This Gingerbread White Russian Recipe is a cozy winter treat to warm you from the inside out! Filled with coffee, vodka, and coconut cream, it’s a vegan version of a classic alcoholic drink. Gingerbread spices add a festive touch.
What is a White Russian?
A White Russian is a cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream served in an Old Fashioned glass. Interestingly, it is not actually Russian in origin; this name comes from its primary ingredient of vodka. It’s first iteration was called a Black Russian; the addition of cream gave it the name it has today.
This drink went out of fashion for many years but was brought back into the spotlight with the move The Big Lebowski in 1998. A White Russian is the drink of choice for the main character in this movie (“The Dude”).
How to Make a Vegan White Russian
Instead of the traditional inclusion of heavy cream, use coconut cream. It’s the perfect substitute. It’s slightly sweet and has the perfect texture to complement a cozy winter drink.
To make a vegan White Russian, you simply combine vodka, coffee, and this coconut cream. That’s it!
To add an additional holiday feel, I like adding some additional warming spices. A mixture of ground ginger, allspice, and nutmeg team up for the coziest cocktail. If you like sweeter drinks, feel free to add the optional maple syrup.
What spices are in gingerbread?
The classic “gingerbread” flavor many of us love is made up of ground ginger, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Some other blends include black pepper and allspice, but these are not essential in my experience.
Looking for more cozy cocktails? Try one of these next!

Gingerbread White Russians
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Gingerbread White Russian Recipe is a cozy winter treat to warm you from the inside out! Filled with Kahlúa, vodka, and coconut cream, it’s a vegan version of a classic alcoholic drink. Gingerbread spices add a festive touch.
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka (.25 cups)
- 1 oz. Kahlua (or strong coffee for a vegan version)
- 5 TBS coconut cream
- .25 tsp nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling
- Pinch allspice
- Pinch cinnamon
- .25 tsp ground ginger
- 1 TBS maple syrup (optional, depending on your sweetness preferences)
Instructions
- Combine vodka and Kahlua/coffee in a rocks glass, stirring to combine.
- In a small bowl, combine coconut cream with nutment, allspice, cinnamon ginger, and optional maple syrup. Whip with a whisk or fork to combine. Pour on top of vodka/coffee mixture. Sprinkle nutmeg on top and enjoy.
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirring
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cocktail
- Calories: 460 calories
- Sugar: 16.5 g
- Sodium: 6.2 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.3 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: cocktail, white russian, drink, vodka, kahlua, gingerbread, christmas