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This Mudslide drink is made with vanilla ice cream, Kahlua, vodka, and creme de cacao. Poured into a tall glass dipped in chocolate, this creamy cocktail is topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings!
This Mudslide drink is everything you want in a boozy, sippable dessert. It’s made with vanilla ice cream plus four kinds of alcohol: Kahlua, creme de cacao, Irish cream and vodka. Your blender whips everything up into a milky mixture that is then poured into a hurricane glass rimmed with chocolate. To finish it all off, you’ll add a generous dollop of whipped cream and milk chocolate shavings.
Sound decadent? It is! But if you’re in the mood for a boozy milkshake that everyone loves, then give this recipe a whirl. We’ve been making it exactly like this since my husband and I met in college and it’s always a huge hit!
Why You’ll Love This Mudslide Recipe
- Easy. You won’t need any fancy equipment to make this Mudslide recipe. Just a blender and a few basic ingredients. If you don’t have a hurricane glass you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Doubles as dessert. You can serve this drink as a cocktail or as a dessert. Thanks to the ice cream it’s a rich and creamy beverage that can definitely be served on its own.
- Flavorful. Every sip of this grown-up milkshake is packed with decadent flavor!
What is a Mudslide Drink?
The classic Mudslide cocktail was invented in the 1970s at the Wreck Bar in Rum Point Club on Grand Cayman Island. A customer wanted a White Russian cocktail but the bar was out of heavy cream so the bartender subbed Irish cream. The variation was a huge hit and made its way to America over time, where heavy cream or ice cream was added to the mix. It became a favorite beverage at restaurants and home bars alike.
Why is it Called a Mudslide?
The name of this drink comes from the chocolate syrup used to decorate your glass. When your glass is dipped in chocolate it creates a “mudslide” effect as the chocolate drips down the sides. I also like to add stripes of chocolate to the inside of the glass because it’s pretty and hey, more chocolate!
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make a frozen Mudslide at home. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
For the Mudslide Drink
- Vodka – Absolut or Grey Goose are my favorite vodka brands.
- Irish cream – A cream liqueur with chocolate, vanilla, and whiskey flavors. I recommend using Baileys.
- Kahlua – A coffee liqueur made with rum, sugar, and arabica coffee.
- Creme de cacao – A chocolate flavor liqueur made with whiskey and vodka.
- Vanilla ice cream – Use your favorite brand. I like Breyers Natural vanilla ice cream.
- Ice
To Serve
- Chocolate syrup – You can use your favorite kind from the store.
- Grated chocolate – Grab a bar of good-quality milk chocolate. Then you’ll use a grater to shred some of it on top of your drink. You can also use bittersweet or dark chocolate.
- Whipped cream – We usually use Cabot whipped cream for cocktails like this.
How to Make a Frozen Mudslide
Ok, are you ready to make a Mudslide drink? It’s super easy! Here’s how:
- Add a chocolate rim. Pour chocolate syrup into a shallow glass and invert your glass into it to give it a chocolate rim.
- Add chocolate stripes. Drizzle the inside of your hurricane glass with chocolate syrup to make pretty stripes. Place the glass in the fridge to chill.
- Blend the drink ingredients. In a blender combine the vodka, Irish cream, Kahlua, creme de cacao, vanilla ice cream, and ice. Cover and blend well, pausing periodically to scrape down the sides. If your mudslide is too thick you can add a little milk or heavy cream to thin it out.
- Serve. Pour the blended drink into your glass. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
That’s pretty much it! Doesn’t the finished drink look totally gorgeous?
Variation: Make a Classic Mudslide
Want to make a classic Mudslide drink without the ice cream? Here’s how to do it:
Ingredients
- 1 oz vodka
- 1 1/2 oz Irish cream (like Baileys)
- 1 oz Kahlua
- 1/2 oz creme de cacao
- 1 1/2 oz heavy cream
- 1/2 cup ice
How to Make it
- Swap the kind of glass used. Use a coupe glass instead of a hurricane glass.
- Add the chocolate syrup. Dip the glass in chocolate syrup and add stripes if desired.
- Mix your mudslide drink. Add the ice to a cocktail shaker. Pour in the vodka, Irish cream, Kahlua, creme de cacao, and heavy cream. Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds. Then strain the mixture into your prepared glass.
- Garnish and serve. You can garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, or just with chocolate shavings. Then start sipping!
How Many Drinks Does This Recipe Make?
- Frozen mudslide: This recipe makes one large drink in a 15.5 oz hurricane glass. Or, you can split it into two drinks if you use smaller glasses. A coupe glass is usually my favorite alternative – it holds about 6 oz and is just as elegant! In college we just used whatever kind of glass we had though so don’t stress about it too much.
- Classic mudslide: The variation above without ice cream makes one drink appropriate for a coupe sized glass.
Tips for Success
This dessert cocktail is pretty simple to make, but it never hurts to have a few tips:
- Make it right before serving. I recommend making this drink right before you want to serve it so that it is still quite cold when you start sipping.
- A straw is helpful. There is a nice amount of whipped cream and chocolate on top of this beverage so using a straw lets you reach the creamy core of the drink and acts as a handy stirring tool.
- Try chocolate ice cream. For an easy variation, you can use chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla ice cream.
- Use brandy instead of vodka. For a fancy twist, swap the vodka for brandy.
More Easy Cocktail Recipes
- Colorado Bulldog Drink – Another twist on a White Russian.
- Blood Orange Margarita – Probably my favorite way to make a margarita right now.
- John Daly Drink – Also known as a spiked Arnold Palmer.
Mudslide Drink
Ingredients
- 1 oz vodka
- 1 ½ oz Irish cream, like Baileys
- 1 oz Kahlua
- ½ oz creme de cacao
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- ¼ cup ice
For serving:
- Chocolate syrup
- Grated chocolate
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Add a chocolate rim. Pour chocolate syrup into a shallow glass and invert your glass into it to give it a chocolate rim.
- Add chocolate stripes. Drizzle the inside of your hurricane glass with chocolate syrup to make pretty stripes. Place the glass in the fridge to chill.
- Blend the drink ingredients. In a blender combine the vodka, irish cream, Kahlua, creme de cacao, vanilla ice cream and ice. Cover and blend well, pausing periodically to scrape down the sides. If your mudslide is too thick you can add a little milk or heavy cream to thin it out.
- Serve. Pour the blended drink into your glass. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
All I can say is YUMMY!!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know. 🙂
Yum! We made this last night and it was SO GOOD!!
Glad you liked it!