christmas white russian recipe

A Christmas White Russian is a festive holiday twist on the classic three-ingredient cocktail. Made with eggnog in place of heavy cream, this easy drink is perfect for enjoying all season long.

 know it sounds cliché, but Christmas is my favorite time of year.

I love everything about the holiday season: the lights, the music, the movies, the festive parties, the traditions. (In fact, I’m listening to Christmas music as I write this.) 

To me, there’s this unexplained extra-special feeling of joy just sort of floating in the air the entire month of December.

My Christmas season celebrations are deeply steeped in tradition: putting our Christmas tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, decked out with the kids’ hand crafted ornaments. Although this has changed in a post-2020 world and our house now gets decorated mid-November so we can enjoy it longer. 

Going to an annual performance of The Nutcracker. Rolling and cutting out dozens of Grandma Vera’s sugar cookies (or a batch of Matcha sugar cookies). 

Wrapping Christmas presents. Cozying up on the couch in front of the fire to watch our favorite holiday movies, including the cheesy Christmas movies on Netflix. Exploring the many Christmas activities in Charlotte with the kids.

One of my favorite corners of our home is the wood-burning fireplace in our basement. There’s something peaceful (and also rewarding) about sitting in front of the fire, flanked by our pup Bodie and a few cats, relaxing with AJ and the kids while the logs sizzle, crackle and pop.

And what makes relaxing in front of our festive fireplace even more enjoyable? A holiday cocktail like my cranberry bourbon smash, pumpkin old fashioned, or this Christmas White Russian, of course!

What is a Christmas White Russian?

A classic White Russian cocktail is a 3-ingredient cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur (like Kahlúa), and heavy cream.

The history of the cocktail, and its name, is not definitive. But something that everyone seems to agree on is that the “Russian” part of the cocktail’s name comes from the simple fact that it contains vodka.

And of course we can’t mention the history of the White Russian without mentioning the Coen brothers’ cult comedy classic, The Big Lebowski, where it is heavily featured as The Dude’s favorite drink.

I love sipping on the cream-based cocktail in colder months, which is why I thought a holiday twist would be perfect.

This Christmas White Russian replaces the heavy cream with eggnog, adding notes of nutmeg to the coffee flavors. If you’re a fan of eggnog, whether it’s on its own or in recipes like eggnog cookies or eggnog ice cream, you’ll love this cocktail. 

What you’ll need for this recipe

Even though this Christmas White Russian adds to the flavors of the classic recipe, the ingredient list is still really simple.

To make one cocktail, you’ll need:

• Vodka: We can’t have a White Russian without vodka! Feel free to use your favorite here.
• Coffee liqueur: Such as Kahlua
• Eggnog: You can use homemade eggnog, but I typically use store-bought. You’ll use 2-3 ounces, depending on how strong you want your final cocktail to be.
• Ice: White Russians are served over ice, which helps keep the drink nice and cold as you sip.
• Garnishes: I like to finish my Christmas White Russian with a bit of freshly grated nutmeg and/or a cinnamon stick, depending on what I have on hand.

For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, make sure to check out the recipe card below.

How to make my Christmas White Russian

You can make this eggnog cocktail shaken or stirred.

For a shaken cocktail, start by adding the vodka, coffee liqueur, and 2-3 ounces of the eggnog to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. How much eggnog you add will depend on how strong you want your Christmas White Russian to be.

Shake well, then strain the cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with a bit of nutmeg and/or a cinnamon stick, if desired.

For a stirred cocktail, add the vodka and coffee liqueur to a rocks glass filled with ice. Stir to combine.

Add in the eggnog and stir. Garnish as you like with a sprinkle of nutmeg and/or cinnamon sticks.

Now it’s time to enjoy, preferably next to a cozy fire if you can!

More seasonal White Russian recipes

While eggnog is my favorite Christmas drink, you can use other seasonal flavors to create a Christmas-inspired White Russian drink. 

Some of my favorite Christmas cocktails include:

• Peppermint White Russian, using peppermint schnapps and garnishing with candy canes
• Gingerbread White Russian, using gingerbread Kahlua or gingerbread syrup
• Pumpkin Spice White Russian, using pumpkin spice syrup
• Cinnamon White Russian, using cinnamon simple syrup

Frequently asked questions

Can I batch this white russian recipe to make it for a crowd? 

Yes!

This cocktail can easily be batched to make it for a big group, whether you’re hosting holiday parties, a Secret Santa gift exchange, or have a big, cocktail-loving family staying with you for a few days.

In order to make a big batch of Christmas White Russians, you just have to increase the ingredients, and combine them in something like a large pitcher or a punch bowl, rather than making individual cocktails to order.

To make six cocktails, you can combine 1 ½ cups vodka, ½ cup coffee liqueur, and 2 to 2 ½ cups of eggnog in a pitcher or a punch bowl.

I would make this on the same day as my party and store in the fridge until serving!

What kind of eggnog is best for this White Russian?

When I’ve had the time, I’ve tried my hand at homemade eggnog in the past…and let’s just say it’s much easier to buy from the store.

Most store-bought eggnogs are non-alcoholic. Just keep in mind that if you use a boozy eggnog, you’ll be adding even more alcohol to this easy-sipping cocktail, which tends to sneak up on you already!