Winter Sips: Warming Drinks to Cozy Up to All Season Long
From kid friendly cocoas and sleepytime sips to caffeinated quaffs and cocktails, here’s a roundup of the hottest hot winter drinks to see you through the coldest months of the year.
Caramel Brûlée Coffee from Foxes Love Lemons
It’s early fall, there’s a definite chill in the air, and we’re out for a family walk. My older kid deigned to wear a hoodie (with flip flops, natch); the younger one is wearing short sleeves and Crocs. There’s arm rubbing, audible “brrrrrs.” Eventually, they admit they are cold. Through chattering teeth, one announces, “When we get home, we’re gonna NEED hot cocoa.” (It’s not cocoa weather unless you’re wearing summer clothes.) “Yeah, we definitely need cocoa to warm up,” concurs the other. As if it were our idea to traipse through the neighborhood sans jackets or weather-appropriate shoes, and a remedy is owed. Of course, I made the cocoa (with mini peppermint marshmallows), thank you very much.
As the weather gets colder still, I’ll probably have to flip the script on these goofballs, and dangle the promise of hot drinks back home if — and only if — they wear actual winter coats. Luckily, they get the appeal of curling up with a good book or cozying up for a movie with a mug of something warm and delicious. After all, there’s nothing like a hot drink on a cold day to help folks wind down, settle in, and feel at home. Whether you’re whipping one up for yourself or welcoming a crowd in from the cold, we’ve got the recipes you need.
Jump ahead to:
Boozy winter beverage recipes >>
Spiced and mulled wine recipes >>
Wassail and hot cider recipes >>
Coffeehouse copycat recipes >>
Before we begin
Let’s get some of those burning questions answered before you kick off your hot drink session.
Do I need special equipment for making hot drinks?
Milk frothers, crockpots, tea infusers, and espresso machines are all helpful, but at the end of the day they aren’t absolutely necessary to try new recipes. A saucepan, a heatproof mug, and a little creativity are all you need to manage most recipes — you can steam milk instead of frothing it, or simmer wassail on the stove instead of warming it in a slow cooker. If you fall in love with a recipe that’s best made with dedicated equipment or serveware, you can always add to your collection.
Does alcohol really warm you up?
Nope. Alcohol is a vasodilator, so it temporarily widens the blood vessels, which can make us feel warmer as blood flows to the skin. But alcohol also drops our core temperature, so it raises the risk of hypothermia in cold weather.
The takeaway: For folks who can safely drink alcohol (Read: healthy adults without a personal or family history of substance abuse, and who aren’t taking medications that shouldn’t be mixed with alcohol), an occasional spiked warm drink is fine. If you’re entertaining, make sure drinks that include alcohol are well-marked, and keep an eye out to make sure guests aren’t overindulging and are safe to drive home.
Coffee drink recipes
Over the course of centuries, coffee has become a dominant drink around the world. Brewing up the bitter, buzzy brew is a sign of hospitality — and sometimes the literal fuel for big societal changes. Need some energy to mull that over? See below!
Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee is an unfiltered brew famous for its intense, rich, flavor and foamy head. This tutorial will teach you how to make and serve traditional Turkish coffee, and offers tips for equipment, the best coffee to use, and how to sweeten it (or not!) so every guest can enjoy a custom cup.
Caramel Brulee Coffee
If a self-described “coffee-obsessed” food writer offers up an easy recipe that doesn’t require special equipment, it’s worth pouncing on — especially if caramel is your thing.
How to Make Cappuccino
Cappuccino making is an art, and even if you’re lucky enough to own an espresso machine and milk frother, mastering the technique takes practice. This primer will help you turn out perfect cappuccinos, macchiatos, and more.
Affogato al Caffè (Ice Cream with Coffee)
Weird as it may sound, winter weather makes me crave ice cream. If you’re with me, affogato — hot espresso poured over vanilla gelato — is the ideal drink-dessert hybrid treat.
