This Virgin White Russian is a delicious non-alcoholic twist on the classic! Now you can enjoy the luscious, creamy flavors of this traditional cocktail without the alcohol.
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About this Virgin White Russian recipe
Whether you need cozy classic for Dry January, want to serve your designated drivers something extra tasty or simply are looking for non-alcoholic drinks, this recipe is for you. A Virgin White Russian is easy to make and is a fun twist on a loveable classic!
It only takes a matter of minutes to make a white Russian mocktail! That’s one of the reasons that I love it for parties. It’s just perfect to serve to my party guests who don’t want an alcoholic beverage. Instead of giving them a soda, I serve a nice mocktail instead.
This heavenly take on a classic white Russian cocktail only requires four ingredients to make. The secret to its tantalizing flavor? Zero-proof coffee liqueur, like Lyre’s! It is crazy close to the real thing — you may not even be able to tell the difference.
It’s a great drink for anytime, but it’s delicious for the holidays too. Celebrate the holiday season with boozy beverages like an apple cider mojito or non-alcoholic beverages like this virgin white Russian. Either way, you can’t go wrong when your drink tastes this delicious!
More delicious mocktails: Sparkling Holiday Mocktail • Virgin Espresso Martini • Apple Cider Mocktail
Why you’ll love this recipe
You’ll be in love with this virgin white Russian from the very first sip:
- This mocktail is truly perfect for parties. It’s easy to mix, tastes amazing and pretty much any and all party guests can enjoy it!
- You can whip up a virgin white Russian in just 5 minutes. Get back to enjoying your party much sooner!
- The flavor of this mocktail is perfect. You won’t miss the vodka one bit — you’ll be too busy enjoying this creamy drink!
Tools & glassware
To make this virgin white Russian, you’ll only need a few basic bar tools. Make sure you have a cocktail shaker and a jigger, as well as a spoon to stir in the heavy cream. Other than that, you just need a rocks glass to serve!
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Buy Now → Ingredients
These four ingredients are all that you need to make a non-alcoholic white Russian:
- espresso: The better your espresso, the better the mocktail will be. Use high quality espresso beans to make the white Russian taste extra yummy. If you don’t have a way to make espresso, you can use really strong brewed coffee instead!
- zero-proof coffee liqueur: I use Lyre’s in this recipe. It tastes a lot like the real thing and is the key ingredient in this mocktail.
- chocolate syrup: You can use a store-bought syrup, or make our own homemade chocolate syrup. Both will work in this recipe!
- heavy cream: This will make the white Russian mocktail smooth and creamy. Half-and-half will work too.
Variations and Substitutions
Dairy-free version: Want to make this mocktail dairy free? You can use a dairy-free cream substitute made from oat milk, almond milk, coconut cream or another dairy alternative. Lyre’s coffee liqueur is already dairy-free!
No zero-proof spirits? If you don’t have the zero-proof coffee liqueur, use another ½ ounce espresso and ½ simple syrup. Brown sugar simple syrup or cinnamon vanilla syrup would be perfect.
Fancy it up: Add some cinnamon sugar to the rim of the glass for a nice finishing touch, à la this cinnamon white Russian.
Decaf white Russian: Reduce the amount of caffeine in this mocktail by using decaf coffee beans for your espresso.
How to make espresso
Espresso can be made with and without a fancy automatic espresso machine maker.
If you have the room and think you’d use it a lot, espresso machines are a great thing to have. I have a Nespresso machine and love it so much. It makes for a lovely and quick latte in the mornings, and it’s perfect for this recipe,
But if you don’t have the countertop space, you can use a portable espresso maker. A French press coffee maker or a stovetop espresso maker (such as a Moka Pot) are also great options.
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moka pot stovetop espresso maker
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Buy Now → Instructions
Follow these simple steps to make the tastiest, coziest virgin white Russian in five minutes or less:
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add espresso, zero-proof coffee liqueur and chocolate syrup.
Shake well to combine and chill. You want to shake it until there is condensation on the outside of the shaker. If you want to shake the cream as well, you may! This will help the cream to thicken up, making it almost like melted ice cream.
Finally, it’s almost ready! Strain the mixture into a rocks glass with ice cubes and then top with heavy cream and stir to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips & tricks
With these few tips, your mocktail will turn out extra tasty:
- While you can replace the vodka in a classic White Russian cocktail with a zero-proof spirit or vodka alternative, they are too flavorful on their own and don’t add up as nicely in a mocktail. The zero-proof coffee liqueur and a little chocolate syrup really is the best way to go!
- Serve this drink immediately after mixing it up so that the ice does not water it down. Or use coffee ice cubes!
- If you want a layered look to your White Russian mocktail, then slowly pour the cream into the glass over the back of the spoon. Don’t stir after adding the cream.
Food pairings
This creamy and sweet mocktail goes great with your favorite desserts. A simple chocolate chip cookie or some fancy chocolate covered strawberries are both great pairings.
Or you could go the salty and sweet route and serve this mocktail with a snack like homemade Chex mix. Creamy appetizers like whipped feta dip also go great with this drink. Or, go with a classic and serve your virgin white Russian alongside some chocolate mousse.
FAQ
Yes! A virgin white Russian can be made entirely without alcohol. Instead of vodka and coffee liqueur, you can use a non-alcoholic coffee liqueur and a little chocolate syrup for extra flavor. This makes for a creamy and smooth mocktail that is very similar to the original cocktail!
You can mix together the coffee liqueur, chocolate syrup and espresso, then store in the fridge in an airtight container until needed. When you are ready to serve, pour into a rocks glass over ice and then add the cream.
More White Russian recipes
- S’mores White Russian Cocktail
- Baileys White Russian
- Peppermint White Russian
- Pumpkin Spice White Russian
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Virgin White Russian
ingredients
- 1 ounce espresso cooled
- 1 ounce zero-proof coffee liqueur such as Lyre’s
- ¼ ounce chocolate syrup
- 1 ounce heavy cream
instructions
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add espresso, zero-proof coffee liqueur and chocolate syrup. Shake well.
- Strain into a rocks glass with ice. Top with heavy cream and stir to combine.
notes
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