileys meets acid (lime, lemon, citrus). Butterscotch schnapps is sweet and non-acidic, so it is safe.
What does a Buttery Nipple taste like?
Sweet butterscotch up front, creamy vanilla-whiskey on the finish. Tastes like a butterscotch dessert in shot form. Very drinkable, dangerously so.
Should I chill the ingredients first?
Yes. Cold ingredients layer cleaner. 15 minutes in the freezer before serving fixes most layering problems before they start.
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