Fall In Love This Winter With These Hot Drinks — They’re Good For The Stomach And Soul

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Nothing is cozier than a hot drink on a cold day! I honestly hate the cold, and warm drink recipes are the only things that get me through this time of year. So grab a blanket, turn on your favorite new Netflix binge or holiday movie, and get ready to cozy up with all of my winter drink favs — hot chocolate, spiced cider, hot toddies and mulled wine!

Hot Chocolate

Ah, hot chocolate — the classic cold-weather drink the whole family can enjoy! I love everything you can do with hot chocolate. There’s so much room to be creative! Want an alcoholic version? Add Kahlua or Bailey’s. Want a healthy version? Ditch the sugar for honey and use raw cocoa powder! The possibilities are honestly endless. Here are some of our favorite hot chocolate recipes!

Hot Chocolate with Superfoods

Thanks to Healthy Maven for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 cups non-dairy milk of choice

• 2 tbsp raw cacao (or cocoa powder)

• 1 tsp maca powder

• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon

• 1 tbsp raw honey (add more to taste)

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Directions

1. Add milk of choice to a medium-sized sauce pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add cacao powder and stir.

2.. Sir in maca powder, turmeric, and cinnamon.

3. Stir in honey until well combined.

4. Add coconut oil and whip in until all chunks are melted and mixture becomes thick. Serve immediately.

Creamy Hot Cocoa

Thanks to Allrecipes for this recipe!

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Ingredients

• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• ¾ cup white sugar 

• 1 pinch salt

• ⅓ cup boiling water 

• 3 ½ cups milk

• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup half-and-half cream

Directions

1. Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn’t scorch.

2. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.

Homemade White Hot Chocolate

Thanks to Celebrating Sweets for this recipe!

Ingredients

For Hot Chocolate:

• 4 cups milk

• 1 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• A pinch of salt, optional

To Garnish:

• White chocolate chips

• White chocolate shavings

• Marshmallows

• Whipped cream

• Candy canes (optional)

Directions

1. Place the milk, white chocolate, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk continuously over medium-low heat, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth (do not boil). Serve immediately.

Cider

The mere mention of hot cider takes me straight back to my childhood, when mom and dad would take my sister and me to Cox Farms in Northern Virginia and get us the most amazing hot apple cider. These variations on hot cider will warm you from the inside out this winter!

Hot Spiced Cider

Thanks to Betty Crocker for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 6 cups apple cider

• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 3 cinnamon sticks

Directions

1. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat ingredients to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 minutes.

2. Before serving, strain cider mixture to remove cloves and cinnamon, if desired. Serve hot.

Slow-Cooker Mulled Cider

Thanks to kitchn for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 gallon fresh apple cider or unfiltered apple juice

• 1 medium orange

• 1 1-½ inch piece fresh ginger

• 5 3-inch cinnamon sticks

• 1 tablespoon whole cloves

• Orange slices, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Pour the cider or juice into a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.

2. Cut the orange into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cut the ginger into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add both to the slow cooker.

3. Add the cinnamon sticks. Add the cloves and optional spices. To make it easier to serve, place the cloves and spices in a tea ball first, or place in a double layer of cheesecloth or paper coffee filter, gather it up into a sachet, and tie closed with kitchen twine.

4. Cover the slow cooker and cook until the flavors meld, 4 hours on LOW. (If there are clumps of spices floating at the top that you wish to remove, strain the cider through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a large pot.) Keep warm and serve in mugs garnished with additional orange slices if desired.

Bourbon Spiked Hot Apple Cider

Thanks to Vindulge for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups apple cider

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

• 1 whole cinnamon stick

• 3 whole cloves

• 1 whole star anise

• 8 ounces Bourbon

• 4 slices navel orange, for garnish

• Sugar to rim the glass (optional)

Directions

Hot Toddy

Hot toddies are the perfect drink for when you feel under the weather during a cold spell. I always get mild colds when the weather changes, and hot toddies are my go-to for kicking them fast so I can enjoy all the fun winter has to offer!

