Warm Winter Cocktails & Mocktails to Make in Your Apartment

Fight off the chill with a cup or glass of one of these seasonal warm winter cocktails and mocktails and stay toasty warm through the long winter’s night.

Recipes for Warm Winter Cocktails

Hot toddy

This classic drink was originally used to cure colds. It includes your choice of whiskey, rum or brandy, lemon, honey or maple syrup and hot water. You can also mix hot toddy ingredients with tea.

Mix 1½ ounces of liquor with a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup.
Add ½ cup of hot water.
Squeeze in the juice from a lemon wedge and garnish with a lemon slice, star anise, cinnamon sticks or cloves.

Spiked apple cider

You can serve this seasonal treat in apple cups. You’ll need apple cider, whiskey, caramel, your favorite type of apple and cinnamon sticks.

Heat a gallon of apple cider, 1½ cups of whiskey, three cinnamon sticks and ½ cup of caramel on the stove or in a Crockpot for one to two hours, stirring occasionally.
Carve out the apples and douse them with lemon juice.
Pour the cider into the apple cups and garnish with more cinnamon sticks.

Mulled wine

Warm red wine mixed with savory spices. What’s not to love? Here’s what you’ll need: a bottle of red wine, brandy, an orange, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise and honey.

Mix the bottle of red wine with ¼ cup of honey and ½ cup of brandy in a pan over medium heat.
Add orange slices, six cloves, three cinnamon sticks and three star anise to the pan.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with more star anise, cloves or cinnamon sticks.

Baileys hot chocolate

Make this chocolaty winter cocktail using instant cocoa or try it from scratch.

Mix three tablespoons of cocoa powder with ¼ cup milk and whisk together.
Add another 1¾ cups of milk and mix until smooth.
Whisk in three tablespoons of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract, ¼ cup of semisweet chocolate chips and a pinch of cinnamon.
Cook over medium heat for about two minutes, then add two ounces of Baileys Irish Cream.
Garnish with whipped cream or marshmallows.

Warm Winter Mocktail Recipes

Green tea hot toddy

Enjoy the soothing warmth of a hot toddy without alcohol. You’ll need your favorite green tea, honey, orange and lemon juices, cloves, nutmeg, star anise, cinnamon sticks and lemon wedges.

Mix a teaspoon of honey, two ounces of orange juice, one teaspoon of lemon juice, ⅛ teaspoon of ground cloves and ⅛ teaspoon of ground nutmeg in a glass.
Steep a green tea bag for two to three minutes, then pour over the honey mixture.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick, star anise or lemon wedge.

Butterbeer

This one is for Harry Potter fans. You’ll need cream soda, caramel and butter extracts, heavy whipping cream, butterscotch topping and powdered sugar.

Whip one cup of heavy whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks.
Mix ¼ teaspoon caramel extract and ¼ teaspoon butter extract with two liters of cream soda. Stir until frothy, but don’t lose the carbonation.
Pour the soda mixture into a glass, top with the whipped cream and garnish with butterscotch topping and powdered sugar.

Peppermint hot chocolate

Try this easy spin on a cold-weather winter mocktail classic. Ingredients include water, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, milk, peppermint extract, whipped cream and candy canes.

Whisk two tablespoons of water, ¾ cup of cocoa powder and ¼ cup of granulated sugar in a pot over low heat until smooth.
Add four cups of milk and stir every twenty minutes until bubbles form.
Turn off the heat and add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract.
Top drinks with whipped cream and candy canes.

Mulled cider

This recipe takes about 25 minutes to make and serves 16 people.

Mix a gallon of apple cider, a tablespoon of whole cloves, three cinnamon sticks, a few orange slices and ¼ cup of fresh or frozen cranberries in a pot.
Bring the concoction to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve in mugs or glasses and garnish with more cranberries, orange slices and cinnamon sticks.

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