Winter is the best season of the year when it comes to cooking and making fun recipes. There are so many different things you can do here that you can’t really do at any other time of the year.
Plus, the best thing about winter recipes is that they usually really warming and cozy. Some of the best winter food is pure comfort food, filling your belly with warmth and putting a smile on your face.
We’ve actually looked at winter food recipes before, so today’s post will focus on something different. As you can tell from the title, our attention is on winter drinks!
You will find a few amazing recipe ideas below that will warm your soul and be perfect for those cold winter evenings.
Check them out, and feel free to let me know if you tried any.
Hot spiced apple drink
This drink is really popular in a lot of European Christmas markets. It’s basically non-alcoholic mulled cider, using apple juice instead. All you have to do is pour some apple juice into a pan and simmer it with a few spices.
You can find mulled cider spice kits online, but if you have any of the following at home, throw them in:
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Star anise
- Ginger
It’s also a good idea to throw in some orange peel or a couple of sliced oranges too. Let everything simmer without boiling for around 10 minutes to let the flavor of the spices develop. The longer you leave it, the spicier it will be.
Then, pour your drink into a glass and enjoy!
Mulled wine or cider
If you want an alcoholic version of the above, simply swap out the apple juice for some apple cider. You can use pretty much any unflavored apple cider you want - or there are a few “Christmas” ciders out there that include some festive flavors.
Mix the same spices in, and follow the same technique.
Alternatively, you can make another winter classic: mulled wine. It’s basically the same approach, only with red wine instead of cider. Again, any good red wine will do - or you can find some wine that’s specifically brewed as mulled wine.
You may have to sweeten your mulled wine with a bit of sugar as it tends to be less sweet. Of course, you can adjust this to suit your preferences.
The ultimate hot chocolate
You can find instant hot chocolate in most grocery stores, but why don’t you go one step further and make it yourself?
It’s a lot easier than you think, and here’s everything you need:
- Milk of your choice (plant-based milk works fine here too)
- Cocoa
- Light brown sugar
- Dark chocolate
- Whipped cream
The recipe is incredibly simple: mix all the ingredients in a pan apart from the cream. Heat it all up until everything dissolves or melts and you have a really delicious chocolate drink in the pan. I’ve not included measurements as it is entirely up to you. Play around with quantities - the more chocolate and cocoa you have, the richer the drink will be. Ensure that you simmer it until the drink is nice and hot, ready for you to drink.
Pour it out into mugs and use your squirty cream on top. Grate the chocolate over the top - and you could throw in some marshmallows here for good measure. Now, you've got the ultimate hot chocolate that’s guaranteed to warm you up this winter.
Oh, for an added bonus, think about adding a sprinkling of chili powder to the pan while you cook. Only a tiny amount is needed, but the combination of chili and chocolate creates a very warming effect.
Irish cream coffee
Irish cream is really popular during the winter because it’s a really cozy and comforting drink. It’s basically a cream liqueur, but it fills you with warmth when you drink it. To be honest, you can have it on its own and it still warms you up - even when served over ice. Today, I’m bringing you two different versions of an Irish cream coffee that you will absolutely love.
Version 1: Hot Irish cream latte
Here, you will need to make some coffee to get started. I recommend using a drip coffee maker as it generates a lot of flavors, but espresso machines or coffee pods are just as good if you don’t have one of these machines at home. Next, heat up some milk in the microwave or on the stove until it’s almost boiling. Then, use a whisk to froth the milk up before adding the coffee to a mug/glass, and top it with the hot milk.
Finally, pour in a shot of two of Irish cream. Now, you have a hot drink that gives you the deliciousness of a latte with the extra warmth from the Irish cream.
Version 2: Irish cream with coffee over ice
The second recipe is a lot easier. All you do is put some ice in a glass and pour in as much Irish cream as you like. Then, add a shot of black coffee. That’s all there is to it, and while the drink itself is cold, the warmth from the Irish cream spreads through you brilliantly!
Chai tea latte
Chai tea is such a delicious drink that’s become really popular over the last few years. It uses a lot of warming spices and creates something that’s so comforting in the winter. For this, you need the following:
- Milk
- Tea bags - English breakfast ones will be fine, or you can use chai tea bags if you can find them
- A cinnamon stick
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Cardamon pods (optional)
- Light brown sugar
The recipe is very similar to the hot chocolate we made earlier.
Combine all of the ingredients in a pan together. You can empty the tea bags into the pan or leave them unopened - emptying will create a stronger “tea” flavor. I recommend leaving the brown sugar out until you have let everything heat up and infuse for 10 minutes. Don’t let it boil, just keep it on a light simmer. Test it, then add sugar as needed.
Pour the contents through a strainer into mugs, and enjoy a delicious spiced tea latte.
Eggnog
Eggnog is probably one of the strangest Christmas traditions out there, but it’s pretty damn delicious. Do I wish they chose a different name when creating this drink?
Yes, but I guess we’ll have to live with it.
To make this, get your hands on:
- Caster sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla essence
- Condensed milk
- Brandy
You want to start by creating a sugar syrup in a pan, combining the caster sugar with water until it dissolves. Then, leave it to cool on the side - I put mine in the fridge so it cools faster.
Next, you need to crack your eggs and use the yolks for the recipe. Maybe you could leave the egg whites to make an egg white omelet or something else. Beat the yolks with the vanilla essence until you have a smooth texture. From here, add in your condensed milk, cooled sugar syrup, and brandy. Mix it all together until everything is nicely dissolved and you have a pale yellow drink.
Let everything chill in the fridge before serving in a glass with ice. Yes, this is supposed to be a cold drink, but the brandy really warms you up. It’s such an intriguing thing to try if you haven’t had one before.
Cinnamon butter rum
If you’re a rum fan, you will absolutely love this recipe. It is incredibly warming and comforting, making you sit back and relax on a cold winter’s evening. The best thing is, you only need four ingredients and the whole drink can be made in a matter of minutes.
What do you need? Here’s your shopping list:
- Unsalted butter - please make sure it’s unsalted or will ruin your drink!
- Golden caster sugar
- Cinnamon or cinnamon sticks
- Spiced rum
The chances are you’ve got at least half of these ingredients in your cupboards already, which is another bonus. Spiced rum is probably the only thing you won’t have, but it’s widely available during the wintertime.
For the method, add everything apart from the rum into a pan. Heat the mixture gently so the butter and sugar melt and dissolve. Then, pour in your spiced rum - add as much as you like; make sure there’s enough to fill your glasses! Mix well, and then pour into a glass and enjoy. It’s hot, cozy, and the perfect tonic after a day full of Christmas shopping.
Honestly, I could make this list much longer than this! There are too many amazing winter drink recipes for you to try. But, I’ve had to settle for the options above. For me, they’re the best ones you can make, and each one is really simple.
You don’t need to faff around or spend ages preparing the drinks. Most can be made and drunk straight away - it’s only really the Eggnog that takes a bit longer. Still, each one hits the spot and fills you with some festive warmth.
If you liked this post today please feel free to give it a Share or a Pin so that others can see it too. I am always happy you're here and I hope these ideas inspire you.
Thanks for Fat Joe Publishing for contributing this blog post for my readers.
It always makes me happy that you're here and hope that these ideas inspire you.
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