Toasted Almond Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/21/24
Tested by
Tom Macy
Photo of Tom Macy
Tested by Tom Macy
Tom wears many cocktail hats. He is a professional bartender, bar owner, recipe creator, and drink writer, though he prefers the title "obsessive cocktail nerd."
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

Almond and coffee come together in perfect harmony in the popular cocktail known as the toasted almond. This incredibly easy drink is a delicious delight and, if you want to kick it up a notch, you can add a shot of vodka to create a roasted toasted almond.

Either of these delicious cocktails offers a great way to shake up your white Russian routine. The mix is very simple; it uses amaretto and coffee liqueurs against a creamy base. It's irresistible and ideal for those times when you want a quick and sweet, satisfying drink.

The gentler of the two mixed drinks, the toasted almond is a pleasant sipper for those times when you want a good drink that is light on the booze. It makes an excellent dessert drink as well, and you can serve it "up" in a cocktail glass for a gentle, creamy martini.

Toasted almond cocktail with ice and creamy foam on top in a tumbler

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
What You'll Need to Make this Toasted Almond Cocktail Recipe
Cocktail-kingdom-leopold-jigger
A Jigger
Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tin Set
A Sleek Cocktail Shaker
MAKO Stainless Steel Hawthorne Cocktail Strainer
A Great Cocktail Strainer

"The toasted almond is essentially a white Russian, but with amaretto instead of vodka. So naturally, this makes for a much sweeter drink, but the drink overall is delicious. Almond is a natural pairing alongside coffee and cream, and the whole thing tastes like grown-up ice cream." —Tom Macy

Toasted Almond Cocktail Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces amaretto liqueur

  • 1 1/2 ounces coffee liqueur

  • 2 ounces cream, or milk

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for toasted almond cocktail recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Pour the liqueurs and cream into a cocktail shaker with ice.

    Liqueurs and cream added to cocktail shaker with ice

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Shake very well for at least 15 seconds to ensure everything's mixed and the cream becomes frothy.

    Cocktail shaker being shaken

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.

    Cocktail strained into a tumbler with ice, with creamy foam forming on top

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Serve and enjoy.

    Toasted almond cocktail with ice in a tumbler, foam on top

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

Tips

  • An equal pour of the two liqueurs is common, though the cream can vary from 1 to 2 ounces. Feel free to adjust the proportions of any ingredient to suit your taste.
  • Though you may be tempted to pour and stir this drink in the glass, shaking really does make a better cocktail. The agitation and dilution will soften the heaviness of the cream and give the drink a frothy lightness that's much more enjoyable.
  • Deciding between milk and cream will produce a slightly different drink. Milk will create a lighter drink than cream. However, it's best not to use milk lighter than 1 percent because of the dilution from shaking; you will lose some of the richness, and the drink will seem watered down.
  • There are a number of cream options as well. Heavy whipping cream is almost too thick. For a nice balance between the two extremes, half-and-half is a perfect option and a great cream for most cocktails.
  • Alternatively, nondairy milk choices (soy, almond, oat, etc.) should make an excellent toasted almond, albeit thinner. Using almond milk would be a natural choice because it will complement the amaretto.

Recipe Variations

  • The roasted toasted almond (or burnt almond) is "roasted" by adding vodka to the mix. To make this drink, build 1 ounce each of vodka, coffee liqueur, and amaretto in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Top with milk or cream. Shake by placing a mixing tin over the glass and give it one or two good shakes.
  • A flavored vodka such as espresso is a perfect choice and adds an extra coffee kick to the drink. It's also easy to make your own coffee-infused vodka—simply follow the steps in this coffee bourbon recipe. Other good options include chocolate and amaretto or any of the whipped cream or cake-flavored vodkas.

How Strong Is This Drink?

The roasted recipe is slightly stronger than the toasted almond, though both are relatively tame in the cocktail world. Using a 42-proof amaretto and 40-proof coffee liqueur, the alcohol content of the toasted almond averages out to 14 percent ABV (28 proof). Adding half a shot of 80-proof vodka creates a roasted toasted almond of about 18 percent ABV (36 proof). While the vodka doesn't make too big of a difference, it is a nice way to add an extra punch to the drink without getting out of control.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
524 Calories
22g Fat
35g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 524
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 14g 69%
Cholesterol 67mg 22%
Sodium 24mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 40mg 3%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 88mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)