Dairy-Free White Russian

Name: Dairy-Free White Russian
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 1 cup raw cashews; 2 cups water, divided (plus more for soaking); 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup, to taste; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 ounce vodka; 1 ounce Kahlua (rum and coffee liqueur); 2 ounces cashew cream

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Welcome to cocktail week! Since Christmas is just one week away, I thought it would be fun to share classic cocktail recipes for your holiday parties.

We’re kicking off with White Russians, which are usually made with cream or milk. I’m not a big milk drinker, so I replaced it with thick cashew milk. It’s creamy, dreamy and ultra delicious.

Cashew milk is relatively neutral in flavor, so it’s a great stand-in for dairy milk. I love that I don’t have to strain it like almond milk (no waste here). I first tried making dairy-free White Russians with light coconut milk, but when coconut milk hits ice cubes, it tends to form small lumps. Not a problem with cashew milk!

I recommend soaking the cashews for a few hours in advance, unless you’re using a high-powered blender like a Vitamix. In addition to cashew milk, you’ll simply need vodka (Tito’s is my favorite brand), coffee liqueur (Kahlua) and ice.

Note that I originally titled this recipe “Vegan White Russians,” but it seems that Kahlua is not vegan. If you can find a similar coffee liqueur that is truly vegan, then this recipe will be suitable for vegans.

I hope this drink makes an appearance at your next holiday get-together. Or, take a break from the holiday hubbub and sip one of these while watching The Big Lebowski. For more cocktail recipes, click here!

Dairy-Free White Russian

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Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes (plus 2 to 4 hour soaking time)
Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
Category: Cocktail
Method: Blended
Cuisine: Vegan

★★★★

3.4 from 10 reviews

This white Russian cocktail recipe is creamy, delicious and surprisingly dairy free! Just whip up some cashew milk (instructions provided below), then add vodka and Kahlua. Easy!

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Ingredients

Cashew cream*

1 cup raw cashews
2 cups water, divided (plus more for soaking)
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup, to taste
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Per cocktail

1 ounce vodka
1 ounce Kahlua (rum and coffee liqueur)
2 ounces cashew cream

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Instructions

To make the cashew cream: For ultra creamy results, soak the cashews in water for 2 to 4 hours. Drain them, then rinse the cashews under running water.
Place the drained cashews in your blender and add 1 cup of the water. Blend the mixture on high until the cashews are totally pulverized and the mixture is very creamy. Add the remaining 1 cup of water, the maple syrup and vanilla extract, and blend again. Taste, and blend in additional maple syrup if you’d like it to be sweeter. (If your cashew milk still has tiny bits of cashews in it, pour it through a fine metal sieve into a glass.)
To make a cocktail: Fill a short cocktail glass with ice. Pour in the vodka, followed by the Kahlua and cashew cream. Lightly swirl the contents with a spoon, and enjoy.

Notes

*Cashew cream yield: This cashew cream will yield about 2 ¼ cups, which is enough for 9 cocktails. Leftovers make great coffee creamer; just whisk or shake the mixture to recombine before serving. Leftover cashew cream will keep well in the refrigerator for about 4 days.

Recommended equipment: This ice cube tray makes the giant ice cubes you see in the pictures, and this stainless steel jigger is great for measuring liquor. (Those are affiliate links.)

▸ Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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