Toasted Almond Drink

Toasted almond drink is a unique and classic dessert drink with amaretto and coffee liqueur. This vegan version is made with vegan heavy cream. With a few ingredients, this sweet and silky-smooth drink is ready to be served over ice—a true creamy crowd-pleaser.

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Are you craving something sweet, creamy, and cold after dinner? A toasted almond drink is a recipe for you. This drink is a crowd-pleaser for special occasions, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, birthdays, or celebrating life.

It’s made in a cocktail shaker (or an alternative) in less than 5 minutes with only 3 ingredients plus ice cubes.

WHAT IS A TOASTED ALMOND DRINK?

This smooth dessert drink combines amaretto liqueur, coffee liqueur, and heavy cream. The combinations of these ingredients result in a drink with an unexpectedly similar taste to toasted almonds. The coffee liqueur adds a toasted flavor, the amaretto gives it an almond undertone and mixed with the cream, this drink has a similar taste to toasted almonds—a unique and appealing drink.

This drink is not overly sweet, and I can easily recommend and serve this to those who usually steer away from sweet alcoholic beverages.

A Toasted Almond Drink is very similar to a White Russian drink. A White Russian contains vodka with coffee liqueur and heavy cream, making it a more robust and slightly less sweet drink than a Toasted Almond Drink.

Top view of two ribbed glasses with a golden rim filled with a light brown drink with ice cubes.

ORIGIN TOASTED ALMOND DRINK

The origin of this drink is unclear. The ingredients are similar to a White Russian. The White Russian dates back to 1949 when Gustave Tops, a Belgian barman, created this drink. Adding amaretto to a Toasted Almond Drink makes it a more suitable sweet dessert drink.

TOASTED ALMOND DRINK RECIPE

The recipe for this drink is simply blending amaretto liqueur and a coffee liqueur against a creamy milk base. A simple and quick drink to create a cold dessert cocktail without complicated techniques and ingredients. 

For this recipe, you don’t need almonds. This dessert cocktail is made with amaretto, a coffee liqueur, and heavy cream. Together these ingredients create a toasted almond-like flavor. 

Amaretto liqueur
Amaretto liqueur has a sweet, nutty, and slightly bitter taste (in Italian amaretto means “little bitter”). This liqueur can be made with apricot pits, almonds, or a combination. Most Amaretto brands are vegan-friendly, such as Amarito Amaretto or Luxardo Amaretto.

Coffee liqueur
A good quality coffee liqueur is essential for this drink. While Kahlúa might be your first pick, it is not vegan. But you can use this brand if you are not vegan. Luckily there are a lot of vegan-friendly coffee liqueurs available, such as Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy, Koval Coffee Liqueur, or the Tia Maria cold brew liqueur.

How can a liqueur such as Kahlúa not be vegan? The brand is probably using a not vegan-friendly sugar refining process, such as using bone char to filter the sugar used in the drink.

Heavy cream
If you are not vegan, you can use any heavy cream. To keep this drink vegan, you can use vegan evaporated milk or store-bought heavy cream based on soybeans, coconut, or oats. Another option is to use plant-based barista milk, but the result might be a bit less creamy.

The creamier and more neutral the heavy cream, the better. My recommendation is soy- or almond-based heavy creams. 

And finally, you’ll also need ice cubes to serve the drink chilled.

A round white marble cutting board with three small bowls with the ingredients for toasted almond drink and glasses with ice next to a silver colored cocktail shaker and the names in bold next to it.

HOW TO MAKE TOASTED ALMOND DRINK (step-by-step with photos)

This drink is as easy as mixing all the ingredients and serving it over ice. There are, however, two methods to do so: the easy way and the bartender way.

The easy way
It is possible to make this drink without a cocktail shaker at home. Add the ice cubes to a serving glass, followed by the other ingredients. You can stir the drink quickly, but the heavy cream will not be blended that well with the other ingredients. That is a personal preference, and it is fine to make it this way.

If all the ingredients come out of the fridge, your drink might even be cold enough without ice cubes. 

The bartender way
The way most bartenders will make this drink is with a cocktail shaker. 

Step 1.
Fill a cocktail shaker about ¾ with ice cubes.

Step 2. 
Add the amaretto and coffee liqueur to the cocktail shaker, followed by the heavy cream.

Step 3.
Close the cocktail shaker and shake for about 5 seconds.

Step 4.
Fill a serving glass about halfway with ice cubes.

Step 5.
Strain the drink over the ice cubes in the serving glass. This drink is typically served without a garnish, but feel free to add a bit of warmth with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg. A little sprinkle of coconut sugar will also add a bit of sweetness.


I prefer and recommend the ‘’bartender way’’ because even though this drink doesn’t need vigorous shaking, even 5 seconds of shaking will break up the heavy cream and get it mixed with the other ingredients resulting in a silky smooth and creamy drink.

HOW TO SERVE THIS DRINK?

The toasted almond drink is a pleasant and smooth dessert drink lighter on alcohol than most drinks served over ice.

This drink is a festive party drink and a good option for social drinkers since it’s not too strong. It can be served in a glass with a good amount of ice cubes or in a cooled cocktail glass served up without ice as a creamy cocktail martini.

