How to make a White Russian cocktail with Kahlua, vodka and cream at home. Jump to the White Russian Cocktail Recipe or read on to see our tips for making it.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: How to make a vodka gimlet from scratch using easy-to-make homemade lime cordial with fresh lime zest and juice. Jump to the Vodka Gimlet Recipe.
How to Make a White Russian
Not only is a traditional White Russian simple to make, it is very easy to adapt. The basic recipe calls for coffee liqueur, vodka and cream. Below, we’ve shared lots of examples of how you can adapt the cocktail to your taste. We’ve even included a (delicious) vegan option.
To make the basic recipe, fill a small glass with ice. Add vodka and the coffee liqueur (we use Kahlua) then slowly pour cream on top. To get the cream to perfectly sit on top of the vodka and Kahlua, drizzle it slowly over the back of a spoon. Then when you are ready to drink, swirl the cream into the drink.
Substitutions and Adaptations
- White Russian with half and half or milk: If the cream is too heavy for you, try half and half, which is a combination of whole milk and cream. Or just use whole milk. Whole milk won’t sit perfectly on top of the Kahlua, but the drink will still be tasty.
- How to make a vegan White Russian: Swap out the cream for coconut milk. Or try a nut milk like almond or cashew.
- Kahlua substitutes: Try swapping out the coffee liqueur with crème de cacao or amaretto.
- Vodka Substitutes: The vodka can be swapped for gin, bourbon or dark rum.
- Make a White Russian with Bailey’s Irish Cream: Swap the cream for Irish cream.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: How to make a perfect Kir Royale cocktail with champagne and Crème de Cassis. Jump to the Perfect Kir Royale Cocktail Recipe.
Recipe updated, originally posted October 2011. Since posting this in 2011, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne
Seriously Good White Russian Cocktail Recipe
- PREP
- TOTAL
Use the recipe below as a guide. You can (and should) tweak the recipe to your tastes. If you like it boozy, increase the vodka or add more cream for a richer cocktail. There are lots of substitutions you can make with this cocktail. Check the notes below for a few suggestions.
You Will Need
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) vodka
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) coffee liqueur such as Kahlua, Tia Maria or Trader Vic’s Kona
1 to 2 ounces (2 to 4 tablespoons) cream
Ice
Directions
1Fill a small glass — or rocks glass — with ice. Add the vodka and coffee liqueur and give it a few stirs to mix. Top with cream. For the layered look, slowly pour the cream over the back of a spoon held over the surface of the drink. Swirl the cream into the drink before drinking.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- White Russian with half and half or milk: If the cream is too heavy for you, try half and half, which is a combination of whole milk and cream. Or just use whole milk. Whole milk won’t sit perfectly on top of the Kahlua, but the drink will still be tasty.
- How to make a vegan White Russian: Swap out the cream for coconut milk. Or try a nut milk like almond or cashew.
- Kahlua substitutes: Try swapping out the coffee liqueur with crème de cacao or amaretto.
- Vodka Substitutes: The vodka can be swapped for gin, bourbon or dark rum.
- Make a White Russian with Bailey’s Irish Cream: Swap the cream for Irish cream.
- Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values. We assumed 1 ounce of cream.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
Love these! My husband and I were curious after watching the Big Lebowski recently, this cocktail is now in our repertoire.
Looks and sounds delicious! Thanks for linking up to my mojitos! 🙂
looks refreshing and soothing, love the photo.
I seem to rarely drink anything with vodka because I have trouble getting past the alcohol’s wallop. But Baileys (and nutmeg) might just do the trick
Bailey’s will definitely help — plus, if you really don’t want the vodka, you could just skip it in the recipe – the drink will still be delicious.
-Joanne