Toasty Tipples To Warm Up Cold Winter Nights Slideshow
Peppermint Patty
Dessert + booze = heaven. This Peppermint Patty by Divine Caroline is liquid decadence in a glass, and it's ridiculously easy to make. Heat milk on the stovetop (or if you're really feeling indulgently lazy, the microwave!), then add your favorite hot cocoa powder (tip: you cannot go wrong with Ghirardelli). Spike the hot chocolate with a shot of peppermint schnapps like Rumple Minze, or if that's not on hand in the liquor cabinet, Crème de menthe is a yummy alternative. Top with a swirl of whipped cream, a sprinkling of peppermint crumbs and ta-da! You've got a tasty tipple perfect for toasting the season.
Blackberry Hot Toddy
That ol' faithful the hot toddy gets a berry delicious makeover in this Blackberry Hot Toddy from The Framed Table. Though the ingredients for a true, traditional Hot Toddy are hotly debated, we don't think even the staunchest toddy enthusiast would be able to pass up this pretty potable of just-squeezed blackberry juice, bourbon whiskey, raw sugar, vanilla extract, juice from lemon wedges, and mild, freshly brewed tea (Earl Grey works great!). Pour the hot mixture into glasses prepped with a rim of lemon juice and raw sugar, garnish each glass with a fresh blackberry threaded onto a sprig of thyme, and cheers!
Cranberry Ginger Mulled Wine
The cold weather cousin to summertime sangria, fruit-filled mulled wine is a standby when the temperatures drop, and this Cranberry Ginger Mulled Wine from All Day I Dream About Food is our new favorite take on the classic cocktail. Simmer a bottle of full-bodied red wine (your go-to Cabernet or Merlot will work), fresh cranberries, sugar (the recipe uses granulated erythritol), lemon juice, a cinnamon stick and thinly sliced fresh ginger root over low in a saucepan for 30 minutes. Plop in a few fresh cranberries and a lemon wedge for garnish. You won't be missing those sunny sangrias one bit!
Cinnamon Toast Cocktail
Warm apple cider, spiced rum, cinnamon sugar—where do we sign up?! This flavorful Cinnamon Toast cocktail from The Slow-Roasted Italian is perfect to cozy up to this fall, stirred up with 12 oz. warmed apple cider and 3 oz. Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum in a cinnamon sugar-rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick for a libation that's lovely enough to serve at a holiday party but delicious enough that you'll want to keep this one all to yourself!
Tom and Jerry
It doesn't have to be Christmas to roll around to enjoy this Tom and Jerry tipple from Musings on Cocktails. Resembling a warm, velvety chiffon cake, this Tom and Jerry recipe is brimming with rum, brandy, sugar, hot milk, nutmeg and—trust us!—egg yolks and whites for a creamy cold weather cocktail befitting those wintry months!
Hot Buttered Rum
Get ready to be buttered up—you'll definitely be on the receiving end of some well-deserved flattery when you serve this Hot Buttered Rum from Oh So Beautiful Paper to your friends and family this season. Combine butter, honey and hot apple cider in a saucepan, then spice it up with a few whole cloves, some ground cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg or whatever tickles your fancy. Once the butter is melted and the mouthwatering mixture is warmed through, pour the mixture and the rum into a mug or mason jar and garnish with a cinnamon stick. A little sweet, a little spicy, and rich, rich, rich—perfect for the holidays!