
Ingredients
- 1 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Chocolate Liqueur
- 1 oz Irish Cream
- Ice Cubes
- Whipped Cream optional
- Chocolate Syrup optional
Instructions
Prepare the Shaker:
- Place some ice cubes in a shaker.
Add Ingredients:
- Pour in the caramel vodka, chocolate liqueur, and Irish cream.
Shake:
- Close the lid tightly and shake the mixture hard for about 15-20 seconds.
Serve:
- Pour the mixture into a small glass.
Garnish:
- Optionally, top with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup.
Enjoy:
- Drink and enjoy your tasty Payday Shots!
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where the name comes from
Named for the Payday candy bar, the salted peanut and caramel chew sold in the US since 1932. The shot leans on the chocolate-and-cream side of that flavour rather than the peanut. It is a dessert shot built for last call at restaurants that do not have a dessert menu worth ordering from.
Recipes vary widely. Some use Frangelico for nuttiness, some skip the cream topping entirely. The version above is the most common pub pour.
What it tastes like
Sweet chocolate up front, soft Irish cream behind it, vodka warmth at the back, and the whipped cream and chocolate drizzle make it taste like a milkshake in shot form.
Cold makes the difference. Out of the freezer the dairy stays tight and the chocolate liqueur reads as candy rather than syrup.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The chocolate liqueur
- Use
- Mozart Black Chocolate or Godiva Original
- Why
- You want real cocoa flavour, not just brown sugar
The Irish cream
- Use
- Baileys Original
- Try
- Baileys Salted Caramel for the actual Payday flavour
The toppings
- Use
- Real whipped cream and Hershey chocolate syrup
- Skip
- Aerosol whipped topping, falls flat in seconds
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Creme de cacao at the same volume. Slightly sweeter, slightly less cocoa.
Vanilla vodka plus a splash of cream and a teaspoon of vanilla syrup.
Skip it. The shot still drinks fine without the topping.
Swap 10 ml of the chocolate liqueur for Frangelico. Now it is closer to the actual Payday.
Double the vodka, halve the cream. Drinks like a Mudslide shot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
Is the Payday like a Mudslide?
How strong is it?
Can I shake or layer it?
Does the chocolate syrup matter?
Can I make it dairy free?







