Charlotte Russe
Charlotte Russe is a creamy dessert combination of eggs, whipping cream, and whiskey. Traditionally served at Christmas and holidays.
This is an old, old recipe that is a tradition in our family. My Mama has made it every Christmas since I can remember. But the recipe goes back even further to her grandmother. If you’re not familiar with Charlotte Russe, then please let me introduce you.
It’s rich. It’s creamy. It has whiskey in it. In a word, it’s ‘perfect.’ Just one quick caution – this recipe does contain raw eggs. Just wanted you to know in case that’s a health concern for you. Me? I figure the Jim Beam cancels out any risk :-)
Mama’s Words of Wisdom
When I asked Mama to email me her recipe, she also sent me some notes about the preparation. Here, I’ll let her tell you in her own words:
“You cannot be in a hurry when you make this. Treat each step like you are handling a baby. Very gently.
You can pour it all into a trifle bowl, parfait glasses, or a flat casserole dish so it can be cut in squares. I have layered it with fresh peaches, fresh raspberries, and cherry pie filling. Have used fresh strawberries, but the strawberries and whiskey don’t seem to complement each other.
My grandmother used to make this every Christmas and Thanksgiving. She would cut it in squares and place a cherry on each piece.
You had to be over 12 years old before you were served any because it had whiskey in it. Since I was only 10 when she died, I never got to taste it. Maybe that’s why I always make it for the holidays.”
So, summoning up all the gentleness I can muster, I’ll show you how to make Mama’s recipe for Charlotte Russe.
❤️ Why We Love This Recipe
- It’s a classic, southern heritage recipe.
- It’s creamy, dreamy, and all things good.
- Because – Bourbon.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
“I’m so excited to find this recipe. My great-grandmother always made this for Thanksgiving minus the whiskey. For the last 20+ years I have had the honor of making it. This year I could not find my treasured recipe. Finding someone who knew what Charlotte is made my day.”
— Angie
🛒 Ingredient Notes
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- Whole milk and heavy whipping cream – these, along with eggs, are the basis for the entire recipe. Low-fat options for these are not recommended.
- Eggs – the eggs are not cooked; if that’s a concern for you, you might try pasteurizing the eggs.
- Plain gelatin – you want plain gelatin such as Knox brand, not “jell-o”
- Whiskey – You want something nice and smooth. My personal preference for this recipe is Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.)
- Ladyfingers (Find packaged ladyfingers in the bakery or baked goods section of your grocery store.)
- Maraschino cherries – the traditional garnish for Charlotte Russe, maraschino cherries add a festive holiday touch.
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
My Favorite Hand Mixer
- 9 Speeds: Combine ingredients at speed one for slowly stirring in chunky ingredients, speed six for mixing bread batter and creaming butter and sugar, then speed nine for whipping meringue.
- Lock the cord into either the left or right side of the mixer so you can approach ingredients from any angle. The round cord is easy to wipe clean.
🥄 How to Make Charlotte Russe
Make the Milk and Gelatin Mixture
- Start by stirring together the whole milk and gelatin and letting it sit for a few minutes to soften.
- Then, over low heat and stirring constantly, melt the gelatin. It only takes a few minutes, and you use very low heat. Let the milk and gelatin mixture sit until it’s room temperature, and then proceed with the recipe.
Beat the Egg Whites
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set them aside for now.
Whip the Cream
- In another large bowl, beat the whipping cream and then set that aside as well.
Beat the Egg Yolks
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks, gradually adding the sugar until you have a fluffy, pale yellow mixture.
- Stir the milk and gelatin mixture very gently into the egg yolks and sugar. Be sure they’re thoroughly combined.
Add the Whiskey
- Very gradually stir the whiskey into the egg yolk mixture. Of course, I used Jim Beam, a fine southern bourbon.
👉 PRO TIP: Mama says you can use whatever whiskey you like but not everything goes well with eggs and cream. Jim Beam goes mighty fine in this. Just sayin’.
Fold the Mixture Gently
- Now, gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites incorporating only a small amount each time.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Again, work very gently and with only a small amount of cream each time.
Pour into a Bowl
- Line a bowl with ladyfingers. Pour the charlotte mixture into the bowl.
- Cover loosely and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- Garnish individual servings with a maraschino cherry or two.
⏲️ Make it Ahead
I’m often asked if this recipe can be made ahead, and the answer is definitely yes! In fact, it should be made at least one day before serving so that it has plenty of time to set. I think up to three days would probably be fine. Just make sure it’s covered well and refrigerated.
🍚 What About Leftovers?
You can store any leftovers just like you would other jelled desserts. Cover, refrigerate, and use within three days.
🤔 What Does It Taste Like?
The flavor of the bourbon is very prominent in this dessert, though not overpowering. It’s greatly tempered and mellowed by the cream and eggs.
Questions? I’m happy to help!
If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
📖 Recipe
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Charlotte Russe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs separated
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 envelopes gelatin
- ⅓ cup whiskey suggest Jim Beam bourbon whiskey
- 3 ounce package Ladyfingers
- Maraschino cherries optional garnish
Instructions
- Stir together the milk and gelatin in a small saucepan and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Place the saucepan over low and cook, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool. Proceed with the recipe when the milk and gelatin mixture has cooled to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside for now.
