This Vegan White Russian is made with just 3 ingredients and is the perfect cocktail to make to get in the holiday spirit! It’s 100% dairy free, yet equally rich and creamy. Perfect for hosting, a nightcap, or sipping by the fire on Christmas Eve.
I don’t like to play favorites, but this vegan white Russian is my absolute favorite holiday cocktail to enjoy for Christmas. It makes an amazing night cap, is easy to make for a crowd in minutes, and is a festive cocktail to help get you in the holiday spirit.
Kahlúa Espresso Martini RTD’s and Kahlúa Nitro Cold Brew RTD’s also do not contain milk or cream. Please note, these products are lactose free, but not acceptable for a vegan diet. However, Kahlúa Mudslide RTD, White Russian RTD, Vanilla White Russian RTD, and Kahlua with Milk RTD do contain milk and/or milk proteins.
What’s in a White Russian?
- Kahlúa coffee liqueur – I personally always use a Kahlúa family friends gift me every year around the holidays. Store-bought Kahlúa does not contain any dairy or non vegan ingredients, but it is not considered a vegan product because the sugar refining process is not organic and therefore can be made with sugar that is processed through bone char to bleach it white. This is very similar to Oreos or any pre-packaged product containing sugar – they are technically free of animal products, but could contain sugar that is processed with animal byproducts. If you prefer, make your own vegan Kahlúa at home.
- Vodka – Vodka is naturally vegan! I don’t think I’ve come across a plain vodka that was not vegan. Vodka is generally made from fermented grains, like potato or corn which are both vegan. The liquids left over from that process are then used to make vodka. Use any plain vodka you’d like.
- Coconut milk – Classic white Russian cocktails are made with heavy cream. For the best vegan substitute, I highly recommend full-fat canned coconut milk. It’s equally as creamy and the coconut flavor is not overpowering.
How to Make a Vegan White Russian
- Add ice and Kahlúa to your favorite drinking glass. We prefer to use large ice cubes or balls in a rocks glass, similar to making an old fashioned, but any ice will work!
- Add vodka.
- Add coconut milk.
- Stir to combine. Then garnish and enjoy!
- Use oat milk, almond milk, or cashew milk: If you’d prefer a lighter white Russian, swap the full-fat coconut milk with a creamy oat milk, cashew milk, or almond milk. Just make sure they are unsweetened or your cocktail will likely be too sweet. You could also opt for a can of lite-coconut milk.
- Use Tia Maria: Tia Maria is another type of coffee liqueur that is certified vegan according to their website! It will add the same sweet coffee flavor to your White Russian and be equally delicious.
- Make it a mocktail: If you are looking for a non-alcoholic vegan white Russian, look no further! Substitute the Kahlua with DaVinci Coffee Liqueur Syrup and 1 shot of espresso instead of vodka. This version will taste more like coffee, but is seriously DELICIOUS!
- Make it a peppermint white Russian. Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of edible peppermint oil. Note that peppermint essential oils are not edible. Please use a food grade oil. Serve with a candy cane for garnish!
- Mix your coconut milk REALLY well. If you’ve cooked with canned coconut milk often, you’ll know that the white, hard coconut cream floats to the top of the can and the liquid coconut milk stays on the bottom. In order to make your vegan white Russian cocktail as creamy as possible, it is very important that you thoroughly mix the coconut cream and liquid back together. Depending on how cold your can of coconut milk is, you may be able to shake vigorously to make it creamy again. Or, my preferred method is actually putting the coconut milk into the blender and blending until super smooth and creamy. If it is not mixed well enough, the coconut milk will be slightly chunky and grainy in the vegan white Russian.
- Not all cans of coconut milk are made the same. I prefer making this vegan white Russian cocktail with the Whole Foods 365 Brand Coconut Milk. I don’t recommend the Thai Kitchen brand or the Chaokoh brand – both have an odd aftertaste and Thai Kitchen is quite watery.
- Do not skip ingredients. Since this vegan white Russian is only made with 3 ingredients, you really can’t skip them or make significant substitutions without changing the flavor of the entire drink. For best results, follow the recipe as written.
Learn How to Make 5 Kahlua Drinks – Espresso Martini, White Russian, Mudslide, and More
FAQ
What is a substitute for milk in a White Russian?
Coconut milk – Classic white Russian cocktails are made with heavy cream. For the best vegan substitute, I highly recommend full-fat canned coconut milk. It’s equally as creamy and the coconut flavor is not overpowering.
Does Kahlua vanilla have dairy?
The Kahlua Mocha is a blend of 100% Arabica coffee, rum, natural vanilla and real dark chocolate.” Company email: “The Kahlua Ready To Drink and Drinks To Go both have dairy. The regular Kahlua, Kahlua Vanilla and Kahlua Hazelnut do not.
Why is Kahlua not vegan?
Kahlúa ingredients Excluding the ‘Ready-To-Drink’ Kahlúa products, there aren’t any animal-derived products listed on the relatively simple ingredients list of rum, sugar and coffee. So it comes down to the sugar which, until last year, was refined by using bone char making the products not suitable for vegans.
What are the ingredients in Kahlua?
Kahlua’s ingredients, as reported by the manufacturer, include: high fructose corn syrup/sugar, cane spirit, coffee extract (cane spirit, sugar, water, caramel), neutral grain spirit, water, and wine.