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Mudslide Cocktail Recipe

The mudslide is a creamy, dreamy cocktail that’s decadent enough to drink for dessert. Learn how to craft one at home in just five minutes.

Mudslide vertical with Black Background

The Mudslide cocktail is a fun guilty pleasure – a creamy, dreamy drink that’s super easy to craft without any special tool or skills. Once crafted, it tastes like liquid dessert.

But don’t be fooled. With three different liquors, this decadent dessert drink provides an alcohol kick that can’t be denied.

What Is A Mudslide?

Mudslide Ingredients
It’s difficult to ‘mess up’ our Mudslide recipe. It’s that easy to craft at home.

If you’re new to Mudslides, you’re in for a wonderful experience that mixes coffee, chocolate and pure decadence. However, before we explain what a Mudslide is, let’s start with what it isn’t.

A Mudslide isn’t complicated to craft. It’s not vegan. And it isn’t particularly healthy.

Instead, a Mudslide is a decadently rich shaken cocktail thanks to three of its ingredients – coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur and cream. Vodka adds an extra kick to the equation.

Those who choose to add chocolate sprinkles take the creamy cocktail one step further. If you’re on the fence, we say go for it!

History Of The Mudslide

Mudslide Cocktail with Ingredients
Though it’s not technically a classic cocktail, the Mudslide is a staple at bars around the world.

Based on the over-the-top decadence of a Mudslide, you might think that the cocktail was invented in the US. You would be wrong.

You might also think that the Mudslide was invented in the UK since its creaminess rivals that of England’s Eggnog. You would be wrong again.

Surprise! The Mudslide’s roots trace back to the Cayman Islands. Legend has it that a clever bartender crafted the original Mudslide as a variation of the White Russian while working at the Rum Point Club’s Wreck Bar.

That mixology magic occurred during the 1970s. A half-century later, the island beach bar serves a version with cinnamon, a cherry, and a shot of Kahlúa. Bars around the world have their own versions as do we.

Mudslide Ingredients

Mudslide Ingredients Next to Tile Wall
The list of ingredients and tools to craft a Mudslide cocktail is short and succinct. They’re all pictured here with the exception of ice which is in the freezer.

You can count the ingredients for crafting a Mudslide on one hand unless you’re counting ice as an ingredient. Then you’ll need two hands. An easier option is to read the following list:

  • Vodka
  • Coffee Liqueur
  • Irish Cream Liqueur
  • Cream
  • Chocolate Sprinkles (optional)
  • Ice (for shaking)

If you’re lucky, you already have all of the necessary ingredients on hand. If not, you should be able to easily find them at a local market and/or liquor store.

Mudslide Liquors
We used these three liquors to craft our Mudslide Cocktail.

The Mudslide has three liquors in its recipe – vodka, coffee liqueur and Irish cream liqueur.

We used Stolichnaya vodka since that’s what we’re currently pouring. However any vodka brand will work in this recipe.

Discover our favorite vodka cocktails.

The world’s most popular coffee liqueur and Irish cream liqueur are Kahlúa and Bailey’s Irish Cream respectively. We used both in our recipe but you can use your preferred liqueur brands instead.

How To Craft A Mudslide At Home

Straining Mudslide into Coupe Glass
Crafting a Mudslide cocktail is shockingly easy even for lazy mixologists like us.

Crafting our Mudslide cocktail recipe is both easy and fun to do at home. As a bonus, no special equipment is required. All you need are the following basic bar tools.

Don’t skip crafting this cocktail if you’re missing any of these tools. Get creative instead. For example, you could use an angled measuring cup instead of a jigger. While any glass will work, we recommend using a coupe glass if you have one.

Discover 10 essential bar tools for home mixologists.

The first step is to measure the three liquors. After you measure each, pour it directly into the shaker.

Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.

Measuring Baileys for Mudslide Cocktail
We used a Japanese Jigger to measure each liquid ingredient in our Mudslide drink recipe.

The second step is to measure the cream and pour it into the shaker.

Pro Tip
Use milk or half and half if you don’t have cream on hand. Your drink won’t be as creamy but it will still taste divine.

Pouring Cream into Mudslide Cocktail
We used the same Japanese Jigger to measure the cream.

The third step is to add ice to the shaker and vigorously ‘shake shake shake’. This step should take about 10 seconds or until your hands feel cold.

Purchase a Boston Shaker from Amazon.

Mindi Shakes a Mudslide Cocktail
Mindi is all smiles as she shakes her Mudslide in a Boston shaker.

The fourth step is to strain the viscous mixture into a coupe glass.

Straining Mudslide into Coupe Glass with Bubbles
We adore the bubbles that form during the shaking step.

You could make this step the final step by why stop there…

Adding Sprinkles to Mudslide
Adding chocolate sprinkles is both optional and highly recommended. This extra step takes the creamy cocktail to the next level.

Garnishing the Mudslide with chocolate sprinkles is an extra step that goes a long way. The tiny confectionary bits add both extra flavor and a decorative panache.

Fun Fact
Sprinkles are called jimmies in northeastern cities like Boston and Philadelphia.

Mudslide Alternatives

Measuring Cream for Mudslide Cocktail
The best part about crafting cocktails at home is that you can modify the drink to your own taste preferences. In other words, we won’t be insulted if you modify our recipe.

We suspect that you’ll be thoroughly satisfied with our Mudslide recipe. However, feel free to try one or more of the following variations if you’re feeling adventurous:

  • Blend vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur and vanilla ice cream in a blender to craft a Frozen Mudslide cocktail.
  • Serve the Mudslide cocktail ‘on the rocks’ with ice cubes.
  • Drizzle chocolate syrup in lieu of sprinkling chocolate sprinkles.
  • Replace plain vodka with flavors like chocolate, vanilla and espresso.
  • Add amaretto to craft a Screaming Orgasm cocktail.
  • Omit the Irish cream liqueur to craft a White Russian cocktail.

Mudslide FAQs

What is a Mudslide cocktail?

A Mudslide is a decadently rich shaken cocktail crafted with vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur and cream.

Where was the Mudslide invented?

The Mudslide was invented in the Cayman Islands.

What are the ingredients in a Mudslide?

Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, Irish Cream Liqueur, Cream, Chocolate Sprinkles (optional) and Ice (for shaking)

What’s the best vodka for a Mudslide?

Any vodka will work in the White Russian recipe.

Is the Mudslide shaken or stirred?

The Mudslide is shaken, not stirred.

What’s the best glass for a Mudslide?

We like to serve this cocktail in a coupe glass but you could use a small martini glass instead.

Mudslide Recipe

Mudslide vertical with White Background

Mudslide Cocktail

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

The mudslide is a creamy, dreamy cocktail that's decadent enough to drink for dessert.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce vodka
  • 1 ounce coffee liqueur
  • 1.5 ounces Irish cream liqueur
  • 1 ounce cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon chocolate sprinkles (optional)
  • ice cubes

Instructions

  1. Pour liqueurs and cream into a shaker.
  2. Add ice and shake vigorously until ingredients are mixed and chilled.
  3. Strain into a coupe glass.
  4. Optional - Garnish with chocolate sprinkles.

Notes

  • You can garnish this cocktail with shaved chocolate instead of chocolate sprinkles.
  • You can use a lowball or small martini glass if you don't have a coupe glass.

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About The Authors

About The Authors

Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.

Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Funding
We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft this cocktail.

Original Publication Date: August 12, 2021

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