Cold temperatures and hot drinks go hand-in-hand. Sure, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are great, but why have the basics when you can have something a little fancier? Here are 11 hot drinks (some alcoholic, some not) that you can try this winter. Try them all and pick your favourite!
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ – ½* cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- Sweetened whipped cream or vanilla marshmallows
- Grated chocolate for garnish, optional
- Caramel sauce for garnish, optional
Directions:
Heat milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once milk is warm, stir in chocolate chips and caramel, and cook whisking constantly until chocolate has melted. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm, topped with sweetened whipped cream or miniature marshmallows, drizzle each serving with 1 Tbsp caramel sauce and garnish with grated chocolate if desired. Makes 2 servings.
*For a richer hot chocolate, you can use up to 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips and mix in more caramel sauce as well if desired.
Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cups chocolate chips
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons red velvet cake mix
- Whipped cream for topping
Directions:
In a saucepan combine milk, chocolate chips, and sugar on medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved and chocolate is melted. Keep saucepan on heat, and add cake mix. Stir until combined and heated through, should take about 2 minutes or so. Top with whipped cream, chocolate chips, or Oreos. Makes 2 servings.
S’mores Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
- 3 cups milk, plus extra for rimming the cups
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- Sugar to taste
- Graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup mini marshmallows
- Chocolate syrup (for garnish)
- Splash of Kahlua or Bailey’s (optional)
Directions:
Rub some of the milk along the rim of each mug. Pour some graham cracker crumbs onto a plate. Dip the mugs into the crumbs until the rims are well-lined.
In a saucepan, heat the remaining milk on medium heat until heated through. Add in the chocolate and whisk until melted. Add sugar to taste. Pour the cocoa into 2 mugs.
Sprinkle 1/4 of the marshmallows on top of each mug. Using a kitchen torch, toast the marshmallows until brown. If you don’t have a torch, you can use your broiler. Place the mugs on a baking sheet and broil until the marshmallows are toasted.
Drizzle some chocolate syrup over the top and sprinkle with extra graham cracker crumbs if desired. Makes 2 servings.
Scandinavian Glogg
Have you ever heard of glogg before? I hadn’t before finding this recipe. It’s an alcoholic beverage that’s traditional in Norway in the winter, especially around Christmas or for Halloween. It mixes red wine with port wine and all those nice Christmas-y spices. Basically it’s a mulled wine. This recipe has a longer prep time than the previous recipes, but if you’re up for the challenge, I think it’ll be worth it!
Ingredients:
- Aquavit (or brandy or vodka)
- Burgundy or pinot noir wine
- Port wine
- Raisins
- White sugar
- Cinnamon sticks
- Cloves
- Cardamom seeds
- One orange
- One piece of ginger
- Blanched almonds
Directions:
Step 1: Soak 1/2 cup of raisins in one cup of aquavit (a Norwegian spirit made with potatoes); Brandy or vodka can be used instead. Soak for 30 minutes before Step 2.
Step 2: Put a large pot on the stove, over high heat. Add one cup of water and 1/2 cup sugar to the pot, and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Step 3: Lower the heat to medium and add your spices – two sticks of cinnamon (each broken in half); four whole cloves; six whole cardamom seeds, crushed by hand; a thinly shaved orange peel; and one small piece of ginger, peeled and cut in half. Stir again with wooden spoon. Do not allow the mix to come to a boil from this point on.
Step 4: Add the aquavit-raisin mixture, two cups of burgundy or pinot noir wine and two cups of port wine.
Step 5: Sweeten and spice to taste.
Step 6: Strain, garnish with raisins and slices of blanched almond — and serve hot off the stove.
Note: The drink can be made a day ahead and kept covered on the stove at room temperature – just reheat before serving.
Slow Cooker Bourbon Citrus Sipper
Ingredients:
- 6 cups apple cider or apple juice
- ¼ cup sugar
- 9 inches stick cinnamon
- 8 whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon anise seeds
- 1 large naval orange, sliced
- 1 medium lemon, sliced
- ½ cup bourbon
Directions:
In a 3- or 3 ½-quart slow cooker combine apple cider, sugar (if using), cinnamon, cloves, and anise seeds. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 3 ½ to 4 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 hours. Add orange slices and lemon slices. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl; strain cider mixture. If using high-heat setting, turn cooker to low-heat setting. Pour the strained mixture back into the slow cooker to keep warm. Just before serving, add bourbon and sugar (if using) to cider mixture. Makes 8 servings.
Fireside Holiday Coffee
This recipe is for a drink mix. It makes enough mix for about 30 cups of coffee. Bonus – it could be a good last-minute Christmas gift!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups non-dairy powdered coffee creamer
- 2 cups powdered cocoa mix
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups instant coffee
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
Mix all ingredients until well blended. Store in airtight container. For each individual cup, use 2 tablespoons mix to 1 cup boiling water. For a pretty presentation, top with fresh whipped cream.
Crock Pot Vanilla Latte
Ingredients:
- 4 cups milk
- 2 cups very strong brewed coffee
- ½ cup vanilla coffee syrup (pick some up at Bed Bath & Beyond or Room 2 Remember)
- Whipped cream (optional)
Directions:
Add milk, coffee, and vanilla coffee syrup to a 2 quart or larger Crock Pot. Stir.
Cook on high for two hours or until heated through. Make sure it doesn’t boil! You may also heat it on low, but it will take a little longer to heat up. Turn Crock Pot to warm setting to keep latte warm for 2-3 hours. You can use low to keep it warm if your slow cooker doesn’t have a warm setting, but keep an eye on it. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn’t scald.
Scoop by the ladleful into individual mugs. Top with whipped cream if desired. Serve. Makes 4 (large) servings.
Peppermint Mocha Latte
Ingredients:
- 1 cup warmed milk (not boiled) for the froth
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp sugar or ¼ tsp stevia
- 1 drop of pure peppermint extract
- Whipped cream or frothed cream or both
- Crushed candy cane
Directions:
Put the cocoa powder and stevia/sugar in the bottom of your coffee mug. Add the peppermint extract. Pour the hot coffee over it and stir. Froth the milk and pour it over the hot coffee. Top the coffee with whipped cream and sprinkle on crushed candy canes. If you really want to be decadent, drizzle some chocolate syrup over the top. Makes 1 serving.
Caramel Apple Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
- 1½ c. Smirnoff Kissed Caramel vodka
- ½ gallon apple cider
- ¼- ½ c. bourbon (optional, but cuts the sweetness)
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 container Cool Whip – thawed (or whipping cream)
Directions:
Combine the vodka, apple cider, bourbon and cinnamon sticks in a stove-top pan. Heat and simmer until ready to drink. When ready to drink, pour the hot toddy into heat-proof mugs. Place a large dollop of Cool Whip or whipping cream on top.
Warm Cranberry & Apple Cider
Ingredients:
- 4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
- 4 cups apple cider or apple juice
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 5 strips orange rind
- 8 whole cloves
- 4 whole allspice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 whole nutmeg
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, and discard solids. Serve cider warm. Add a splash of spiced rum, bourbon, whiskey or all three to your drink to really make it a party!
DIY Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice Cider
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Motts apple juice
- 3 pumps of Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Syrup
- Caramel topping
- Whipped cream
Directions:
Place apple juice and syrup in microwaveable container and stir, microwave for approximately 2 minutes. op with whip cream and add caramel topping.