Hot chocolate recipes
From their Mayan and Aztec roots to the creamy, sweetened European-style hot chocolates popular today, cacao-based beverages have timeless appeal.
Vegan Hot Chocolate
Here’s a decadent maple-sweetened hot chocolate that’s deliciously dairy-free, and very adaptable. A combo of dark chocolate and cocoa powder provide a double dose of rich, chocolatey flavor. The easy recipe features lots of tips, including microwave instructions.
Spiked Orange Hot Chocolate
Chocolate and orange is a winning combination, as this decidedly adult take on decadent hot chocolate proves.
Chocolate Caliente: Authentic Mexican Hot Chocolate
This photo-guided recipe shows you how to make hot chocolate with chopped Mexican chocolate, which comes in scored discs, and is meant for cooking. The minimally-processed chocolate is available with and without spices, so you can vary the flavor of your drink.
Curious George Banana Hot Chocolate
Grown-ups and their little monkeys alike will fall for this unconventional twist on a winter classic. Chopped chocolate and cinnamon give this kid-friendly recipe a little dash of sophistication.
Tea recipes
If your typical tea experience involves a tea bag and boiling water, these recipes from tea cultures around the world will expand your repertoire.
Moroccan-Style Mint Tea
This recipe for sweetened fresh mint tea uses black or green tea bags instead of loose-leaf tea for simplified prep. For the most authentic flavor, use fresh spearmint (aka nana), although any fresh mint works!
London Fog
Earl Grey tea, steamed milk, and a touch of vanilla combine in a latte-like concoction that offers a gentler wake up than coffee.
How to Make Matcha Green Tea
Whether you prefer simple whisked matcha or like it latte-style, this primer will walk you through the basics of how to prepare the vibrantly-hued Japanese green tea powder.
Masala Chai
This guide to chai includes an easy, photo-illustrated recipe and a formula for making your own homemade masala (spice mix) to flavor the milky brew. You’ll find tips and recipe variations, too.
Boozy winter beverage recipes
These classic winter cocktails are enduring favorites, perfect for a night in, in front of the fire.
Classic Hot Buttered Rum
For a taste trip to colonial New England, try this old-school recipe for Hot Buttered Rum. In fidelity to the original recipe, this one uses dark rum and goes light on the sugar. If you’re only making a drink or two, keep the leftover homemade spiced butter paste in the refrigerator for impromptu cocktail making.
Irish Coffee
Feel free to use your favorite whiskey — Irish or otherwise — in this classic, cream-topped coffee cocktail. If you don’t have brown sugar cubes, 1 to 2 teaspoons of regular brown sugar is a standard addition. Pure, dark maple syrup makes a delicious alternative sweetener.
Mint Tea Hot Toddy
My dad’s been a pharmacist forever, and despite the fact that he’s not a drinker, he usually recommends a Hot Toddy for bad sore throats. (To naysayers, he’ll point out that old school, over-the-counter cold meds used to contain more alcohol, and that you don’t need a full shot to do the trick — a spoonful of Cognac, brandy, or rum will do.) Your friendly neighborhood dietitian (moi) reminds you that this is for adults only.
Spiced and mulled wine recipes
Mulled wine has an incredibly long history, and is enjoyed in different iterations around the world. Though it’s generally made with red wine, you can certainly use white. And it’s an open secret that it’s just fine — if not preferable — to use inexpensive table wine when you make it.
Swedish Glögg
We’ll trust acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson to school us on the best way to make this spiced, spiked, Swedish winter wine. Start 24 hours in advance to give the vodka time to infuse with the spices and orange zest.
Hot Mulled Wine (Vin Chaud)
Warming spices, including fresh ginger, star anise, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper add a little kick to this honey-sweetened hot wine. Spike it, if you’d like, with Cognac, brandy, port, or an eau de vie like Poire Williams, and dream of winter in Paris.
Honey Mulled Wine
This simpler take on mulled wine is ideal if you want the warmth of a lush, honeyed red without the interference of a potpourri of spices.
