This White Russian Cocktail blends vodka, Kahlúa and cream, creating a sweet, velvety, coffee like cocktail that is sure to please.

Ice bucket, Kahlúa and vodka mixed with heavy cream served in a lowball glass

History of the White Russian

A White Russian is a simple cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur and cream, served over ice. However, you can substitute milk in place of the cream. Some question the use of cream and milk in cocktails, but this drink is both tasty and delicious! In addition, it contains a lot of sugar. Which means, that if you drink too many in one night the next day could be extremely painful. However, it’s just too good to pass up and having one may not be enough!

The original, Black Russian, a cocktail made with just vodka and coffee liqueur, was created in 1949 by Gustave Tops, a Belgian barman. As the story goes, Gustave created the Black Russian in honor of Perle Mesta, the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg. Later on, around 1955, the addition of cream gave way to its sister drink, the White Russian.

Believe it or not, the White Russian didn’t originate in Russia, but its name was inherited by the fact that vodka is the main ingredient. Over the next decade, the White Russian gained some popularity but started to lose speed. It wasn’t until the film “The Big Lebowski” that this drink started flying off the shelves! Throughout the course of the movie, Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski, throws back a total of nine White Russians, bringing curiosity to movie watchers. Soon after, it exploded in popularity bringing the drink back from near death!

Tips for the best results

Use heavy cream: Heavy cream gives the drink a decadent and creamy flavor while giving the drink a silky, smooth and rich texture. However, you can use half-and-half, whole milk, or even low-fat milk for a thinner, lighter and less caloric cocktail.
Don’t go too heavy on the ice: Adding too much ice can water down this delicious cocktail diluting the creamy, rich texture.

Garnish if desired: Make your cocktail more festive by adding a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon to the top, even a little whipped cream with a maraschino cherry on top. In addition, try my festive blood dripped glasses for a spooky Bloody White Russian.

Pour, stir or layer?

What’s the difference dude? Check out these three popular methods. Try them all and see what method you like best. For our White Russian, we used the stir method to create a more even and consistent flavor.

Pour Method: Add ice to a glass. Pour vodka and Kahlúa over the ice then add the heavy cream.

Stir Method: Pour all the ingredients into a glass and stir gently.
Layer Method: Add ice to a glass. Add vodka and Kahlúa and stir together. Pour the heavy cream into a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour the heavy cream over the back of a spoon for a nice layered look.