6 Cold Weather Cocktails

Sometimes the cold winter months can be a bit of a drag. When you need a delicious and boozy drink to warm your bones and improve your mood, try one of these cold weather cocktails!

Spiced Irish Coffee: Great for a fall, winter or chilly early spring evening! Your really can’t go wrong with a yummy Irish Coffee!

Ingredients:

For the Spiced Whip Cream:

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice

For the Irish Coffee:

• 1 ½ cups freshly brewed coffee (about a half pot). We recommend using Nutty Irishman, Sinful Delight, or Irish Cream flavored coffee.
• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
• 4 tbsp whiskey

Directions:

Whip all spiced whip cream ingredients together with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. For the Irish Coffee, simply divide all ingredients into two mugs and top with spiced whip cream. Sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice if you would like. Enjoy!

Earl Gray Hot Toddy: Fight off that winter cold or just making a grey day a little brighter!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Earl Grey Tea
• 2 cups water
• 1-2 oz of your favorite bourbon
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp honey (or more depending on taste)

Directions:

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan or kettle. Place tea leaves in a large infuser inside a tea pot and poor water over leaves; or simply remove the saucepan from heat and add the leaves directly to the pan to steep. Allow tea to steep for 4 ½ minutes. After about 3 minutes add the lemon juice and honey. Add 1/2-1 oz. of bourbon to two coffee mugs and pour the tea mixture over each. (If steeping tea directly in the saucepan, be sure to strain the tea through a sieve or cheesecloth before adding to coffee mugs). Garnish with a slice of lemon.

Winter Spiced Old Fashioned: Perfect for a cold weather get-together, this delicious concoction can easily be cut in half or doubled to suit the number of people you happen to be serving. The current recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar (can substitute vanilla bean sugar or cinnamon sugar)
1 cup water
3 cardamom pods
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
12 ounces sweet bourbon (or whiskey)
1 orange, cut into 8 wedges
8 maraschino cherries
optional garnish:
4 cinnamon sticks

Directions:
1.Place first five ingredients into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil then cover and remove from heat. Allow the mixture to steep for 30 minutes. Strain the spices from the simple syrup.
3. Allow the mixture to cool completely before placing in the fridge for an hour to chill.
4. Divide an orange wedge and two cherries into each four glasses and muddle together.
5. Place the chilled syrup, bourbon and ice into a large shaker and shake until well combined.
6. Divide the mixture into each glass and top with an extra orange wedge, squeezing the wedge before dropping into the glass.
7. Garnish each glass with a cinnamon stick, if using and serve.

Maple Bourbon Chai Tea: Sweet and smoky, with the perfect balance of spicy chai flavor!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp chai tea or 2 tsp french toast chai
• 3 oz. maple bourbon or plain bourbon
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 oz. half & half
• cinnamon stick for garnish

Directions:

Boil water in tea top, saucepan or electric tea kettle. Add tea to an infuser and place in a coffee mug. Remove water from heat and pour over tea. Steep tea for 5 to 5 ½ minutes. Add the bourbon, maple syrup and half & half; stir to combine. Garnish with cinnamon stick or rim your glass with cinnamon sugar.

Mulled Wine: Our mulling spice includes the traditional ingredients of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and dried orange peel, which create a well-rounded brew that is sweet, light and addicting!

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle sweet red wine
• 3-4 tbsp mulling spices
• Orange slices or cinnamon sticks for garnish

Directions:

Heat wine and a spice bag or infuser of 3-4 tbsp of mulling spices over medium low heat (not boiling) for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with orange slices or cinnamon sticks.

Kahlua Hot Chocolate: This rich and creamy drink can be made using either our Classic Hot Cocoa Mix, Chai Hot Cocoa Mix or Mayan Hot Cocoa Mix depending on your personal taste. All are delicious and pair exceedingly well with coffee flavor of the Kahlua liqueur.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 4-5 tbsp Classic Hot Cocoa, Chai Hot Cocoa or Mayan Hot Cocoa
• 2 oz. Kahlua liqueur
• Mini marshmallows, caramel syrup, chocolate syrup, cinnamon sugar, or vanilla bean sugar for serving

Directions:

Combine milk and cocoa mix and simmer over medium heat until mixture is heated through and creamy in texture. Remove from heat and add Kahlua. Divide between two mugs and top with mini marshmallows, caramel syrup, chocolate syrup, cinnamon sugar or vanilla bean sugar.