The warmth of a hot drink invites you to sip slowly and linger. A hot cocktail is the ideal serving for a holiday gathering and the perfect after-dinner offering. Plus, unlike many classic cocktails, making a hot beverage at home is simple and certain to be a crowd-pleaser. You don’t need bar tools or special ice, and there is no need for specific glassware as any mug will suffice. Since you don’t need to consider dilution or carbonation, hot beverages are also very easy to prepare as a batch for a quick and easy group serve.
Most hot beverages are built on a base of tea, hot cocoa, coffee, or cider. When you’re making a hot cocktail at home, start with your favorite hot beverage, then layer in ingredients and spirits that compliment your base. Generally, you can follow the formula: hot drink + spirit + sweetening element (sugar and/or liqueur) + garnish. There are an infinite number of permutations to try. Have fun! Here are a few suggestions:
Coffee
Coffee offers a hearty and aromatic canvas for hot drinks. The espresso martini notwithstanding, I think coffee drinks are more delicious when made with aged spirits as the baking spices derived from the oak play well with the rich coffee notes.
This recipe is easy to prepare and is a great after-dinner drink when no one wants to go home quite yet. The Wild Turkey brings its signature bourbon spice and sweetness, and the Frangelico offers a touch of nuttiness. The optional whipped cream float will give a little more body and a creamier texture if you’re into that kind of thing. I also like the interplay of hot and cold, which makes for a fully sensory drinking moment.
Lawrenceburg Coffee
1 ½ oz. Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
½ oz. Frangelico
½ oz. simple syrup
5 oz. freshly brewed coffee
Grated nutmeg
Whipped cream float (optional)
Add the bourbon, Frangelico, and simple syrup to a coffee mug. Pour piping hot coffee into the mug and stir. Garnish with a dusting of grated nutmeg and an optional whipped cream float.
Hot Chocolate
Creamy, decadent, sweet, and cozy as can be — what’s not to love about a spirited hot chocolate? Because of the variety of hot chocolates available, there are many spirits you can pair with them, and it’s pretty hard to go wrong.
I used Mexican hot chocolate for this recipe, which has a unique spiced flavor. I paired it with Montelobos mezcal and Ancho Reyes Chile liqueur for a creamy, smoky, earthy, spicy hot cocoa just for grownups.
Wolf’s Howl Cocoa
1 oz. Montelobos Mezcal
1 oz. Ancho Reyes
5 oz. Mexican Hot Chocolate
Marshmallow
Grated cinnamon
Prepare the hot chocolate in advance to your preference — you can make it with hot water or with milk for a creamier drink. Set aside. Add Montelobos Mezcal and Ancho Reyes to a hot drink mug, pour in cocoa, garnish with a marshmallow, and top with grated cinnamon.
Cider
Cider is the emblematic drink of fall, the time of changing leaves, and nostalgia to the max. When pairing with cider, I suggest aged spirits; something with time on oak to marry with the vanilla and spice notes of the cider. Whiskey, aged rum, aged tequila, and brandy are all delicious.
For this drink, I chose aged Jamaican rum as the toffee and vanilla notes mix well with the apple pie flavors in the cider. The hit of lemon juice balances the sweetness. The addition of the Grand Marnier adds depth, richness, and notes of candied orange peel. Honestly, Grand Marnier should go in every hot drink; it was born for an après-ski moment. This is a great option for a group serve! Prepare in a crockpot or keep warm on the stove on low heat with cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. I promise everyone who walks in will say, “It smells amazing in here!”
Orange Orchard Cider
1 oz. Grand Marnier
½ oz. Fresh lemon juice
5 oz. Hot apple cider*
Honey (to taste)
Grated cinnamon
Prepare the apple cider to your preference. Set aside. Add rum, Grand Marnier, and lemon juice to the mug and top with piping hot cider. Add honey to a spoon and stir till it dissolves. Grate cinnamon on top, and serve.
*Apple cider can be made in a few ways — you can buy it fresh or in concentrate form. To boost the spice, add a couple of tea bags of chai tea to steep 5-10 minutes.
In Closing
Whichever one you pick, these hot cocktails will be sure to keep you warm all through winter. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the recipes: you can use them as a jumping off point to explore new seasonal or comforting flavors.
