The Best Non-Dairy Milks To Make White Russians Without Cream

A White Russian is a creamy, decadent drink that features notes of coffee, sweet vanilla, and cream. More specifically, it's two ounces of Kahlúa, one ounce of vanilla vodka, and one ounce of heavy cream or whole milk. If you're trying to go all out and make a D.I.Y. White Russian with homemade Kahlúa, that works, too. And if you want to omit dairy from the deliciously rich beverage entirely for whatever reason, there are some terrific alternatives. One such option that brings both the flavor and texture is cashew cream. 

While you can buy some from the store, try making your own by combining one cup of raw cashews soaked in water overnight and strained before tossing into a blender with one tablespoon of maple syrup, one cup of water, and a splash of vanilla extract. Let the blender do its thing until it's smooth and ready to use in your White Russian as a 1:1 ratio for the cream. The main benefit of cashew cream for your White Russian is its incredibly smooth and neutral taste, similar to heavy cream, which is perfect when you're looking for a dairy-free, boozy coffee drink to wake you up right.

If you can't use cashew-based milk, other dairy-free alternatives work to make a yummy White Russian. Each will provide a slightly different flavor and texture. For example, combine some coconut cream with coconut milk. In this variation, the thick, rich coconut cream offers a dense texture to the beverage. It may give it a hint of coconut flavor. Use coconut rum instead of vanilla vodka to play up the tropical taste. Otherwise, keep it vanilla to mitigate the nutty notes.

You can also use almond milk as a replacement. The result is slightly thinner than the cashew or coconut cream varieties. However, you'll want to ensure you have the unsweetened creamy kind to avoid imparting extra sugar into the drink. The flavor will be a bit nutty but will not change the taste overall. It will slightly change the drink's texture, making it lighter. The same goes for oat milk — ensure you purchase the extra creamy variety to optimize the decade mouthfeel you'd usually get from heavy cream. Or, you can make your own homemade oat milk to customize the taste and creaminess. Flavor-wise, it brings a subtle sweetness similar to traditional dairy milk to your dairy-free White Russian.