White Russian recipe
The Dude's drink of choice — vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream layered over ice. Simple, indulgent, and surprisingly hard to mess up.
Method: Build ·
Glass: Rocks glass ·
Time: 2 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: Modern Classics
Ingredients
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Kahlua (or any coffee liqueur)
- 1 oz Heavy Cream (or half-and-half)
How to make a White Russian
- Fill a rocks glass with ice cubes.
- Pour vodka and Kahlua over the ice.
- Float the cream on top by pouring it slowly over the back of a spoon.
- Stir gently if you want it mixed, or leave layered for presentation.
Garnish
None needed. Some people grate nutmeg on top but thats optional.
Pro tip
The float is what makes it look good — pour the cream real slow over a bar spoon so it sits on top in a white layer. Use heavy cream not milk, milk just disappears into the drink. And yeah, The Big Lebowski made this drink famous but it was around since the 1960s.
History of the White Russian
Created in the 1960s, the White Russian is a variation of the Black Russian (vodka + coffee liqueur) with cream added. It was a relatively obscure cocktail until 1998 when The Big Lebowski made it iconic. The Dude drinks nine of them throughout the film. Sales of Kahlua reportedly jumped 30% after the movie released.
Flavour profile
Creamy, Coffee, Sweet, Smooth
Variations
- Black Russian — Skip the cream entirely — just vodka and Kahlua on ice
- Blind Russian — Replace cream with Baileys Irish Cream for double the richness
- Colorado Bulldog — Add a splash of cola on top for fizz
Practise making the White Russian in the free Virtual Bar game.