How to Mix Up a Creamy, Dreamy White Russian co*cktail (2024)

Vodka co*cktails
co*cktails
American Food

Colleen Graham

Freelance writer and co*cktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Updated on 03/6/24

Tested by

Tom Macy

Tested byTom Macy

Tom wears many co*cktail hats. He is a professional bartender, bar owner, recipe creator, and drink writer, though he prefers the title "obsessive co*cktail nerd."

Why Is It Called a White Russian?

The name "white Russian" simply refers to the co*cktail's main ingredient and color. It's a variation of the black Russian, which is dark because of the coffee liqueur. In the 1940s, vodka was being heavily marketed to American drinkers. Similar to the Moscow mule, this drink took on a Russian name because the Soviet Union was the biggest vodka exporter at the time.

Everything You Need to Make the Perfect White Russian

Vodka: The strong flavors of the other ingredients in a White Russian will disguise any impurities in the vodka used, so use your favorite well vodka and not the finest one in your bar. There are many great-tasting and inexpensive vodkas availableto choose from.
Coffee liqueur: A coffee liqueur such as Kahlúa gives the White Russian its signature flavor. If you'd like, you can even make your own homemade coffee liqueur to use in this and other co*cktails.
Cream: For the most luxurious co*cktail, use rich heavy cream. You can also use light cream or half-and-half. If all you have in your fridge is milk, you can use that but it will make a rather thin drink. For a dairy-free drink use soy, almond, rice, oat, or any of the other nut- or grain-based beverages. Just remember that whatever cream or cream substitute you use will be diluted a bit as the ice in your drink melts, so the richer the better.
Ice: Make sure to use fresh ice that hasn't picked up any flavors from the freezer for your co*cktail. You might consider filtering the water before making ice cubes. And for a great presentation, consider buying large ice cube molds if you serve a lot of drinks on the rocks.

15 Delicious Coffee Liquor co*cktails

How to Mix and Serve White Russians

Our recipe just requires a quick stir, but you can play a little and test your bartending skills byfloating the cream on topof the spirits and ice. It may require a bit of practice to get a clean layer, but it makes for a great-looking drink. Serve this with a straw and allow the drinker to stir the ingredients as they like. Enjoy a White Russian—stirred or layered—after dinner, during happy hour, or anytime you're looking for a quick and delightful drink.

How to Mix Up a Creamy, Dreamy White Russian co*cktail (4)

What You'll Need to Make This White Russian co*cktail Recipe

A Great co*cktail Jigger

A Classic Old Fashioned Glass

A Sleek Barspoon

"The White Russian is the definition of a guilty pleasure. It tastes like coffee ice cream. Best to just surrender. Depending on the coffee liqueur used, you might need to adjust the proportions, but you can't go wrong. Keep the vodka in the freezer since this is a drink you build over ice." —Tom Macy

How to Mix Up a Creamy, Dreamy White Russian co*cktail (8)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces vodka
3/4 ounce coffee liqueur
3/4 ounce cream

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Pour the ingredients into an old-fashioned glass, starting with the vodka, followed by the coffee liqueur. Add ice into the glass, and pour the cream in last.
Stir well. Serve and enjoy.

Flavorful Additions and Substitutions

Berry infused vodka adds another bold dimension to the drink.
Cake andwhipped cream vodkas, or espresso, chocolate, and vanilla vodkas are also great choices.
Kahlúa is the most popular coffee liqueur used in a White Russian, but Firelit, New Deal, or Leopold Bros. are also great choices.

Other White- and Black Russian-inspired drinks will use different liquors and spirits like:

Amaretto for a toasted almond, tequila for a brave bull, brandy for a separator, Irish cream liqueur for a mudslide, or rye whiskey for a sneaky Pete
For a fun take on the drink, transform the White Russian into a frozen ice pop

How Strong Is the White Russian?

If we were to use an 80-proof vodka and mix the White Russian according to the recipe above, it would be approximately 24 percent ABV (48 proof). Even though it will mellow a bit as the ice melts, it is a deceptive co*cktail and a little more potent than you may think, so take it easy.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
253	Calories
8g	Fat
9g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories	253
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	10%
Saturated Fat 5g	26%
Cholesterol 25mg	8%
Sodium 9mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 15mg	1%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 29mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Vodka co*cktail
white russian
co*cktail
american

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