We all love a good hot chocolate or apple cider on a cold fall night. There are few things better than that warm, sweet fall or winter drink filling up your insides with warmth and coziness. Hot drinks are often overlooked and rarely served in bars, but they are some of the best drinks out there, especially when the seasons are changing. They warm you up and calm you down to make for the most relaxing and cozy evening.
Let’s talk about warm cocktails. Here are a few recipes that you just need to add to your arsenal this coming fall. Let’s get started.
1. The Hot Toddy
The hot toddy is one of the oldest, most reliable hot cocktails. It tastes like tea, and it has a talent for filling up the deepest parts of your soul and body with the coziest warmth you can think of. It’s simple yet effective and absolutely delicious.
In its most basic form, a hot toddy consists of a spirit, hot water, and sugar, but there are several different varieties of this drink that change based on where you go. Most hot toddies will use whiskey and most will also have some lemon juice involved. Some use honey, while others use white sugar or brown sugar. Some recipes even call for delicious, warm spices.
How To Make It
Here’s a quick recipe for a hot toddy you can make at home — and the best part is that you probably have most or all of these ingredients lying around the kitchen.
Start off by boiling some water and grabbing your favorite coffee mug. Pour about four ounces of hot water into your mug. The water measurement doesn’t have to be precise, so filling it about halfway will do. Next, add two teaspoons of honey to the hot water and stir until it’s dissolved.
Then add a quarter ounce of lemon juice and two ounces of your favorite whiskey. Give it one more stir, and you're good to go. If you want to use a garnish, a lemon wheel does quite well. You can even put some cloves into the lemon wheel for a fun look and a little extra warming spice.
2. Mulled Wine
Not only will this drink warm you to your core, but it will fill your entire house with the powerful fragrance of delicious autumn spices. Coziness is in the air when you make this fantastic drink. Mulled wine is usually made in big batches so you can enjoy it at home with some friends or even bring it to a party.
Mulled wine is made by mulling, or heating, wine with a bunch of delicious spices and fruits. Once you try this drink, you’ll keep coming back to it again and again.
How To Make It
Making a mulled wine recipe is fairly simple, and it doesn’t take as long as you might think, but there are a couple of tricks to it. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make it.
- 1 bottle of red wine (preferably dry)
- 1/2 cup of Spiced Cherry Haus (or Ginger Yuzu if you want a more spicy feel)
- 3 cups of apple cider
- 1/4 cup of honey (or maple syrup if you prefer)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves (if you don’t have cloves, a bag of chai tea will do)
- 3 star anise
- 1 orange
- Apple slices as a garnish
Begin by zesting your orange and then slicing it into slices or wedges. Then grab a large pot or a slow cooker and add your red wine, Spiced Cherry Haus, hot apple cider, honey, spices, orange zest, and orange slices to the pot.
Put the pot on the stove and turn it to medium heat. Heat your mixture until it’s almost boiling, then reduce the heat to low. Make sure that your mixture doesn’t come to a boil or simmer, as this can take the edge off your drink.
Once the heat is set, cover the pot and let it sit. You’ll start smelling those amazing species right away. It should be good to go in about 20 minutes, but you can let it mull for up to three hours.
After it’s done, run the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to get out all of the spices and chunks of fruit, and you’re ready to drink. Serve it in heat-safe cups or mugs and enjoy your creation's warm, fruity spiciness.
3. Buttered Rum
It’s creamy, it’s sweet, and it’s downright irresistible. Buttered rum is a dessert-style drink. It’s a fantastic way to end the night after a delicious meal, cuddled up under a blanket and watching a nostalgic movie, warm mug in hand.
How To Make It
This is a great drink to share with friends, so we’re going to make it easy by making a large batch of batter to make these drinks simple for your own crew to enjoy.
For the batter, you’ll need:
- 2 cups of brown sugar
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves (allspice works if you don’t have cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- A pinch of cardamom (optional)
- Aromatic bitters (optional)
Start by softening your butter and then adding all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to mix everything until a batter has formed. Place this in a sealable jar. You can keep it in your fridge for a few weeks to enjoy solo or use it all at once with your friends and family.
To make your drink, grab a mug and add one and a half ounces of spiced rum or dark rum, one-half ounce of New Fashioned Haus, and about a tablespoon of your batter. Top it off with a few ounces of boiling water and give it a good mix until everything is combined.
Garnish with a bit of ground cinnamon or even some whipped cream. This warm, sweet, and toasty hot buttered rum is perfect for a warm evening of conversation around the fire.
4. Irish Coffee
Irish coffee is one of the most classic cocktails for warming up the soul and spirit. It’s easy to make, and it will definitely help you have a great night if you’re feeling glum and groggy from the weather.
How To Make It
All you need to make an Irish coffee is hot coffee or espresso, brown sugar, and some good ol’ fashioned Irish whiskey or Kahlua coffee liqueur.
Heat some water and pour the boiling water into your favorite mug. Swish it around your mug carefully, and then pour it out. This action preheats your cup so your drink will stay hot longer.
Next, add about six ounces of hot coffee. Then add a tablespoon of brown sugar and stir until it dissolves. Once that’s done, add in one and a half ounces of Irish whiskey and you’re done.
If you’re feeling fancy, you can whip up some heavy cream in a mixer and top it with that, or if you want something extra creamy, add a half-ounce or so of Baileys Irish cream liqueur to make a hard latte.
Perfect Drinks for Cold Weather
These cocktail recipes are a game-changer when it comes to cold fall and winter nights. Warm drinks with fantastic fall flavor combinations and cozy vibes are the best way to warm up your soul. We think you’ll like them even better than eggnog or hot cocoa and marshmallows as the world moves into winter. And now you have some great recipes up your sleeve to break out the next time you need a cozy night in.
Sources:
Classic Hot Toddy Recipe | Cocktail Recipes | PBS Food
What is Mulled Wine? How to Make it and 5 Easy Recipes | California Grown
