Imagine a drink so creamy and sweet that you can't wait to take another sip... and another, and another. In the UK, they call wanting to continue eating or drinking something this good "moreish," and that's exactly what a salted caramel white Russian is. It's totally moreish. With a sweet and salty flavor profile and a creamy texture, you'll keep drinking the white Russian for sip after sip, and then you'll want to make another.
How to Make a Salted Caramel White Russian
Based on the classic white Russian, which first began appearing in glasses around the 1960s, the salted caramel white Russian hasn't deviated much from the original recipe. As time went on, the white Russian began to undergo changes as ingredients were swapped around or changed, creating the flavored white Russians that have rocketed in popularity during the modern cocktail era.
Ingredients
- Caramel syrup for garnish
- 1½ ounces salted caramel vodka
- ¾ ounce coffee liqueur
- ¾ ounce cream
- Ice
Instructions
- Swirl the caramel syrup in a rocks glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, salted caramel vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice.
If vodka isn't your spirit of choice, no problem. Instead of vodka, try salted caramel whiskey, spiced rum, or even a sophisticated brandy.
5 Variations to Upgrade Your Cocktail
There's a wide world of caramel and salted caramel, so no need to stress if one recipe doesn't look perfect. There's a salted caramel white Russian combination for everyone.
- Use plain vodka with salted caramel coffee liqueur.
- Swap regular cream for salted caramel Irish cream.
- Plain or vanilla vodka in combination with salted caramel Irish cream is a flavorful twist.
- Use a spiked salted caramel cold brew instead of coffee liqueur.
- Add a splash of almond liqueur for a subtle nutty flavor.
Simple Garnishes
The classic white Russian doesn't have a traditional garnish, and the salted caramel riff uses a simple caramel swirl. Luckily, there are plenty of options to choose from if you want yours to be more dressed up or if you want to keep it simple.
- Use caramel on the rim, dipping the rim in a saucer of salted caramel.
- Instead of salted caramel, dip just a piece of the rim in regular caramel and sprinkle coarse sea salt on the rim.
- Swirl caramel on top of the drink.
- Pierce several soft caramels with a cocktail skewer.
- Peel an apple, twist the peel into a circle, and pierce with a cocktail skewer to maintain its shape.
Salty and Sweet as the Perfect Treat
The addition of salted caramel to the original white Russian completely transforms the profile of the cocktail without losing the spirit of the classic. The sweet and salty flavors complement the cream and vodka, with the rich coffee notes weaving through seamlessly, especially during the winter season. This will make anyone a believer in white Russians and all their glory.
