Well, it was a good run here in the Northeast where, on a few days this winter, our weather was even better than yours, Los Angeles! But the party is over and, as a good number of us settle into seasonably cold temps and brace for winter storm Jonas, it’s finally time for some hot drink recipes to warm our bones. We’ve got a few cocktails, a few mocktails, and a bunch of drinks that can go both ways, so there is plenty of cozy for everyone. Yes, even you, Arizona. (I see your temps dropping into the 40’s at night!)
Related: 7 homemade hot chocolate recipes that will have them going loco for your cocoa.
Cocktails
If you’ve ever wondered how to make mulled wine, our tutorial has you covered. Though we have a recipe for you—my favorite version—the tips make it possible for you to throw together a deliciously warm mulled wine no matter what bottle of red or aromatics and fruit you have on hand. That just might come in handy if you’re stuck inside during a blizzard.
Bourbon is a classic, go-to liquor for warm cocktails and this Honey Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail at Hello Glow uses it perfectly. You only need four ingredients on hand to whip up this comforting sip, so stock up!
Hot Toddies are pretty straightforward business, which is why we love this riff on the classic, the Chamomile Hot Toddy that we found at Honestly Yum. Instead of adding a splash of booze to tea, this is a proper cocktail made with chamomile-infused honey. Sound involved? It’s not (it’s as easy as steeping tea bags)—anyway, what else are you going to do during a big storm?
If you’re looking for something decadent and over the top, look no further than this Boozy Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate at Minimalist Baker. Holy deliciousness! If you don’t have pumpkin puree on hand (the canned stuff is fine), skip that part and you have Boozy White Hot Chocolate. Believe me, it’ll still do.
Related: Hot buttered rum recipe, with or without booze, to keep everyone cozy this winter.
Mocktails
Just like with hot rum, we think hot cider is better with some butter. (Really, what isn’t?) More than just butter makes this Hot Buttered Cider that we found at Taste and Tell delicious, so be sure to grab some oranges, lemons, and spices, too. Just don’t blame me if your family starts begging for this all of the time.
Hot chocolate is the ultimate warm winter drink, because chocolate. But do you know how to make it even better? This Nutella Hot Chocolate that we found at Pepper, is how. Swap the good stuff for the even better stuff and you have the ultimate of the ultimate. (The mega ultimate?)
It’s hard to compete with Nutella, so let’s take a 180 instead with this very civilized Spiced Tea Latte at Joy the Baker. There’s no recipe, rather a bunch of ideas for how to warm up with a gussied up cuppa. Some of Joy’s ideas involve bourbon, which is fine by me, but the last one is a simple, spiced version of a morning cup of tea that sounds like a lovely way to start a day spent in PJ’s.
Start the day with tea and end it with a comforting cup of steamed milk. The Warm Vanilla Ginger Milk at my blog One Hungry Mama is my favorite way to serve the childhood classic. My kids can’t get enough of this modern take full of mellow, sweet spice. The big one even loves it made with homemade almond milk (store-bought will work, too), because you just can’t go wrong with this simple combination of flavors.
