White Russian

Coffee and vodka flavors

A couple of interesting holidays this week. October 1 is National Coffee Day and October 4 is National Vodka Day. Hmm... combine coffee liqueur with vodka and - White Russian, anyone?

Some history of the White Russian

This recipe comes from liquor.com, where the drink is described as "decadent and sophisticated." It was created in the 60's when someone added a little cream to a Black Russian. For those movie buffs and mixologists (aka bartenders), the White Russian had a bit of a "stodgy" reputation until "The Dude" re-branded it in the 1998 movie, "The Big Lebowski."

No bathrobe required

No bathrobe required here. It's acceptable in any attire. Surprisingly, it doesn't have a Russian origin, the name simply refers to the main ingredient: "Wad-kuh!" (or, vodka, in the states). And for those who haven't done the "research," vodka made in Sweden or the US is perfectly fine! In fact, I like to think of it as honoring my Scandinavian heritage, which is why this is not the only vodka drink on this site. 😋

White Russian variations

There are some variations of this drink, my favorite being the Anna Kournikova, the Russian tennis star. Made with skim milk instead of heavy cream, this drink is appropriately called the "skinny" White Russian. (C'mon, that's funny, right there)

📖 Recipe

More beverage ideas

For a colder frozen Kahlua drink, try a Kahlua Mudslide.

Need some vodka ideas? How about a Cranberry Grapefruit Kiss? Or get an empty ice cream pail and mix up a big batch of frozen Vodka Slush.

And if you just can't figure out what else to do with the rest of that big bottle of Kahlua, Kahlua Chocolate Cake is simply delicious. Add the Chocolate-Kahlua Frosting and everyone will love you for it!