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If you love a classic White Russian, this version adds a fluffy, coffee-forward twist. Homemade “whipped” coffee for café style, mixed with the classic White Russian ingredients of vodka, Kahlúa, and milk. Make it for holiday nights, after-dinner cocktails, or anytime you want something creamy, cold, and just a little bit fun.
Why You’ll love this recipe
- Classic creamy cocktail, but lighter in feel thanks to airy whipped coffee.
- Simple ingredients you probably have on hand; no special equipment beyond a whisk or mixer.
Ingredient Notes
- Instant coffee or espresso powder: Use instant (not ground coffee) so it whips properly. Superfine sugar whips faster; brown sugar adds a little molasses note.
- Vodka + coffee liqueur: Neutral vodka keeps coffee flavors upfront and coffee liqueur (like Kahlúa) adds sweetness.
- Cream or milk: Half-and-half or heavy cream for classic richness; oat or coconut milk for dairy-free (oat: barista-style foam, coconut: thicker/creamier).
Recipe Inspiration
Well, I finally caved and made the whipped coffee that I’ve seen pretty much everywhere around the internet. I hesitated for quite a while, but once I had this recipe concept for a whipped coffee cocktail, I knew I had to try it.
So I did, and you know something? It’s so easy and actually pretty darn fun.
If you somehow haven’t yet seen the “whipped coffee” I’m talking about, you can read more about it here. It’s so simple. You just take hot water, instant coffee, and a touch of sugar and whip the three ingredients together until it looks similar to whipped cream. It’s served over ice milk and is currently the coffee drink everyone is talking about. I know it seems odd, and trust me, it is odd, but sometimes odd things work…and this works.
The truth is, I actually enjoy instant coffee a lot. It’s how I first started drinking (and loving) coffee a few years back. I’ve since upgraded my method of brewing coffee (hello to my beloved Breville espresso machine), but every now and then a cup of instant coffee is still enjoyed.
Soo, long story short, I had this idea to top a classic White Russian with whipped coffee. I hesitated at first, but then I just went with it…and here we are today.
The Details
Whip the coffee: Just whip hot water with instant coffee powder and a touch of honey or sugar until glossy, thick peaks hold their shape. If it’s not thickening, double-check you’re using instant coffee and keep whisking; chill the bowl if your kitchen is warm. I was kind of shocked this worked, but trust me, it does. It’s creamy, light, and extra fluffy.
Build the drink: Add ice to a rocks glass, pour a good splash of vodka and coffee liqueur, then cream and a little vanilla too. Pour over some milk, stir, then dollop on the whipped coffee and let it slowly sink into the cocktail. Stir again to marble.
Sweetness control: Taste and adjust—use less whipped coffee for a stronger, less sweet sip; more for a dessert-like finish.
And that’s it. Enjoy your frothy, Whipped Coffee White Russian.
Variations and Swaps
- Decaf: Use decaf instant coffee for the whip; base stays the same.
- Dairy-free: Swap dairy for creamy oat milk or canned coconut milk; still deliciously frothy.
- Mocha twist: Whisk in a little cocoa with the coffee whip for chocolate notes.
- Spiced: A pinch of cinnamon or cardamom complements the coffee and cream.
- Lighter option: Use milk over cream; the drink will be thinner and less rich.
My recommendation? This drink may be a bit over the top, but hey, it’s Saturday and we’re living life from home…anything goes. Soooo, let’s just make a fun White Russian and have a great Saturday night!
Can I use brewed coffee or cold brew instead of instant?
You’ll need instant coffee to create the fluffy whip. If you love cold brew, keep it in the base (in place of part of the cream) and still whip the coffee with instant for the topper.
How can I make this dairy-free?
Use a creamy non-dairy milk (oat is great for body, use coconut for extra richness). The coffee whip stays the same.
Can I make it less sweet?
Yes! Use a lighter hand with the whipped coffee and/or choose a less-sweet coffee liqueur. You can also add a splash more cream or milk to soften the sweetness.
My whipped coffee deflated—what now?
Chill it for a few minutes and whisk again to bring back volume. If it’s still soft, it’ll taste great! Just spoon it on and give the drink a stir.
