Hot & Warm Cocktails For Fall

With the cold starting to creep in, it’s time to start unpacking sweaters and stockpiling firewood—and nothing is better than a hot and boozy beverage to warm you from the inside out.

Warm adult drinks seem to fall into three different camps: drinks that resemble tea or a hot toddy, drinks that are sweet and creamy, and drinks that are mulled or spiced.

This season is the reason we’ve collected 9 surefire recipes for warmth.

Hot Honey Lemon with Vodka

Ingredients

• Vodka, to taste
• ½ cup honey or agave
• 4 cups water
• 1 lemon, zested and sliced
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks
• Lemon slices for garnish

Directions

1. Add all ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a simmer for 35 minutes.
2. Pour into mugs with lemon slices.

Warm Cider and Rum Punch

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark rum
• 8 cups apple cider
• 1 apple, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 orange, thinly sliced crosswise2 cinnamon sticks
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a large pot, combine apple cider, apple slices, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and ginger.
2. Bring to a boil over high; reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. (Keep warm over low, up to 2 hours.)
3. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Transfer to a punch bowl and serve warm.

Hot Cocoa and Whiskey

4 – 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 oz Irish Whiskey
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3½ cups milk
• Pinch of salt

For the Whipped Cream:

• ½ cup whipping cream
• 2 tsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Cinnamon or cocoa powder to garnish

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Do not boil! Whisk until smooth and creamy. Remove from the heat and add the whiskey.
2. In a separate cool metal bowl whisk the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla, until stiff peaks form.
3. Divide the cocoa and whiskey mixture among 4 to 6 cups and top each with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Sprinkle cinnamon or cocoa on top if desired.

Spiced Pumpkin Cider

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup spiced rum
• 1 cup pumpkin purée}
• 2½ cups apple cider
• 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• Cinnamon stick

Directions

1. In a large pot, mix together the pumpkin puree, apple cider, pumpkin pie spice and the cinnamon stick.
2. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 20 minutes. If mixture is too thick, add additional cider or water to thin it out.
3. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove clumps and cinnamon stick.
4. Add rum and mix. Serve warm. 

Coconut Rum Spiked S’more Hot Chocolate

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 oz Coconut Rum
• 4 cups milk
• 8 tbsp hot cocoa powder
• 1 square baking chocolate
• 2 squares graham crackers, crushed
• Marshmallows

Directions

1. Mix milk and hot cocoa powder in a medium sized pot, and heat on medium.
2. While cocoa is heating, prep s’more garnishes. Melt baking chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds and mix to help melt and remove chunks. Microwave in additional 15 second increments if needed until thoroughly melted.
3. Coat the rim of 4 glasses in chocolate by dipping upside down into melted chocolate. Immediately dip into crushed graham crackers to coat evenly before chocolate hardens.
4. Toast marshmallows with a kitchen torch.
5. Fill each glass with 1 oz. Coconut Rum and divide hot chocolate among the glasses.
6. Mix and top with toasted marshmallows.