Ingredients
- 1 oz Almond Liqueur
- 2 oz Irish Cream
- 2 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
- 2 Cherry
Instructions
Combine Ingredients:
- Pour equal parts of butterscotch schnapps and vanilla vodka into a shot glass.
Serve:
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
A Kissed Buttery Nipple is a 2010s back-bar variation on the classic Buttery Nipple, the late 1980s American shot built on butterscotch schnapps and Irish cream. The "kiss" in the name is the addition of amaretto, an almond liqueur that adds a marzipan note over the standard butterscotch base.
It sits in the cream-shot family with the Buttery Nipple, the Slippery Nipple and the Brain Hemorrhage. All four lean on Bailey's as the soft top layer and use a contrasting flavour underneath. A Kissed Buttery Nipple uses two flavour layers below the cream: the butterscotch and the almond.
Best ordered as a dessert shot at a casual bar, after a meal, when a sweet finish is wanted. Not a craft-cocktail pour and not a brunch order.
What it tastes like
Butterscotch sweetness up front, almond marzipan in the middle, soft Bailey's on the finish with a maraschino cherry brightness from the garnish. Reads like a candy shop in a glass without going cloying.
Around 17 percent ABV in the shot once equal parts are poured. One shot is one drink, two is closer to two and a half. The cream texture hides the alcohol, which is why this shot rewards pacing.
The technique
Pour an ounce each of almond liqueur, butterscotch schnapps and Irish cream into a one-ounce or one-and-a-half-ounce shot glass. Drop a maraschino cherry on top or skewer one across the rim.
For the layered version, pour the butterscotch first, float the almond liqueur over the back of a bar spoon, then float the Bailey's last. The densities are close so the layers smear easily; do not stress if the colours blend, the flavour is the same.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The almond liqueur
- Use
- Disaronno or Lazzaroni amaretto.
- Skip
- Cream of almond syrup like orgeat. Different drink.
- Why
- The almond liqueur is what makes this a Kissed Buttery Nipple instead of a plain one. The marzipan note sits between the butterscotch and the cream and gives the shot its second flavour layer.
The butterscotch schnapps
- Use
- DeKuyper Buttershots, Hiram Walker Butterscotch, or any 15 percent ABV butterscotch schnapps.
- Skip
- Butter rum schnapps. Different flavour profile.
- Why
- Butterscotch schnapps is the load-bearing wall of the Buttery Nipple family. The caramel-and-butter sweetness is what the cream and the almond build on.
The Irish cream
- Use
- Bailey's, Carolans, or Five Farms.
- Skip
- Coffee-flavoured Irish cream. Pulls the shot toward Mudslide territory.
- Why
- Irish cream is the top layer and the texture. Without it the shot is a butterscotch and almond pour with no cream finish.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- A Kissed Buttery Nipple, equal parts
- Equal pours of butterscotch schnapps, almond liqueur and Irish cream into a shot glass, with a cherry on top.
The layered build
- A Kissed Buttery Nipple, layered
- Same ingredients poured slowly over the back of a bar spoon: butterscotch first, almond liqueur in the middle, Irish cream on top.
The dessert build
- A Kissed Buttery Nipple, on ice
- Same equal pours into a rocks glass over a single big ice cube. Drinks slower and reads more like a small dessert cocktail.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Hazelnut liqueur like Frangelico. The flavour shifts from marzipan to hazelnut but still works as a sweet middle layer.
Caramel liqueur or vanilla cream syrup with a splash of vodka. Different texture, similar flavour shape.
Half-and-half with a teaspoon of vanilla syrup and a splash of vodka. The non-dairy fix; loses the Bailey's warmth.
A small drizzle of grenadine on top. Gives the same red garnish hit without the fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in A Kissed Buttery Nipple shot?
An ounce each of butterscotch schnapps, almond liqueur and Irish cream, served in a shot glass with a maraschino cherry garnish. Three ingredients, one cherry.
How is it different from a regular Buttery Nipple?
A regular Buttery Nipple is butterscotch schnapps and Irish cream only. The Kissed version adds amaretto as a third ingredient, giving the shot a marzipan note that the standard version lacks.
How strong is A Kissed Buttery Nipple?
Around 17 percent ABV in the shot once equal parts are poured. One shot is one drink, two is closer to two and a half because the sweetness hides the alcohol.
Should I layer it or just pour?
Layered looks prettier; equal-parts poured tastes the same. The densities of all three liqueurs are close so layers smear easily. Either way works.
What kind of cherry should I use?
A maraschino cherry from the bar jar. The bright red sits well visually on top of the cream layer and adds a small fruit hit on the swallow.
Can I make a non-dairy version?
Replace Bailey's with coconut cream or oat-based cream liqueur. Bumpkin's Almond Cream and Baileys Almande both work.
Where did the "kissed" name come from?
Back-bar branding from the 2010s. Bartenders added a sweet liqueur to a Buttery Nipple and labelled it the "Kissed" or sometimes the "Cherry Buttery Nipple". The cherry on top is the visual cue.
What glass should I serve it in?
A standard one-ounce or one-and-a-half-ounce shot glass. The shot fills the glass close to the rim, which is where the cherry sits.
Can I batch it for a party?
Combine the three liqueurs in equal measure in a chilled bottle and refrigerate. Pour into shot glasses at service. Add the cherry just before each pour.
What other shots are similar?
A Buttery Nipple, a Slippery Nipple, a Brain Hemorrhage, and a Cocksucking Cowboy. All four sit in the cream-shot family and use Bailey's as a load-bearing texture.
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