While this drink is typically served as a dessert drink, it can also be enjoyed before dinner. Even though the caffeine content in most coffee liqueur brands is low (compared to coffee), this might be something to consider when served after dinner.

Or try serving this drink between meals as a coffee with a kick. See the below section about variations to make this drink even lighter.

A ribbed glass with a gold rim on a marble backdrop filled with ice cubes and a light brown colored drink in front of another drink.

VARIATIONS

This drink combines three ingredients with a few possible variations.

Make it vegan
This recipe is vegan, but if you are not vegan, you don’t have to make this drink vegan. The original recipe is made with heavy cream based on cow’s milk.

The amaretto you go for is also totally up to you. For this vegan recipe, I recommend Amarito Amaretto or Luxardo Amaretto (this one has the most potent almond flavor); both variations contain almonds.

If you are vegan, double-check if the sugar used in coffee liqueur is vegan, such as Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy or the Tia Maria cold brew liqueur.

And lastly, for the heavy cream, it’s best to use an option as creamy as possible. For vegans, this can be evaporated milk based on coconut (this will make the drink sweeter) or a soy-based heavy cream. Plant-based barista milk (coffee creamer) is also an option, but it will result in a less creamy drink.

To make this drink stronger
If this toasted almond drink version is too mild for you, you can add a splash of vodka to the cocktail shaker for an extra punch. 

But if you want to make this recipe milder or stronger without using vodka, feel free to play around with the ratio of this recipe.

  • Less amaretto and more heavy cream will make this drink gentler;
  • And less heavy cream and more amaretto will make this drink stronger. 


Feel free to play around with the ratio to make the perfect drink for you.

A ribbed glass with a gold rim on a marble backdrop in front of another drink filled with ice cubes and a light brown colored drink with a hand holding the glass.

FINAL TIPS

You can serve this recipe without ice cubes. If all your ingredients are cold from the fridge, shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and serve in a glass without ice.

If you shake the drink in a cocktail shaker with ice and serve it over ice, only briefly shake it in the cocktail shaker (about 5 seconds). Shaking it any longer will dilute the drink too much. The ice cubes for serving will also dilute the drink, so keep the shaking process short.

The other way also applies. If you don’t shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker (the easy way as explained above) and the ingredients don’t come out of the fridge, serve your drink over ice.

Not a fan of alcohol? You may want to check out these recipes:

Are you going to make this dessert drink? I would love to know! Let me know in the comment section what you think of my recipe. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @thegreencreator.

A cocktail shaker pouring in a light brown colored drink in a ribbed glass with ice cubes on a light brown backdrop with another drink in the background with the text toasted almond drink on the top.
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A cocktail shaker pouring in a light brown colored drink in a ribbed glass with ice cubes on a light brown backdrop with another drink in the background.

Toasted Almond Drink

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Bianca
  • Total Time: 5
  • Yield: 1 1x
  • Category: drinks
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This toasted almond drink is a unique and classic dessert drink with amaretto and coffee liqueur. With a few ingredients, this sweet and silky-smooth drink is ready to be served over ice.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 oz (1 1/2 tablespoons) amaretto liqueur
  • 1 1/2 oz (3 tablespoons) coffee liqueur
  • 2 oz (4 tablespoons) heavy cream
  • Ice cubes

Instructions

Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ with ice cubes.

Add the amaretto and coffee liqueur to the cocktail shaker, followed by the heavy cream.

Close the cocktail shaker and shake for about 5 seconds. Do not shake too long.

Fill a serving glass halfway with ice cubes.

Strain the drink over the ice cubes in the serving glass. 


Notes

Milder or stronger
If you want to make this recipe stronger or milder, play around with the ratio of this recipe. Less amaretto and more heavy cream will make this drink gentler. And less heavy cream and more amaretto will make this drink stronger. To give this drink an extra punch, you can add a splash of vodka. 

Cocktail shaker
This recipe is a simple mixture and can be made by pouring it straight into a serving glass. However, I recommend using a cocktail shaker (or a jar with a lid) to give this drink a short shake. It does make a difference as it will break up the heavy cream and make this drink silky smooth.

Heavy cream
The creamier the heavy cream, the silkier and smooth the drink will be. You can use vegan evaporated milk or a store-bought heavy cream for this recipe—the more neutral the heavy cream, the better.
My recommendation is soy- or almond-based heavy creams. 
A plant-based barista milk or coffee creamer is also an option, but this will result in a lighter drink, and depending on the fat content, it can easily become a watered-down drink. This drink should be creamy and smooth. 

Serve
This drink is typically served without a garnish, but feel free to add a bit of warmth with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg. A little sprinkle of coconut sugar will also add a bit of sweetness.

Ice
You can serve this recipe without ice cubes. If all your ingredients are from the fridge and cold, shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and serve in a glass without ice.
The other way also applies. If you don’t shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker (the easy way as explained above) and the ingredients don’t come out of the fridge, serve your drink over ice. 
My method (and recommendation) is to shake the drink in a cocktail shaker with ice (only for about 5 seconds) and serve it over ice.  

Amaretto
Most Amaretto brands are vegan-friendly, such as Amarito Amaretto or Luxardo Amaretto.

Coffee liqueur
Vegan-friendly coffee liqueurs are Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy, Koval Coffee Liqueur, or the Tia Maria cold brew liqueur.