Serve an ultra-decadent brew of cocoa, coffee or liqueurs when temperatures drop.
December is the month of coziness and comfort and nothing epitomizes those more than a steaming cup of deliciousness!
Check out our exquisite selection of hot chocolates, cider brews, traditional alcoholic beverages and lattes, all perfect to sip around the fireplace.
In fact, you could even fill up your thermos with one of those fragrant hot chocolate varieties and play outside in the snow. Above all though, these body and soul-warming winter recipes below will absolutely feel like a hug in a mug!
1Maple Bourbon Coffee
Add more fragrance to your daily bullet-line routine!
This indulgent recipe can range from extra sweet (when you pour in some more maple syrup) to delightfully bitter (if you choose to emphasize the bourbon notes). Enjoy!
2Christmas Wassail Recipe
The word ‘wassail’ originates form the Anglo-Saxon ‘was hael’, meaning ‘good health’. The ancient English ritual of wassailing involved drinking an aromatic brew made with ale, sherry, sugar and a variety of spices.
It was done to ensure a good harvest the following year. This particular recipe involves six hours of preparation, out of which only a quarter of an hour is active cooking time. Cheers!
3Coquito – Some Like it Hot
Coquito, the Puerto Rican Christmas rum, is authentically served chilled. However, some really do like it hot!
The preparation take only 10 minutes, and even though they say that nt two Coquito recipes are alike, all of them feature these three basic ingredients: condensed milk, coconut milk and white rum! Feliz Navidad!
4Christmas Mule
For just five minutes, you can prepare a strong and hearty festive drink! The recipe relies on ginger beer and pear vodka. The pear vodka you can either purchase or infuse yourself.
Actually, if you have a traditional Russian restaurant in the neighborhood, they might have a greater variety of infused alcoholic specialties. Plunge a cinnamon stick in and let it infuse into the stir also.
5Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
Who doesn’t love red velvet anything? You can achieve the red color easily with two table spoons of McCormick food color. Decorate with dollops of whipped cream! Preparation time is only a very decent 20 minutes…
6White Chocolate Mocha
Two shots of espresso and orange zest on top… Mmm, this scrumptious brew is a must-try! The recipe, as it is, serves two.
7Pumpkin Pie White Hot Chocolate
This glass of deliciousness takes only 15 minutes to prep! It requires a cup of pumpkin puree and a variety of Christmas staple spices, like nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, ginger and cinnamon!
8Chai Eggnog
Amplify the creamy goodness of traditional eggnog by adding chai tea spices or chai tea concentrate! The magical festive fluffiness mingles perfectly with fragrant Asian spices… Don’t forget to add a little bit of bourbon…
9Mint White Hot Chocolate
This decadent hot chocolate variety boasts a magical peppermint flavor achieved with half a table spoon of mint extract. Try it out for a gathering! It will certainly become a huge success!
10Hot Pear Apple Cider
Here is a lip-licking rendition of classic apple cider that uses an aged dark buttered rum to ensure a memorable experience for your palate!
11Caramel Vanilla Bean Hazelnut Milk
This fantastic recipe calls for the creation of a multi-purpose hazelnut and almond milk which you can have as it is. Alternatively, you can blend it with other ingredients for a more sophisticated brew! In fact, it pairs beautifully with black tea and espresso. Chuck it back with abandon, they say! Or dip gingerbread in it!
12Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
You can whip up a cup of this steaming hot deliciousness in mere five minutes. Note: there is also a teaspoon of brewed coffee in it!
13‘Food of the Gods’: Original Mayan Hot Chocolate
The ancient Mayans revered cocoa beans as ‘food of the gods’ . Even science backs up the health benefits of chocolate or cacao, since it helps the body produce more serotonin and dopamine – the so-called “love hormones”! This authentic recipe uses maca powder, cayenne and cinnamon to create a perfectly divine brew!
14Stovetop Spiced Apple Cider
Now, that’s a party show off! The recipe calls for making your own apple mugs to serve the steaming cider in! The whole thing takes about an hour but it serves eight. You can almost taste the cloves, star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and orange peel, can’t you!
15Old-Fashioned Swedish Glogg
This is a great Swedish family recipe that takes nearly two hours to render! However, it creates 60 servings and tastes like the good old times!
The main alcohol mix comprises port wine, bourbon whiskey and white rum. To garnish, use almonds or citrus slices!
16Colonial Hot Buttered Rum
You need a slow cooker to simmer this brew. It requires just a little over six hours to make, yet very little of it is active cooking time.
This rum goodness tastes like liquid cinnamon roll! In fact, you can breathe in the nutmeg when you lean in to take the first sip. It’s magical!
17White Chocolate Matcha Latte
This favorite winter recipe uses just a few simple ingredients! You only need to become proficient in the preparation method. It yields two lattes.
18Kahlúa Hot Chocolate
If you like the taste of Kahlúa – the famous Mexican coffee liqueur based on rum, vanilla bean and arabica coffee – this drink will charm you completely!
You only need to heat up the ingredients and then stir in table spoons of Kahlúa. Finally, ladle into mugs and create unique toppings! We certainly recommend making your own whipped cream at home, if you have the time for it.
19Nutella Hot Chocolate
Finally, let’s finish on an even chocolatier note! Most noteworthy, this recipe includes whole vanilla beans and decadent hazelnut liquor, yummy! If you would happily sacrifice 25 minutes of your special and limited Christmas time, the yield would be 22 servings! So, just enough for a few guests or less!
Stay toasty!
