Ingredients
- 1 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz Irish Cream
- 1 1/2 oz Cream
Garnish
- Chocolate Shavings
- Whipped Cream
Instructions
- Add the vodka, coffee liqueur, Baileys, and heavy cream to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake until well-chilled.
- Strain into a chilled fizz glass or coupe.
- Garnish with whipped cream and freshly shaved chocolate for that "mud" effect.
Video
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Mudslide was invented at the Wreck Bar at Rum Point in Grand Cayman in the mid-1970s. The bar, which still exists, claims it on the menu. The recipe is a Brandy Alexander cousin built on vodka and Kahlua instead of brandy and creme de cacao, with Baileys joining the lineup as soon as Baileys hit the market in 1974.
It travelled fast. By the early 1980s the Mudslide was on every Caribbean cruise ship, beach bar and hotel pool deck in the western hemisphere. The frozen-blender version arrived in the 1990s and has been the standard ever since. Some bars serve it shaken with ice and strained over fresh ice, which is the version we publish here.
It is a dessert cocktail. After dinner, after the second bottle of wine, after you have decided you are not driving home. Whipped cream, chocolate shavings, the whole show.
What it tastes like
Coffee and chocolate up front, vanilla and Irish whiskey through the middle, a creamy finish. Sweet, dessert-like, smoother than a White Russian and richer than a Brandy Alexander.
The cream is the variable. Heavy cream pushes the drink toward dessert; half-and-half keeps it lighter. Most bars split the difference with thickened or pouring cream.
The technique
Combine the vodka, Kahlua, Baileys and cream in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for ten seconds. Strain into a hurricane glass over fresh ice. Top with a generous swirl of whipped cream and a dusting of chocolate shavings.
Cold ingredients matter. Cold cream holds the chocolate shavings on top instead of melting them in. The shake gives the cocktail a soft foam crown the whipped cream then sits on. Skip the shake and you lose half the texture.
Drink Buddy Exclusive
Tell us what’s in your cabinet.
Our Cocktail Builder takes whatever bottles you’ve got and hands you every drink you can actually make tonight.
Open the Builder →Get the Drink Buddy newsletter
One drink, one tip, one Tuesday a month.
Plus the recipes we drop before they hit the site. Zero spam.
Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that do the talking.
Kahlua
- Use
- Kahlua Original (the Mexican standard)
- Try
- Tia Maria (slightly drier) or Mr Black (closer to cold brew)
- Why
- Kahlua is the structural base. Around 20 percent ABV, made from rum, sugar and arabica coffee. It gives the cocktail its colour, its sweetness and its coffee backbone.
Baileys
- Use
- Baileys Original Irish Cream
- Try
- Carolans, Five Farms, Kerrygold, or any store-brand Irish cream
- Why
- Around 17 percent ABV, made from Irish cream, Irish whiskey and chocolate. It rounds out the Kahlua and gives the cocktail its dessert finish. Coffee or salted caramel Baileys both work for a twist.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
Frozen Version
- Frozen Mudslide
- Blend the four liquids with a cup of crushed ice and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Slushie texture, the cruise-ship version.
Dry Version
- Mudslide Martini
- Same three spirits, no cream, shaken hard and strained into a chilled coupe. Stronger, less sweet, drinks like a White Russian shaken over ice.
Dessert Version
- Mudslide Float
- Build the cocktail in a tall glass, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Eat with a long spoon between sips.
What if I don’t have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Tia Maria, Sheridans coffee liqueur, or any coffee liqueur. Espresso plus simple syrup and a teaspoon of vodka in a pinch.
Carolans, Five Farms, Kerrygold, or any Irish cream. Avoid coconut cream, the texture goes wrong.
Light rum gives a sweeter cocktail. White whiskey or unflavoured gin work in a pinch but push the drink off-piste.
Half-and-half, full-fat milk, or coconut milk for a non-dairy version. The cocktail loses some body but stays drinkable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Kahlua Mudslide?
One ounce of vodka, one ounce of Kahlua coffee liqueur, one ounce of Baileys Irish Cream and an ounce and a half of cream, served over ice with whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top.
How do you make a Kahlua Mudslide?
Combine the vodka, Kahlua, Baileys and cream in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for ten seconds, strain into a hurricane glass over fresh ice. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
What does a Kahlua Mudslide taste like?
Coffee and chocolate up front, vanilla and Irish whiskey through the middle, a creamy finish. Sweet, dessert-like, smoother than a White Russian and richer than a Brandy Alexander.
Is the Kahlua Mudslide strong?
Around 14 percent ABV in the glass. The three spirits are all 17 to 40 percent and the cream stretches the alcohol. Drinks like a milkshake which is where most of the trouble starts.
Where did the Mudslide come from?
The Wreck Bar at Rum Point in Grand Cayman, mid-1970s. The bar claims it on its menu and most cocktail histories agree. From there it travelled to every Caribbean cruise ship and hotel-pool bar in the western hemisphere.
Can I make a frozen Mudslide?
Yes. Blend the four liquids with a cup of crushed ice and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Slushie texture, what most cruise-ship bars serve.
What is the difference between a Mudslide and a White Russian?
A White Russian is vodka, Kahlua and cream. A Mudslide adds Baileys to the lineup, which gives the cocktail more body, more sweetness and a richer chocolate finish. The White Russian is the older, simpler ancestor.
How many calories are in a Kahlua Mudslide?
Around 380 calories per glass. The cream and the Baileys carry most of it, the Kahlua and the whipped cream add the rest. Skip the whipped cream and it drops to around 320.
What glass do you serve a Mudslide in?
A hurricane glass shows off the layering and gives room for the whipped-cream crown. A 12-ounce highball or a stemmed glass works.
Can I make a Kahlua Mudslide without alcohol?
Yes. Use cold-brew coffee plus a tablespoon of chocolate syrup in place of the Kahlua, and full-fat milk plus a teaspoon of vanilla in place of the Baileys. Skip the vodka entirely. Drinks like an iced mocha.
More Like This
More dessert cocktails from the same family.
