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Home » Recipes » Drinks » Cocktails

Pumpkin Spice White Russian

Published on: November 9, 2023 - Molly ThompsonLeave a Comment

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two images of a pumpkin spice white russian with a cinnamon stick in it and then pouring heavy cream into a white russian

This Pumpkin Spice White Russian puts a fall twist on a classic white Russian cocktail. This smooth cocktail features a delicious blend of creamy coffee, rich pumpkin, and warm spices. It's served on the rocks, finished with a cinnamon sugar rim, and garnished with whole cinnamon sticks. It truly has all of the cozy flavors of fall.

Do you need another Thanksgiving drink to try? You'll love this Thanksgiving Sangria and apple cider sangria.

pumpkin spice white russian in a stemless glass with crushed ice and cinnamon sticks

And if you're looking for a non-alcoholic drink fall drink, we have a few for coffee lovers. Incorporate the perfect pumpkin flavor into your morning coffee with our iced pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin spice bulletproof coffee.

Why this Pumpkin Spice White Russian Cocktail Recipe Works

Easy recipe: You don't even need the cocktail shaker for this tasty fall cocktail. Just create the simple syrup, put ice in a glass, pour in all of the ingredients, and give it a quick stir!

Perfect drink for the holiday season: The warm spices, sweet pumpkin flavor, and creamy richness make perfect sense for cooler weather. Pumpkin lovers live for this time of year when all of the delicious recipes call for a fun twist of added pumpkin or rich spices.

Tastes great as a virgin cocktail: Even sans alcohol, you can still enjoy a cream cocktail with coffee flavor and a seasonal twist of pumpkin pie spice!

kahlua, vodka, heavy cream, and pumpkin spice syrup before being stirring in a ball glass

Ingredients You Need

Here are the simple ingredients for this Pumpkin Spice White Russian Most are pantry staples and easy (and affordable) to find in grocery stores. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

Pumpkin Syrup

  • Water: 1 cup of tap water.
  • Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup adds natural sweetness.
  • Pumpkin puree: Find 100% pure pumpkin puree in the baking aisle of your grocery store. (Be careful not to buy pumpkin pie filling.)
  • Cinnamon sticks: Not only do they look great in the glass, they give added flavor to this fall cocktail recipe.
  • Pumpkin spice: Although you're only using a teaspoon of pumpkin spice, we have plenty of other pie recipes on our site that will make use of it, like this pumpkin snickerdoodle cobbler.
  • Vanilla extract: Substitute with ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste.

Pumpkin White Russian

  • Vodka: You can use your favorite brand of classic vodka. Smirnoff is a popular choice and we'd recommend choosing 100 proof for a dry, smooth, potent cocktail without overwhelming the drink. Absolut has a vanilla vodka that could add an extra tasty twist, but you don't want it to overpower the pumpkin or coffee flavors.
  • Kahlua: If you want to make this pumpkin cocktail non-alcoholic, omit the vodka and substitute the Kaluha for coffee and either whole milk or a little pumpkin spice coffee creamer.
  • Pumpkin spice syrup: Use the pumpkin-flavored simple syrup 
  • Heavy cream: Also referred to as heavy whipping cream. The addition of the heavy cream is what differentiates a White Russian drink from a Black Russian cocktail.

Pro Tip: Add a little whipped cream (we have a recipe on our pecan pie cobbler) and extra sprinkle of pumpkin spice on top to garnish.

pouring heavy cream into a pumpkin spice white russian

How to Make a Pumpkin Spice White Russian

The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. This Pumpkin Spice White Russian Cocktail is really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure they turn out every time.

Make simple syrup. In a medium saucepan, combine water, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, cinnamon stick, and pumpkin spice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat and simmer over medium-low for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool slightly before mixing with the drink.

pumpkin spice simple syrup in a saucepan with two cinnamon sticks for a pumpkin white russian

Garnish glass. Pour a little maple syrup into a shallow bowl and do the same with a ground cinnamon and sugar mixture. Then take the rim of your glass and dip it gently in a bit of maple syrup and then the cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Mix alcohol: Fill the glass with ice and pour the vodka, Kahlua, and pumpkin syrup on top. Stir to combine.

two images showing kahlua and homemade pumpkin syrup into a glass for a pumpkin white russian

Finish and stir: Finish with a splash of heavy cream and serve with a cinnamon stick.

two images showing pouring heavy cream into kahlua, vodka, and pumpkin syrup for pumpkin white russian

What is a White Russian?

