Cereal Milk White Russian

Christina Tosi’s cereal milk is renowned across the country, for both the taste and the nostalgia. Then add some Kahula and vodka (in the spirit of The Dude) and you’ve hit another level of cool. Cult classics all over the place, man.

Four cereal milk white Russian cocktails in copper cups, being poured from a pitcher, with colored straws, with a person's hand holding a shaker in the background.

We use the unfrozen cereal milk ice cream to make White Russians because it stands up to the Kahlua and vodka better than regular cereal milk does. The liquor in this recipe dulls the cereal milk flavor, so we add freeze-dried corn powder to bring it back. We call these White Ruskies. When we make these with frozen ice cream, we call them Fancy Shakes. We sell them at Milk Bar and they kill it, every night. And you don’t have to be a mixologist to bang them out.–Christina Tosi

LC Two Cult Classics Collide Note

Can you dig how two cult classics of sorts collide in this cocktail? For inspiration, this trendy little number draws on both The Big Lebowski, progenitor of the classic White Russian, made from Kahlua, vodka, and a splash of cream, as well as that puddle of sweet, sometimes eerily colored milk left in your cereal bowl as you sat mesmerized by Saturday morning cartoons. We’re sorta astounded by the American cultural quotient at play here. Uh, yeah. But sometimes you just can’t take life–or libations–too seriously. So go ahead and imbibe–or shall we say, abide.

Cereal Milk White Russian

Four cereal milk white Russian cocktails in copper cups, being poured from a pitcher, with colored straws, with a person's hand holding a shaker in the background.
This cereal milk white Russian is one of our best sellers–it's that good. A little sweet, a little nostalgic, and a little boozy, it's perfection.

Prep 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Drinks
American
2 servings
245 kcal
5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients 

  • 1/4 recipe (1 cup) Cereal Milk Ice Cream before being churned
  • 2 teaspoons freeze-dried corn powder (uh, that’s optional)
  • 3 tablespoons Kahula
  • 3 tablespoons vodka

Directions
 

  • Whisk together the ice cream, corn powder, if using, Kahlua, and vodka in a small pitcher or bowl.
  • Pour this into two ice-filled glasses and stir or, if you’ve got the mixology gear, pour it into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, cover, and shake until the shaker is frosty. Strain into two old-fashioned glasses filled with ice. Sip and sigh….
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Notes

Fancy Shake Variation

Substitute 1 cup churned Cereal Milk Ice Cream for the unchurned Cereal Milk Ice Cream and blitz with the remaining ingredients in a blender until smooth, creamy, and irresistibly tempting. Take a sip and adjust the amount of ice cream, if necessary. Pour into a pint glass and imbibe.

Show Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 245kcal (12%)Carbohydrates: 27g (9%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fat: 4g (6%)Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mg (4%)Sodium: 195mg (8%)Potassium: 171mg (5%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 20g (22%)

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Recipe Testers’ Reviews

I have not had a White Russian in years since I am not a huge fan of them, but this recipe gives this old classic a great twist. It’s creamy, frothy, not too boozy, and has a great flavor profile.

Originally published July 27, 2012

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