This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.

The coziest Bad Santa White Russian…for all the festive nights ahead. Homemade cinnamon vanilla simple syrup, mixed with vodka and Kahlúa, plus my seasonal twist… A shot of espresso and a sweet chocolate ribbon – adding just the right amount espresso kick and holiday sweetness. The perfect holiday twist on the classic White Russian cocktail, such a delicious December treat!

Bad Santa White Russian | halfbakedharvest.com

If Christmas had a cocktail it would be this White Russian. It’s got a touch of sweetness, just the right amount of creaminess, and, of course, a good kick to it too.

This one didn’t come to me on my own however. It’s actually a drink made with Red’s girlfriend, Hailey, in mind. She sent me a photo of a drink she’d order in Mexico a few months ago.

It looked and sounded like a White Russian, but with twist. I said I’d save it for December and here we are! I wasn’t able to recreate the exact drink, so instead, I made something I knew that Hail’s would love.

Bad Santa White Russian | halfbakedharvest.com

The steps are easy…and simple!

To make the sweet cinnamon syrup just mix together your classic White Russian ingredients. Then add an extra shot of espresso and some cream.

A little chocolate around the rim gives this drink that specialness that’s most fitting for the holiday season. I have family members who are very excited to try this in just about ten days! A good White Russian is one of their favorites to enjoy each year!

Bad Santa White Russian | halfbakedharvest.com

Lucky for Hail’s, she currently here. So I made mixed her up one last night and she’d gave it her full seal of approval. with the line, I think it’s my new favorite…which is really saying something because she loved the chai martini too.

Bad Santa White Russian | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for other Christmas drinks? Here are my favorites: 

White Christmas Mojito

The North Pole Cocktail

Spicy Pomegranate Ginger Paloma

Frosted Mistletoe Margarita

Chai Espresso Martini

Lastly, if you make this Bad Santa White Russian, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Bad Santa White Russian

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Calories Per Serving: 1415 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Cinnamon Syrup

Russian

  • 2 ounces (1/4 cup) vodka
  • 2 ounces (1/4 cup) Kahlua
  • 1 ounce espresso
  • 1-2 ounces (2-4 tablespoons) cinnamon syrup Instructions below
  • 1-2 ounces (2-4 tablespoons) half and half or cream
  • chocolate sauce and coarse vanilla sugar, for the rim

Instructions

  • 1. To make the cinnamon syrup. In a medium pot, combine 1/2 cup water, the honey, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 3-5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. This makes enough for 6 drinks.
    2. If desired, rim your glass with chocolate sauce and sugar.
    3. To make the Russian. Fill your glass with ice. Add the vodka, Kahlua, espresso, and vanilla syrup. Stir. Add the half and half and stir to combine. Garnish with cinnamon, if desired. 

Notes

Vanilla Sugar: Mix 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or 1/2 a vanilla bean, seeds scraped. 
View Recipe Comments

Bad Santa White Russian | halfbakedharvest.com

Add a Comment

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. 5 stars
    The perfect Christmas time drink. My fiancé and I loved this. We don’t like our drinks too sweet so we went with 1 oz for each drink on the syrup. It was perfect!
    We love all your cocktails, they are amazing! Please make more.
    Happy Holidays!

    1. Hi there,
      Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan

  2. 4 stars
    While this was acceptable, it wasn’t as spot on as the gingerbread White Russian. I found it a bit to finicky for my typical straight up tastes. My espresso machine (in reality, my teenager’s expresso machine) puts out 1.35 Oz and the syrup didn’t stay viscous (welcome to winter in Maine…it’s drafty and chilly). I made it work on the second cocktail and it was just a bit too coffee like. Good…but not better then my typical whiskey on the rocks. I enjoyed making the syrup and mixing ingredients together. Thanks for another cocktail experience! Given a recent training injury, I plan to work my way through your cocktail recipes, much like I did for your taco recipes last summer.

  3. I think I have to make it an EXTRA Bad Santa White Russian. I’m going to take some really super rich & creamy vanilla ice cream and put it into an ice cube tray to make “ice cubes”. These will replace the ice cubes & when they melt (quicker than ice cubes) at least your drink doesn’t get watered down!

    Look in the ingredients for carrageenan – it’s what you will find in the thicker, richer ice creams and chocolate milks. (So it’s probably not good for you!) This is merely an observation on my part.

    1. Hey Monica,
      Something like Hershey’s chocolate sauce works well here! I hope you love the recipe, cheers! xTieghan

    1. Hey Tina,
      Baileys will obviously change the flavor profile, but could work! I hope you love the recipe, cheers! xTieghan

  4. 5 stars
    This cocktail is delicious. We cooled the espresso and syrup prior to pouring into our glasses. We didn’t want it to melt the ice and water down the drink. We had zero issues with the half and half. Everything mixed together beautifully. It’s now one of our favorite Christmas drinks. I recommend using 2oz of the syrup. It’s easy to double the recipe and store in the fridge. Yum! Thanks for another fabulous cocktail recipe Tieghan! – @hello.champagne

  5. 5 stars
    Made this tonight and my husband and I both loved it! I was surprised by how big of a glass it made but it was so delicious! I agree with another review saying there’s not enough of the cinnamon/vanilla syrup to make 6 servings, BUT the recipe calls for 1-2oz in your drink and we did 2 in each so you would probably have enough if you just added 1oz to each drink. I also boiled it on very high heat so I’m sure some of it evaporated. We have friends coming over next weekend and I will be making this again to share with everyone!

  6. I haven’t made the entire recipe, thought I would just make the syrup first. According to the recipe, the syrup (1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup honey) is enough to make 6 drinks. But if 1 drink requires 2-4 TABLESPOONS of this syrup. there is NO WAY one batch of syrup is enough to make 6 drinks. You cannot get 1 2 Tablespoons (6 drinks) out of the basic syrup recipe. I’ve always hated math so please let me know where I’ve gone wrong.

    1. 1 star
      If you use half and half your drink will curdle the cream, as it appears curdled in your photos. Heavy cream or even cream fraîche is the only solution until you figure out what’s causing it to be acidic.

      1. Half and half works well. You have to cool the espresso and syrup first. I recommend doing that anyway so it doesn’t melt the ice and water down the drink. Cheers!

      2. Hi Lainey,
        Did you give the recipe a try? The recipe calls for half and half or cream. I wouldn’t say the photos show curdling, lol if so I would never share the recipe:) Let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

    2. I believe 4 Tablespoons = 1/4 cup, so the recipe makes 12 Tbs (+ a little extra from the vanilla, but maybe that amount evaporates during cooking)
      If you go light on the syrup and only use 2 Tbs, this recipe is enough for 6 drinks. I guess it just depends on your taste!

    3. Hi Tanya,
      The syrup will make 6 drinks like stated, you should end up with about 3/4 cup of syrup. If you use 2 tablespoons per drink, that will be 12 tablespoons equally 3/4 cup. Cheers! xTieghan