- In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream. Set that aside for now.
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks, gradually adding the sugar, until fluffy and pale yellow.
- Stir the milk and gelatin mixture very gently into the egg yolks and sugar.
- Very gradually stir the whiskey into the egg yolk mixture.
- Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites incorporating only a small amount each time.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Again, work very gently and with only a small amount of cream each time.
- Line a trifle or other bowl with ladyfingers. Pour the mixture into the bowl.
- Cover loosely and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- Garnish individual servings with Maraschino cherries, if desired.
Notes
- This recipe uses raw eggs. If you have any concern at all about consuming raw eggs, you might consider using pasteurized eggs.
- Take care at each step of the recipe when folding ingredients to do so gently and carefully so as not to deflate the lovely airy texture of the Charlotte Russe.
- The recipe should be made at least one day, and up to three, before serving so that it has plenty of time to set. Make sure it’s covered well and refrigerated until serving time.
- Store any leftovers just like you would other jelled desserts. Cover, refrigerate and use within three days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
🧾 More Old Fashioned Dessert Recipes
— This recipe was originally published on August 23, 2011. It has been updated with additional information.
My grandmother used to make this in a springform pan. Do you think that the recipe can be doubled and turn out right?
I’ve never tried doubling this recipe. I should think it would work, but you’ll need really large mixing bowls to handle double the ingredients.
Charlotte Russe is on my top 5 and I’ve made several times. I love your recipe but…need to please a chocolate family. In place, or along(even better,), what would you suggest as a chocolate addition? Thank you!
For big chocolate lovers, I can recommend my Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache. It decadent and elegant. I’d serve it alongside the Charlotte.
Thank you for keeping this Southern delight alive. Our family has served it each Christmas (and on other special occasions ) for over 100 years. My aunt modernized the family recipe, maybe in the 30s from having to make the helmet in from ox hoofs. Charlotte is a huge tradition in my family and Christmas isn’t Christmas without this dish. (I’m 3rd or 4th generation making it and I’m almost 70). This recipe is very similar to my husband’s family recipe (Eufaula,AL) except no whiskey and made using cherry juice, chopped cherries, no egg yolks). My family recipe using a boiled custard which is congealed, then beaten and folded into whipped cream, then congealed a 2nd time. It’s a 2 day recipe because of time needed to congeal twice. We have used the whiskey (rum or bourbon), but mainly make with Vanilla. In recent years I have served a variety of liquors to splash on top or to sip along—armaretta is a delicious option. We seldom use the lady fingers but often serve with pound cake on the side. Our family is from the Gulf Coast (Alabama and Mississippi) Thank you again for posting this recipe. Have often looked online to see if any recipes for charollete were there and yours is the first I have found.
Thank you for your lovely comment! It’s my pleasure to keep this and other traditional recipes alive. I hope younger generations will also learn to appreciate them.
I’m so excited to find this recipe. My great grandmother always made this for Thanksgiving minus the whiskey. For the last 20+ years I have had the honor of making it. This year I could not find my treasured recipe. Finding someone who knew what Charlotte is made my day. I have introduced so many people to this and could not bear the thought of Thanksgiving without it. This year we will add whisky- yummy. Thanks for saving Thanksgiving!
My pleasure! I wish more people knew about Charlotte, too!
A version of this was a traditional holiday dessert in my family in Arkansas! However, my grandmother’s recipe has been a bit hit or miss for my cousin and mother, so I thought I would try this one. I’m in Australia now, which means I have to convert a lot of recipes for ingredients available here, so could you tell me a little about the gelatin you’re using here so I can try to replicate or adjust? Do you know how strong it was and how many grams there are to an envelope?
It’s the standard, commonly available (in the U.S.), Knox gelatine. Two envelopes = 1/2 ounce (14 grams) of powdered gelatin. Hope that helps!
I still love this stuff! Makes happy memories.
I assume you whip the heavy whipping cream before folding it into the recipe or are you adding it as liquid drizzle from the carton (no instructions are given in your recipe to actually whip the heavy whipping cream, just to fold it in)?
Yes, the cream is whipped. As stated in step 4 of the recipe (and within the body of the post) “In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream. Set that aside for now.”
This rich but light desert puts a perfect ending to a holiday meal.
Yes, it does!
It’s Christmas Day and I (not being the last minute kind of person, but, hey, it’s Christmas) thought, Hummmmm, ought to make Charlotte Russe. Went to my oldest cookbook – no luck. Went to the recipe file from a dear deceased friend – no luck. When all else failed, went to my sister’s website. EUREKA!!
So, this may be enjoyed tonight. Or maybe later.
Happiest Christmas to everyone.
