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Day 5 of my 5 Days of Holiday Cocktails brings us a dirty chai white russian. And while I cannot pick a favorite of the 5 cocktails, I must say, this one has the best of all worlds. This spin on the classic white russian adds the flare of warm spice through notes of cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom, the zip of espresso, and the chocolatey smoothness of coffee liquor. It is not to heavy, not to light, and perfect for a holiday evening in watching your favorite movies.
Traditional White Russian
A traditional white russian is a simple 3 ingredients. 5 parts vodka, 3 parts heavy cream, and two parts coffee liqueur. Despite the name, the drink actually doesn’t have origins in Russia (actual origins are unknown to my knowledge). It gets its name due to the main ingredient being vodka.
White russians are traditionally served over ice in old fashioned glasses. Nothing fancy, no special equipment, just three ingredients and done!
Dirty Chai Latte
Now while a dirty chai latte is a bit more complex than a white russian, it is equally as tasty! It’s base, chai tea, or masala chai tea as it is sometimes know, is a blend of black tea, herbs and spices. Among its most notable ingredients are cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and star anise. Originating in India, every family has their own blend, but luckily you can get all different brands right in the grocery store.
Add steamed milk and you have a chai latte, an increasingly popular drink in coffee shops. Now, a “dirty chai” is a chai tea latte blend with a shot or two of espresso! Best of both worlds, tea and espresso!
Dirty Chai White Russian
To combine the two drinks, start by making a dirty chai “syrup”- it isn’t as thick as a syrup, just FYI. Begin by brining 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove it from the heat and add 4 chai tea bags, 1 cinnamon stick, and one star anise clove. Let this steep for 10 minutes. Next, add in 1/3 cup of honey or agave, and 1-2 shots of espresso, or 1/2 cup of strongly brewed coffee.
You may need to return this to the heat quickly to help the honey dissolve. Cool completely, strain, and set aside. This syrup will store in the fridge up to a month and yields enough syrup for at least 5 cocktails.
In an old fashioned glass filled with ice, pour in 2 oz of the chai syrup, 1 1/2 to 2 oz of vodka, 1 1/2 to 2 oz of kahlua, and 1 oz of heavy cream. Give it a stir and that’s it! Feel free to garnish with a cinnamon stick or clove of star anise.
Want More Holiday Drink Ideas?
Dirty Chai White Russian
Ingredients
Dirty Chai Syrup (yields syrup for 5 drinks)
- 1 cup water
- 4 bags chai tea
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 clove star anise
- ⅓ cup honey or agave
- 2 shots espresso or ½ cup strongly brewed coffee
1 White Russian Drink
- 2 oz dirty chai syrup
- 1½-2 oz kahlua or other coffee liqueur
- 1½-2 oz vodka
- 1-2 oz heavy cream
Instructions
Dirty Chai Syrup
- Bring water to a boil in a small pot.
- Remove from heat and add tea bags, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Allow to steep for 10 minutes.
- Pour in honey and espresso/coffee. Stir to dissolve honey and allow to cool. (I stuck mine in the fridge for about 10 minutes)
White Russian
- In a glass filled with ice, pour in syrup, kahlua, vodka, and heavy cream.
- Stir to combine. Serve with a cinnamon stick or star anise.
