Elevate Your White Russian With A Pumpkin Spice Twist

In spooky season and beyond into Thanksgiving, big pumpkin and its prickly henchman, spice, tighten their grip on the American food consciousness. Divisive as it is, pumpkin spice makes it into more and more foodstuffs for more and more months with every passing year. Pumpkin spice lattes are now spotted as early as August, and it's known to sneak into items of dubious suitability in other seasons, too. It seems like that traditional blend of cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg, and occasionally allspice dubbed "pumpkin spice" a century ago has exhausted all possible pairings. But! If you haven't had it in a white Russian, this is as good a time as any to try.

Pumpkin spice performs particularly well in a white Russian because its base is already conducive to a little experimentation, unlike some of the goofier combos on the market. The white Russian's vodka and cream are neutrally-flavored, and its third and typically final ingredient, coffee liqueur, marries well with the autumnal addition.

Can you just tip in a few shakes from the spice cabinet? Literally no one can stop you, but ground spices won't properly coalesce. It can also be a challenge to get the proportions right, and you'll likely be left with a gritty texture and the dreaded bottom of the glass debris. There are more effective methods.

For one, you can simply swap the white Russian's standard cream with one of the many pumpkin spice creamers on the market like Chobani's limited batch offering, but you are going to end up a little bit of that mass market office coffee quality taste. Stunty as it may seem, a pumpkin spice vodka cuts to the chase more directly. Or, if you want to maximize the decadence, look to Jacques Pépin's ice cream French toast trick and use a melted pumpkin spice variety for a super rich treat. A pumpkin spice rim makes it an occasion. There's no wrong way to add pumpkin to your white Russian — so whatever you do, make sure it's something you'll love.