This classic mudslide cocktail is rich and creamy, perfect for enjoying after dinner or serving to guests. Made with vodka, Kahlua and Irish cream, this smooth and decadent drink can easily be made dairy free with a few simple swaps while keeping the sweet, easy-drinking flavour you expect.
A mudslide definitely feels very 90s. It’s the kind of drink I remember parents enjoying when I was a kid, and I’m pretty sure you could even buy a premix of it back then.
It’s also one of those cosy, indulgent cocktails that comes up around Christmas and the holidays, when you want something a little decadent to serve at a party or after dinner.
For me, I am excited to be making these now as I stopped consuming dairy when I was 21 after discovering I had a lactose allergy. Even before that, milky drinks always made me feel sick (which makes sense now), so I never really got to enjoy the fun, creamy cocktails you can make with Baileys Irish Cream.
When Baileys released a plant based version, I was first in line to try it and recreate all those classic drinks I’d missed out on.
This mudslide is rich, creamy and chocolatey, without holding back on the booze. It’s basically a boozy chocolate milkshake for grown-ups, which is exactly why it’s such a fun one to serve over the festive season. It’s the kind of drink you make when you can’t decide whether you want another cocktail or dessert, because it works perfectly as both!
Key Ingredients
This version is of course made dairy free, but you can use the recipe as a base to make a classic mudslide cocktail as well.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Vodka – you can use any vodka you like for this cocktail.
- Coffee liqueur – I always use Kahlua as that’s what I like, but use any you prefer.
- Irish cream – for this recipe I am using Baileys Plant Based Coffee Toffee which is made with oat milk. If you can’t find it, you can also make your own dairy free Irish cream.
- Cream – to keep this recipe completely dairy free I am using my favourite Flora Plant Based Thickened Cream which is a plant-based heavy whipping cream. You can also use an oat based cream or even oat milk however your drink wont be as thick.
- Chocolate syrup – technically optional, but a little syrup around the glass adds that chocolatey flavour and looks fancy as well. I love the Hershey’s one which is dairy free and very delicious.
- Dark chocolate – optional, but this cocktail is perfect garnished with some shaved dark chocolate on top!
Not dairy free? If you don’t need this recipe to be dairy free, feel free to use regular Baileys Irish Cream and regular heavy cream in the cocktail.
Equipment and Tools
- Cocktail shaker – essential for getting the right mix and froth.
- Martini glasses – this cocktail looks pretty served in a martini glass however you can really use any cocktail glass you have / like.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To start, grab the glass you want to serve the cocktail in and drizzle some chocolate syrup around the inside. Set the glass aside in the fridge to chill (and prevent the sauce from just dripping down to the bottom!).
In your cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream, and dairy free cream with ice and shake really well until the shaker is frosty.
Pour the drink into your prepared and chilled glass. Top with some shaved chocolate to give it that extra rich dessert vibe and serve immediately.
💡 To do the chocolate shavings, I just used a potato peeler on a block of dark chocolate that was in the fridge.
Frozen Mudslide
A frozen mudslide is just as popular and perfect for warmer weather or a fun party drink.
Add the vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream and a scoop or two of dairy free vanilla ice cream to a blender with a handful of ice. Blend until thick and smooth, then pour into a larger glass drizzled with chocolate syrup and top with shaved chocolate.
Recipe FAQs
You can. Just Mix a batch of the vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream and cream in a jug ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, then pour over ice and shake per glass as people arrive.
Traditionally no, this cocktail is a heavy dairy based drink. This version is made dairy free however by swapping the Irish cream for the new plant based baileys and using a dairy free cream in place of heavy cream.
I think it looks pretty in a martini glass which works well if you’re serving it to guests as a dessert drink. They aren’t my favourite glass to drink from however so you may just prefer a small tumbler. You want a glass that is around 200-250 ml (7–8 oz).
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More cocktail recipes:
Amaretto Sour
Limoncello Spritz
Gingerbread Whiskey Sour
Easy Vegan Eggnog
Mudslide Cocktail
Equipment
Ingredients
- 30 ml (1 floz) vodka
- 30 ml (1 floz) Irish cream plant based baileys
- 30 ml (1 floz) coffee liqueur Kahlua
- 60 ml (2 floz) cream dairy free cream or oat milk
- Ice cubes
- Chocolate syrup for drizzling
- Grated dark chocolate optional for garnish
Instructions
- Drizzle Chocolate syrup inside a martini glass and set aside in the freezer to chill.
- Add the 30 ml Irish cream, 30 ml vodka, 30 ml coffee liqueur, and 60 ml cream to a cocktail shaker with Ice cubes.
- Shake well until chilled and slightly frothy.
- Strain into your prepared glass and garnish with Grated dark chocolate. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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