Sip on a creamy White Russian, with vodka, Kahlúa, and lightly whipped cream. A perfectly sweet dessert drink, almost like coffee with cream and sugar but so, so much more!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: It’s a classic cocktail made the best way possible!
How long it takes: 3 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: electric mixer, if desired
Servings: 2
Snuggle up with a blanket, a warm fire, and a creamy White Russian. This easy cocktail is rich, sweet, and satisfying, and makes a great dessert or after dinner drink. I think you’re going to love this rather decadent cocktail!
About this White Russian recipe
A White Russian is simple: vodka, coffee flavored liqueur, and cream. If you’ve heard of a Black Russian, it’s the same drink without cream. Neither cocktail has anything to do with Russia, other than the fact that the main ingredient is vodka, a traditional Russian beverage.
One of my most popular recipes is for a hot White Russian, a sweet warm mug of deliciousness on a cold evening, a great adult alternative to hot cocoa. And a perfectly chilled white chocolate White Russian is so delightful, too.
According to Thrillist, the best vodka for a White Russian is cloud-distilled Aermoor, with flavors of “buttered popcorn, vanilla frosting and birthday cake” from Hilton Head Distillery. Tito’s is great mid-range brand, too, but I’m sure you have your favorite brand.
You can make a White Russian in about 2 minutes. Simply pour vodka and Kahlúa into a couple of lowball glasses with ice, and top with very lightly whipped heavy cream.
To keep the layers separate, pour the cream over the ice cubes or a spoon so it floats on top.
Of course it’s absolutely wonderful if you skip the whipping step, too. If you pour the cream in slowly and carefully, you’ll still get these beautiful layers.
And I’ll let you in on a secret, I often make this drink with 2% milk. I know, it’s like a crime! But it’s delicious drink even with a lower fat content. No judgment zone, right?
Enjoy!
What’s in a White Russian?
- Vodka
- Kahlúa, or another coffee liqueur
- Heavy cream
- Ice cubes
A mudslide has Irish cream liqueur in it and a White Russian uses heavy cream. So to make this recipe into a mudslide, you’ll omit the heavy cream and substitute an ounce of Irish cream liqueur, such as Bailey’s, for each drink. This recipe for a frozen mudslide from Recipes for Holidays looks incredible!
A Black Russian does not contain cream, so it is just ice, coffee liqueur, and vodka. The addition of heavy cream to the mix makes it a White Russian.
This is completely dependent on personal preference! I always mix mine, but some people prefer it to be kept in layers. Try one of each and decide what you like best!
How to make this cocktail your own
- To lighten the calorie count, use half and half or even 2% or whole milk. Milk won’t float as nicely but it still tastes great.
- Too strong for you? Reduce the amount of vodka and Kahlúa and increase the cream. You can experiment with the ratio until you find what tastes best for you.
- Like a frozen White Russian? Much like a milkshake, add all of the ingredients, including the ice, to a blender and process until it reaches the desired consistency. Add more ice or cream as desired. Ice will make it thicker, cream will make it thinner. Don’t over blend, or you’ll have whipped cream!
- Wondering what you can do with the rest of the bottle? You have to try these fudgy Kahlúa brownies! Would it be over the top to serve the brownies with the cocktail? I don’t think so.
I would recommend making White Russians right before serving. It’s super quick to make. You can whip the cream ahead and keep it in your fridge until serving.
Try a new cocktail today!
I’m sure you’ll want to try one of these delicious cocktail recipes:
- Classic Gin and Tonic Recipe with tips to make the best!
- Orange Gin and Tonic with Cinnamon
- Apple Cider Mule (Fall Moscow Mule)
- Ginger-Cinnamon Apple Cider Mocktail (with cocktail option)
- Sparkling Pomegranate Punch
- Pomegranate Mojito Recipe
- Orange Mojito
White Russian Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ounces vodka
- 4 ounces Kahlúa, or another coffee liqueur
- 4-5 ounces heavy cream, lightly whipped (optional, see note)
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Fill two lowball glasses with ice cubes.
- Add 2 ounces vodka and 2 ounces Kahlúa to each glass.
- Top each drink evenly with lightly whipped heavy cream (see note). If you want to have visual separation between the layers, pour the whipped cream over the ice cubes or a spoon to avoid having it sinking down too quickly.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Whip the cream very lightly until it just starts to become a bit more dense. You can add it without whipping but it will mix with the other ingredients faster.
- Substitute half and half or whole milk. Milk won’t float as nicely but it will still taste nice.
- Make a Mudslide by omitting the cream, and substituting one ounce of Irish cream liqueur in each drink.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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