Canelazo (Spiced Cinnamon Rum Drink)

Thanks to The Spruce Eats for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 3 cups water

• 2/3 cup light brown sugar

• 2/3 cup dark brown sugar

• 1 lime (juiced)

• Pinch of salt

• 1 teaspoon whole cloves

• 4 to 6 cinnamon sticks

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 4 ounces (or more to taste) aguardiente or rum

Directions

1. Bring the water, both kinds of sugar, lime juice, salt, cloves, and cinnamon sticks to a boil, then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice. Add the aguardiente or rum, to taste.

2. Reheat without boiling (the alcohol will evaporate if boiled). Strain and serve hot.

Classic Hot Toddy

Thanks to Cookie + Kate for this recipe!

Ingredients

• ¾ cup water

• 1 ½ oz. whiskey

• 2 to 3 teaspoons honey, to taste

• 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste

• 1 lemon round

• 1 cinnamon stick (optional, for garnish)

Directions

1. In a teapot or saucepan, bring the water to a simmer. Pour the hot water into a mug.

2. Add the whiskey, 2 teaspoons honey and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Stir until the honey has disappeared into the hot water. Taste, and add 1 teaspoon of honey for more sweetness, and/or 1 teaspoon more lemon juice for more zing.

3. Garnish with a lemon round and cinnamon stick (if using). Enjoy!

Hot Ginger Toddy

Thanks to The Spruce Eats for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 ounce bourbon whiskey

• 1/2 ounce ginger liqueur

• 4 to 6 ounces hot water, or to taste

Directions

1. In a warm Irish coffee glass, pour the honey, lemon juice, whiskey, and ginger liqueur.

2. Top with hot water and stir. Serve and enjoy.

Mulled Wine

I like to think of mulled wine as winter sangria. And I loooove sangria. I know, hot red wine sounds weird, but when you let it soak up all the spicy, fruity goodness of orange, cinnamon, and other mulling spices, it’s honestly out-of-this-world amazing.

Appleberry Mulled Wine

Thanks to BBC Good Food for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 3-¼ bottles red wine 

• 4 cups cloudy apple juice

• 4 oz. caster sugar

• 1 long cinnamon stick, snapped in half

• 2 star anise

• 3 tbsp orange Curaçao or Cointreau

• 4 oz. frozen mulled fruit or fruits of the forest or Black Forest fruits

• 3 small red-skinned apples, sliced into rings

Directions

2. Just before serving, swirl in the Curaçao or Cointreau, throw in the frozen fruits and add the apple slices.

Mulled Rosé Wine

Thanks to BBC Good Food for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 3 ¼ cups rosé wine

• 1 star anise

• 1 ball of stem ginger , sliced

• ½ tsp black peppercorns

• 5 allspice berries

• ¼ pink grapefruit, sliced

• 2 tbsp crème de cassis

Directions

1. Pour the rosé wine into a large saucepan with the star anise, stem ginger, black peppercorns, allspice berries, and pink grapefruit. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then stir in the crème de cassis. Strain into a jug, then serve in heatproof glasses or cups.

Classic Mulled Wine

Thanks to Gimme Some Oven for this recipe!

Ingredients

Mulled Wine:

• 1 bottle of dry red wine

• 1 orange, peeled and sliced into rounds

• 8 whole cloves

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 star anise

• 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste (or substitute with your preferred sweetener)

• 1/4 cup brandy, or your favorite liqueur (optional)

Garnishes: 

• Citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime)

• Extra cinnamon sticks

• Extra star anise

Directions

1. Add wine, orange slices, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, 2 tablespoons sweetener, and brandy to a large saucepan. Stir briefly to combine.

2. Cook the mulled wine on medium-high heat until it just barely reaches a simmer. (Avoid letting it bubble — you don’t want to boil off the alcohol.) Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.

3. Using a fine mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Give the mulled wine a taste, and stir in extra sweetener if needed.

4. Serve warm in heatproof mugs, topped with your favorite garnishes.

What is your favorite cozy, hot drink to get you in the holiday mood? Will you be trying out any of these yummy drink recipes? Share with us in the comments below!

More Recipes and Delicious Drinks to Try:

Make These Easy Starbucks Fall Drinks At Home Instead Of Shelling Out The Big Bucks

Which Milk Is Right For You? How To Make The Best Dairy Alternatives