Miss P
Sadly, we lost my mother’s recipe for Charlotte Russe a number of years ago. Your basic recipe may be the ticket for our family to come close to duplicating my mother’s dessert. In addition to your ingredients, our mother folded finely chopped pecans and finely chopped maraschino cherries into her confection. And yes, she served it to us at Christmas, too. Recently I have used pasteurized eggs in older dessert recipes that feature uncooked eggs, with good results, for those who are concerned about the safety of eating raw eggs. I find pasteurized eggs in cartons in the egg section of the grocery store. Each egg is printed with a “P” to distinguish them from ordinary eggs.
We always had Charlotte at Christmas. One year my mother failed to completely dissolve the gelatin and she said it had pineapple in it. Forever I have had her recipe but today I cannot find it. I want to introduce this wonderful Southern dish to my grandchildren. Thanks.
I’ve never had a charlotte russe but it sure sounds delicious! :)
No worries about raw eggs when you have your own chickens – making this for sure!
I’ve never heard of this, but it sounds so interesting! Love hearing about stuff like this :)
My grandmother made this dessert looking just like these images. As my wife cooked the first 39 yrs of our marriage, I am stepping up for the next 39 yrs. My issues probably a result of inexperience.
After my milk gelatin cooled, it was solid like a cooked egg white. I just tried to mash it up more but still lumpy.
The egg yolk sugar mixture was still grainy, even at the end of recipe and when cooled.
I turned whipped cream into butter.
Still taste great.
Waiting for it to cool, but very tasty. The issues above are clearly me, not the recipe.
My wife will help me when I repeat this recipe. Adult supervision required.
A couple of things I see — you let the gelatin cool too much and for too long. It should be room temperature, not cold, and if it sits too long it will become too stiff. The egg yolks and sugar weren’t beaten long enough and/or the sugar wasn’t added gradually. If your cream turned to butter, you whipped it too long. I hope you’ll give it another try!
Okay now, you have to tell everyone that I suggested this posting, even if you already had it in the lineup. Charlotte Russe is that iconic for us. We loved the mystery of it, with “whiskey”…..
It’s still a keeper.
Miss P
What a sentimental dessert! Love the beautiful bowl too.
Thank you, Mary. I just love making the old family recipes.
Jim Bean, my middle name… now your Russe is so stiff, and that’s a good thing Lana…. your mousse version is like our version over here, a white charlotte, and very similar to my great grandmothers recipe, with no ladyfingers and a little more bourbon…
You know, I should have mentioned that the ladyfingers were my addition. My grandmother nor my mother uses them, but I thought they added a little something extra. Could have dipped them in a little bourbon, too :-)
What a beautiful story and tempting recipe. I’ve never had a Charlotte Russe but now I want it!
Beautiful and seems perfect for a summer dessert too. I love recipes like this with family traditions; thank you for sharing yours with us Lana.
I don’t know why this was always reserved for Christmas but it’s really perfect any time of year.
this is such a beautiful tradition!
Grand, looks lovely what a great addition to the August table or Christmas table. andi
thewednesdaybaker.blogspot.com
Thanks, Andi.
I just started following you and love this recipe. I’m putting together a class right now on holiday desserts and I think I’ll include this one…easy, no baking and impressive…just what my clients love to learn. Makes cooking seem easy and worth the trouble!
Well, it will certainly give your class an opportunity to practice their folding technique! There’s lots of folding and it takes a while to do. Just tell them to be patient :-)
Wow, this looks heavenly. I’ve never heard of it before but I love cream, and I love the idea of continuing family recipes!
Georgia, I think Charlotte Russe, like many southern recipes, has roots in classic French cooking. Wherever it came from, it’s really delicious!
Wow, who knew! I only knew Charlotte Russe as a girl’s clothing store. This is way more fun… and delicious! :)
i had to laugh Lana ‘cuz i thought Charlotte Russe was a clothing store at first – LOL!! this looks absolutely gorgeous . . . not to mention the Jim Beam . .. swoon!
Oh, yes, that little nip of Jim Beam really adds a lot to the recipe. Thanks, Debra.
I thought by the title you were talking about the store….haha! This looks a lot better :)
Yes, I was afraid that might throw some people off. However, the recipe came long before the store :-)
Oh wow! This looks delish! I love the addition of whiskey!
Thanks, Jennifer!
I love love love family recipes (obviously) and this looks fabulous. I’ve actually never had Charlotte Russe – but this looks so gorgeous
I don’t think I’ve ever seen another Charlotte recipe that had whiskey in it. I just know it’s beyond delicious :-)
wow I am loving this one! Tweeting it now
Thanks, Alison. And thanks for the tweet.
Sometimes you just gotta make a Christmas dessert in summer. I’ve got a hankering for fudge and I just don’t know if I can wait :)
You’re gonna be like me – now you’ve got it in your mind and you’ll never get rid of it until you make some fudge!
This looks delicious!!!!! During the summer I love desserts that I don’t have to put in the oven and this perfect!
No baking for this one! The kitchen stays nice and cool.
Well, this looks heavenly. MaMag would be proud of you! great job.
To everybody reading the comments – MaMag was my mother’s grandmother, my great grandmother, and this was her recipe. I’m so glad Mama thinks she would be proud of the way I prepared it.