On a recent trip to Oregon my friends were astonished to learn I had never tried a margarita. They fixed that quickly, and suddenly I found myself the subject of a lot of curious questions about which cocktails I had—or hadn’t—sampled. The truth: I’m picky about mixed drinks. I don’t drink often, so when I do I want something enjoyable and not overpowering. If it’s too strong, I’m ready for bed soon after. My list of mixed drinks I’ve actually tried is short—Long Island Iced Tea (so-so), Daiquiri, Gin & Tonic, Mojito, and now Margarita. Clearly I’m a selective party-goer.
I’d always been intrigued by the White Russian, but I rarely go out for cocktails. At dinner I usually stick to a glass of wine, and that’s about as adventurous as I get when drinking socially. That said, I do enjoy cooking with spirits. I love rum-soaked cherries, flambéed bananas, Grand Marnier cheesecakes and other boozy desserts—there’s something about how alcohol can elevate sweets that I really enjoy. So I decided to adapt the classic White Russian cocktail into a dessert-style drink.
For the record, before you ask: no, I hadn’t had a White Russian before making this milkshake. Not having tried one didn’t stop me from experimenting. Also, I don’t normally drink plain milk—but if it’s blended into ice cream, I’m all in.
A traditional White Russian is simply coffee liqueur, vodka, and cream (half-and-half or whole milk can be used). My idea was to turn that trio into a creamy milkshake. Since I don’t drink milk on its own but happily consume ice cream, I blended vanilla ice cream with milk (or half-and-half) to create a rich base. Because I love the visual contrast of a White Russian’s dark coffee liqueur against pale cream, I layered the drink instead of mixing everything together, preserving that appealing black-and-white look.
The result? Delicious. It’s thick, creamy, and best enjoyed with a straw. If you like creamy desserts with a hint of coffee and the kick of vodka, this twist on the classic is worth making.
White Russian Milkshake
Rebecca Lindamood
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces Kahlua (coffee liqueur)
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 2 ice cubes
- 1 cup vanilla ice cream
- 1/2 cup–3/4 cup whole milk or half & half
Instructions
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Place the vanilla ice cream and the milk or half-and-half in the blender. Secure the lid and blend until smooth and creamy.
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Put the ice cubes in the bottom of a glass. Pour in the Kahlua and vodka over the ice, then slowly pour the vanilla milkshake over the liquor to create a layered effect. Serve with a straw and enjoy.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred calculator.
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