Over quarantine, I was inspired to try something new with my coffee recipes. So, after a couple of hundred coffee tutorial TikToks later, I was able to channel my creativity into making different drinks from coffee and even ventured to make new hot chocolate recipes! Read on to try a few new winter coffee/hot chocolate recipes while celebrating the holidays at home and your coffee drinking experience!
- Let’s Make the Best Hot Chocolate
-
After years of making instant hot chocolate, I finally realized I wasn’t going to get the best hot chocolate without chopping up a chocolate bar and warming up the milk on the stove. So here’s what we’re going to need for the perfect hot chocolate.
2 cups of milk (milk substitutes like almond milk will work great with this recipe)
2 tablespoons of Ghiradelli’s Premium Baking 100% cocoa powder
¼ cup of a chocolate bar; this could be a milk chocolate bar as it can bring more depth to the drink. Or choose a semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate bar.
1-2 drops of vanilla extract.
*Optional: Add whipping cream and/or top it off with some extra chopped chocolate or crushed peppermint candy cane.
Start by warming up the milk on medium to low heat with a small saucepan. After a minute, stir in the cocoa powder, the chopped chocolate bar of your liking, and the vanilla extract with a whisk. Keep stirring to help melt the chopped chocolate and the cocoa powder. After a few minutes, all of the chocolate should be melted and incorporated into the drink. Pour it into a mug, add some whipping cream to top it off, some chopped chocolate or crushed peppermint and enjoy!
- Homemade Peppermint Mocha
-
This is a recipe I created and mastered on my own. Here are a few key ingredients you’ll need to make a peppermint mocha coffee drink.
¼ cup of milk (any milk of your choice!)
½ cup of coffee/espresso
¼ cup of Califia Farms Truffle Creamer
1 candy cane
2 teaspoons of vanilla syrup
Prep the coffee or espresso like you normally would and after your coffee/espresso is done set that cup aside. Pour in your milk, truffle creamer, the candy cane, and the vanilla syrup after lightly breaking it into a few pieces into a small saucepan. Lightly whisk these few ingredients over low heat until everything’s incorporated. The milk and cream mixture shouldn’t be too hot, but just enough for your drink. Pour the mixture into a small cup and use a handheld milk frother to make your mixture light and airy. Prepare the drink by pouring the coffee/espresso into a new mug, then pour in your milk and cream mixture, and stir lightly once to incorporate the mocha peppermint mixture with the coffee. You can choose to also top if off with some extra crushede candy cane pieces.
- A Beginner’s Guide to Eggnog: Eggnog Latte
-
If you’re like me, you probably grew up never trying a sip of eggnog just because of the drink’s name. So trust me when I tell you, this is the best drink to try if you’ve never had eggnog and you still want a sweeter and easier way to taste it! This recipe is from @coffeebae97 on TikTok and has modified a bit for a sweeter taste.
½ cup of Almond Breeze Almondmilk Nog
½ cup of unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup of coffee/espresso
1 tbps of dark brown sugar
1 tps of caramel sauce
A few shakes of cinnamon
*Optional: add ice to make an iced latte when you’re not in the mood for something hot.
Again, prep the coffee or espresso like you normally would, add the dark brown sugar and caramel sauce into your coffee/espresso. When these ingredients are mixed and stirred, set this cup aside. In a tall glass, you can choose to add ice or leave the mixture hot. If you would like to keep it hot, warm the almondmilk nog and almond milk in the microwave for about 1 minute, and froth the milk for a few seconds. Add the coffee/espresso in the glass and this will give you a hot latte after frothing the milk and top it with cinnamon. If you would like to keep it iced, add the ice to the tall glass, then the almondmilk nog, almond milk, and top it with the coffee/espresso and cinnamon. Enjoy your sweet introduction to drinking eggnog!
Enjoy the Holiday Cheer with Your Favorite Drinks!
Rather or not these drinks or your favorites, hopefully they may even push you to try a few new drink recipes for the holidays. These recipes are best when sharing it with friends, family, or even by yourself. Either way, treat yourself with a different, creative drink to welcome new and unconvential ways of spending the holidays. Happy holidays and we hope you stay healthy and safe!