White Russian Cocktail Recipe
Vodka and coffee liqueur topped with cream — rich, sweet and mellow.
- Category: Popular
- Glass: Old fashioned glass
- ABV: 18%
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: ~4 min
Ingredients
- Vodka50 ml (1.7 oz)
- Coffee liqueur20 ml (0.7 oz)
- Fresh cream30 ml (1 oz)
How to Make It
- Add vodka and coffee liqueur to a rocks glass with ice.
- Float fresh cream on top.
- Stir gently before drinking.
Garnish
None
What it tastes like
The sweetness is pronounced, there is roasted coffee in it and the texture is creamy.
The technique
Layering. The liqueurs sit on each other by sugar density — the sweetest one goes in first, at the bottom. Each layer is poured slowly over the BACK of a bar spoon so it spreads instead of punching through. Rush it and the layers fold together, and there is no fixing that.
Glass and ice
A heavy-bottomed, wide old fashioned glass. Wide enough for one large cube, which is the point: a big cube has less surface area, so the drink gets cold without getting watery.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Vodka
- Vodka brings body and alcohol rather than flavour; its job is to get out of the way of everything else. Which is why, in a vodka drink, how fresh the juice is matters far more than the brand.
- Coffee liqueur
- Coffee liqueur. It is not a stand-in for coffee — it is very sweet and low in caffeine; in drinks with espresso the two are used together, not instead of each other.
- Fresh cream
- Cream will curdle when it meets citrus juice; to avoid it, add the cream last and shake straight away.
The Story
A 1960s riff on the Black Russian; immortalised by the film 'The Big Lebowski'.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a White Russian mixed?
- It is layered and served in an old fashioned glass.
- How strong is a White Russian?
- Roughly 18% ABV as served — in fortified-wine territory — plan it as a single drink.
- Can a White Russian be made without alcohol?
- Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
- Is a White Russian hard to make?
- Easy. No bar kit required — a measure, ice and a jar will do.
The main ingredient here is also a dream symbol: Coffee in a dream
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.