But, just in case this isn’t your thing, here are a few other recent Cocktail Saturday drinks:
Lastly, if you make this frothy Whipped Coffee White Russian, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Frothy Whipped Coffee White Russian
Servings: 1 drink
Calories Per Serving: 372 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
- 1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar (see note)
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) vodka
- 1 – 1 1/2 ounces (2-3 tablespoons) Kahlua
- 1-2 ounces (2-4 tablespoons) whole milk or nut milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Combine the hot water, instant coffee, and honey in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip until fluffy and light, 2-3 minutes. Alternately, you can do this with a hand frother too. 2. Fill a glass with ice. Add the vodka, Kahlua, and a splash of vanilla. Stir. Pour the milk over and stir to combine. Spoon the whipped coffee overtop. Gently stir and enjoy!
Notes
Sweeteners: I love the flavor of honey and it works well, but sugar does whip up prettier and smoother.
If you love a lot of Whipped Coffee on Top: use 2 tablespoons instant coffee, 2 tablespoons hot water, and 1-2 tablespoons sugar.
This post was originally published on April 18, 2020
Look
You were right, this is a fun drink. We had social distancing Happy Hour with my son and daughter in law last evening. I made the drink for my son and myself. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks,
Beth (in Rocky River)
Aw that is so sweet! I hope you are all doing well, Beth! Thank you! xTieghan
I really liked this a lot but i had a hard time getting the coffee/water/sugar to whip up well like shown in your pictures. It was still thick and luscious though. I used starbucks VIA instant coffee powder
Thank you so much Bridget! Please let me know if you have any questions! xTieghan
10/10 will make again. I only had instant espresso so cut the amount of ‘coffee’ by half and kept the water and sugar ratios the same. It was great and whipped up nicely. Cheers!
Amazing!! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Shelby! Thank you so much! xTieghan
So good!! Thank you for this idea! I used August instead of honey because that is what I had on hand but so so yummy
Thank you so much Alicia! xTieghan
As a matter of fact, the recipe sounds wonderful. I have tried with regular coffee and milk. I out into my bullet and it comes foamy and frothy also. Tastes great. If you have the time try it. It’s just another way of giving coffee a different appeal. I actually heat the coffee up in a coffee mug then put in bullet and it usually retains heat. Sometimes I’ll throw in micro for a min or so.
Ooo I am sure that is amazing! I hope you try this method, Marilyn! Thank you so much! xTieghan
YOU ARE A FREAKING QUEEN! How do you come up with this magic?! Trying this ASAP
Haha SO happy you’re loving this!! I hope it turns out amazing for you Bernice! xTieghan
I made this lovely drink for my husband who loves drinks with coffee. I used vanilla vodka in place of plain vodka.
The coffee whipped up just beautifully.
I stirred the drink as directed so I didn’t get the gorgeous separation of layers and my whipped coffee was almost the same color as the coffee so not worthy of the Gram but so tasty!
Your recipes are incredible. Chocolate fudge pop tarts are next on my list!
I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Carla! Thank you so much for trying it! I hope you are staying well and LOVE The pop tarts! xTieghan
Delicious but I couldn’t get the honey water and instant coffee to whip. It stayed liquid. Any ideas?
Hi Kim,
So sorry you had issues with the recipe. You need to keep beating it with the batter, eventually it will whip up it just takes some time. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Loved it!! I had already tried the whipped coffee coz everyone else was but this… just perfect!
I am so glad you enjoyed this! Thank you Lauren! xTieghan
Just whipped this up and it’s AMAZING! Love your recipes and Instagram stories/tutorials!
Thank you so much Alison! xTieghan
Ohhh… Bring it on Baby! There’s just one way to make this recipe even better and that’s with home made Kahlua. Just search the internet for “Best Kahlua Coffee Recipe – Lake City Coffee”
Thank you so much Russell! Home made Kahlua?! Amazing!! xTieghan
This looks amazing and those glasses are beautiful! Where are they from?
Hi Heather,
Thanks so much! The glasses are from Willams Sonoma, let me give you the link!
https://rstyle.me/+TEI1-SMGu6GPj1MtZRvrww
I had everything and made this today, Oh Yeah!!! Happy in the apocalypse! (for a moment while I’m drinking this anyway) Really good!!!
Stay safe everyone.
So perfect! Thank you for trying this one, Karen! Stay well! xTieghan
I was skeptical! I didn’t think the instant coffee, honey and water would whip up thick, but it did amazingly so! This is tasty but dangerous! Drinking it at 2 in the afternoon because I can’t have coffee too late! This is a new favourite and will definitely make again!
I am so glad you loved this recipe Ashley!! Thank you so much! xTieghan