A White Russian is a classic cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa), and cream or milk. It's a slightly sweet cocktail known for its smooth taste and is typically served over ice cubes in an old-fashioned glass.

It has a coffee-like richness and creamy texture. Vodka originated in Russia in the 9th century, and its name is a variation on "voda," which means "water" in Russian. It's called a White Russian for its light appearance thanks to the cream.

FAQs

What type of vodka is best in a White Russian?

You want a good quality vodka that's flavorless so it doesn't interfere with the coffee or pumpkin flavors. You also want it to be a vodka known for its smoothness. Some popular and widely used vodka brands for cocktails like the White Russian include Classic Smirnoff, Absolut, Grey Goose, Ketel One, Stolichnaya (Stoli), Belvedere, and Tito's.

What's the difference between a White Russian and a Black Russian?

A White Russian cocktail is a variation of the Black Russian, which contains only vodka and coffee liqueur, without the cream or milk. When the cream was added, it lightened the drink's appearance, hence the name change from "Black" to "White" Russian.

How to make a virgin Pumpkin Spice White Russian?

If you want to make this pumpkin cocktail non-alcoholic, replace the vodka with a vanilla cream soda and substitute the Kaluha for coffee and either whole milk or a little pumpkin spice coffee creamer.

two pumpkin spice white russians on a countertop garnished with cinnamon sticks and more cinnamono

Tools for This Recipe

Here are some basic kitchen tools you may want to use for this recipe — or most cocktail recipes. (May contain affiliate links.)

Rocks glasses: serve your pumpkin white russian cocktail in a classic whiskey glass, often called a lowball glass. We have these double old fashioned glasses as well as these pretty etched old fashioned glasses.

Long cocktail spoon: we use this gold bar spoon all the time. It looks pretty, stirs everything well, and even has a muddler at the end.

Pitcher: this acrylic pitcher is so pretty and functional. It's great if you're making a big batch of these (see section above) or if you're making another drink, like our apple cider sangria.

pumpkin spice white russian in a glass with cinnamon sugar rim and cinnamon sticks

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below and leave a comment in the comments section. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

More Seasonal Cocktails

Apple cider sangria is a tasty fall cocktail that's perfect for parties and making in bigger batches.

Maple bourbon smash is made with fresh muddled fruit and herbs, bourbon, and a splash of ginger beer. 

A frosty Cranberry Moscow mule in a cold copper mug is perfect this time of year. 

creamy pumpkin spice white russian in a ball glass with a cinnamon sugar rim and garnished with cinnamon sticks

Pumpkin Spice White Russian

This Pumpkin Spice White Russian puts a fall twist on a classic white Russian cocktail. This smooth cocktail features a delicious blend of creamy coffee, rich pumpkin, and warm spices. It's served on the rocks, finished with a cinnamon sugar rim, and garnished with whole cinnamon sticks. It truly has all of the cozy flavors of fall.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Calories: 454kcal
Author: Molly Thompson
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Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Syrup (6 servings)

  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 1 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Pumpkin White Russian

  • 1.5 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce Kahlua
  • 1-2 ounces pumpkin spice syrup
  • 1-2 ounces heavy cream

Recommended Equipment

  • Medium Saucepan
  • Glasses for serving

Instructions

  • Combine 1 cup water, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, cinnamon stick, and pumpkin spice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat and simmer over medium-low for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow it to cool slightly before mixing 1-2 ounces of it in the drink. Store in a jar with an airtight lid in the fridge for up to two weeks.
  • When you’re ready to serve, rim a glass with a bit of maple syrup and dip it in cinnamon sugar. Fill the glass with ice and pour the vodka, Kahlua, and pumpkin syrup on top. Stir to combine. Finish with a splash of heavy cream. Serve with a cinnamon stick

Notes

Leftover Pumpkin Spice Syrup: use it in more Pumpkin Spice White Russians or save extra to use in an iced pumpkin spice latte.
*Nutrition information is for 1 ounce of pumpkin spice syrup and 1 ounce of heavy cream.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.1g | Protein: 1.4g | Fat: 16.3g | Cholesterol: 50.5mg | Sodium: 18.4mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 27.6g | Vitamin A: 242.8IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_MollyMade or tag #whatmollymade!

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