Wassail and hot cider recipes
What’s wassail? Centuries ago it was an Old Norse and English greeting wish for good health, which became a toast, and then the drink folks were toasting, and then the carousing and caroling followed. For a peek at how apple-based beverages became associated with the end of Christmas and the start of the new year, you can read the fascinating history here. Fun spoiler: Fairies and spirits (Otherworldly? Alcoholic? Maybe both?) are involved.
Holiday Crockpot Wassail
Cranberries, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks float in this non-alcoholic, kid-friendly wassail. Make it ahead, keep it warm in a crock pot, and enjoy the side-benefit of a home that smells ah-mazing.
Hot Cranberry Punch
Star anise and cinnamon enhance this lightly sweetened, ruby-hued crockpot punch. It’s non-alcoholic and serves a crowd, so it’s perfect for winter entertaining.
Hot Spiced Apple Cider (No Added Sugar)
This 4-ingredient spiced cider couldn’t be simpler. Simmer it on your stovetop or use a slow cooker for entertaining. For a grown-up version, add a splash of your favorite bourbon.
Coffeehouse copycat recipes
Who are we fooling? We’re talking DIY Starbucks. Because whether you’re a Starbies fan or foe, there is no denying that the coffeeshop’s ubiquity — and major marketing prowess — has turned these winter warmers into seasonal icons, and the stuff of major cravings.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Here it is: the drink that launched an enduring flavor trend, countless DIY Halloween costumes, and its own dedicated season. The recipe serves 4, but is easily halved.
Homemade Gingerbread Latte
Spice cabinet staples including cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla — plus the brilliant addition of molasses — give this warming brew its distinctive gingerbread flavor. Serving a crowd? This recipe serves 12, and you can omit the coffee to make it kid-friendly!
Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
Easy as 1-2-3, this recipe combines hot milk, good-quality white chocolate, and cinnamon for a quick, creamy, slightly spicy treat.
Sleepytime sips
When the days are short, and sunlight hours are at a minimum, it’s often hard to wind down. But a pre-bedtime ritual with a soothing warm drink can be the perfect segue to sweet dreams.
Steamed Almond Milk and Honey
When I was in college, we used to make midnight runs to a nearby bagel place. Serge, the guy who did the night shift, would always throw a hot almond milk in with our order. This recipe uses almond milk in place of steamed milk and almond syrup, but it’s still an ideal late-night warmer.
Dreamy Sleepytime Drink
Want to level up your hot almond milk? This variation infuses the milk with chamomile and lavender, two floral herbs known for their relaxing qualities. The recipe uses loose buds, but an herbal chamomile-lavender teabag would work too. Feel free to swap the almond milk with your favorite dairy or non-dairy option.
Chinese Ginger Tea with Red Dates
Jujubes (or Chinese red dates) have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to help promote sleep. Cinnamon and pine nuts enhance this Korean variation.
Healing brews
As chilly winter weather sends folks indoors, colds, seasonal flu, Covid, and countless respiratory viruses can be hard to avoid. Whether you’re aiming to bolster your natural defenses, or you’re under the weather, these drinks can help.
Moroccan Sore Throat Tea
I frequently make strongly brewed ginger tea with nothing but fresh ginger root and honey. But this ground ginger and lemon version from Morocco is now on my must-try list.
Turmeric Golden Milk
Loosely based on haldi doodh, a healing blend of turmeric and milk, Golden Milk is an Americanized version of an ancient Ayurvedic remedy.
If you want to keep an instant version on hand, try this Golden Milk Spice Mix.
Garlic Broth
Sippable, savory soups are smart additions to your feel better recipe file. This easy garlic broth is perfect for when you’re tired of tea.
Turmeric Tonic
Vitamin C-rich oranges combine with turmeric, ginger, and warming cinnamon for a refreshingly fortifying, honey-sweetened tonic you can enjoy warm or cold.
More beverage ideas
You just discovered a plethora of hot drinks to sip on this winter. Now explore some other types of drinks, from iced coffees to aguas frescas.