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These hot alcoholic drinks and cocktails warm you from the inside out! Try hot buttered rum, mulled wine, spiked cider and more.
When the air starts to get a certain chill…it’s cozy drink time! There’s nothing better than cozying up with a mug of something: and even better if it’s spiked! (Right?) A warm mug of booze is a strategy used for centuries to stay warm all winter long.
Here are all the best hot alcoholic drinks and cocktails to take the chill off! Try party classics like buttered rum, mulled wine and spiked cider, or simply drizzle a bit of peppermint schnapps into your hot chocolate. You choose!
And now…the top hot alcoholic drinks and cocktails!
Here’s a warm alcoholic drink that’s ideal for sipping by the fire on a chilly evening: Hot Buttered Rum! This historic drink has been around since the 1650's, and it's still popular today. Cozy-spiced with cinnamon and allspice, it's spirit-forward with boozy dark rum and a touch of butter to make it lightly creamy. It's enough to warm your toes…and your soul.
Ingredients: Salted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, dark rum, boiling water
What's a better hot alcoholic drink than a great Mulled Wine? Make up a big pot, and it fills your kitchen with an intoxicating aroma of toasted allspice and cinnamon. This recipe is just sweet enough, balancing the bold fruity wine with mulling spices, citrus, and oak and vanilla notes on the finish.
Ingredients: Allspice, cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, dry red wine, water, maple syrup, brandy, orange
Want a cozy hot alcoholic drink that warms you from the inside out? There’s nothing better at taking the chill off than a homemade Spiked Hot Chocolate! This mug of liquid cocoa is rich and creamy, with an intense depth in chocolate flavor. A hint of aged rum or bourbon, and it gives it a warming complexity with notes of vanilla and oak. Or, try minty Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate or more Adult Hot Chocolate Recipes.
Ingredients: Cocoa powder, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, rum, bourbon or peppermint schnapps
Here’s a recipe for gray days and chilly evenings by the fire: spiked hot apple cider! Not only will it lift your spirits, it makes your kitchen smell like a candle shop. Rum complements the cinnamon, cloves, and star anise perfectly.
Ingredients: Whole cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, apple cider, rum
Here's a warm alcoholic drink that's a notch above the rest: Amaretto Coffee! It’s one of those flavor combinations that’s years beyond the sum of its parts. The amaretto brings a nuttiness and spice to the coffee that’s hard to quantify in words. Topped with frothy whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, it’s truly to die for.
Ingredients: Amaretto, coffee, whipped cream
Here's another great hot alcoholic drink: the Hot Toddy! In the early 19th century it was thought to be a cure for colds, and it's no wonder: this drink definitely puts a warmth in your chest. Use this whiskey drink for sipping around the fire in the evening; it's less of a winter cocktail for entertaining.
Also try: Brandy Hot Toddy, Rum Hot Toddy, Bourbon Hot Toddy or Apple Cider Hot Toddy
Ingredients: Whiskey, lemon, honey, hot water or tea
Here’s a warm and cozy mug you won’t be able to stop sipping: the Peppermint Patty! This hot chocolate is spiked with not one but two liqueurs, adding both mint and chocolate flavors to the rich body of this drink. It’s stellar with homemade hot chocolate, but you can also make it with purchased hot cocoa mix. The amount of cozy flavor here is unreal.
Ingredients: Hot chocolate, peppermint schnapps, Creme de Cacao
Another classic hot alcoholic drink? Irish coffee! There’s nothing more soul warming than that classic combination of bitter coffee, buttery Irish whisky and frothy whipped cream. There are infinite variations on the spiked coffee theme, too.
Ingredients: Irish whiskey, coffee, whipped cream
Love Baileys? Then here’s a warming cocktail to put on your to-drink list: Baileys Hot Chocolate! It’s got the best deep chocolaty flavor, accentuated by the chocolate and vanilla notes with the fruity finish of Irish whiskey. Topped with fluffy whipped cream, it’s a revelation! Serve this sweet warm alcoholic drink anytime you need a wintery pick me up: or it’s great for the holidays or a snow day.
Ingredients: Cocoa powder, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, Baileys
Last up in our hot alcoholic drinks: Spanish coffee! It’s actually an American spin on the Spanish concept of carajillo: spiked coffee. It’s got a caramelized sugar rim and is spiked with Kahlua, rum, and orange liqueur…and topped with hand-whipped fluffy whipped cream! The burnt caramel, citrus, bitter coffee and sweet cream all combine into a literal symphony of flavor.
Ingredients: Coffee, Kahlua, Triple Sec, aged rum, sugar, lemon, whipped cream
More hot drinks
Outside of these warm alcoholic drinks, want some options for when you don’t need booze? Here are a few hot drinks to try:
- Make a big pot of Mulled Cider
- Opt for lattes, like the London Fog or Vanilla Chai Latte
- Go green with a cup of Matcha or a Matcha Latte
- Try a cozy Cafe Au Lait or Cafe con Leche
Hot Alcoholic Drinks: Mulled Wine & More!
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 drinks 1x
Description
This mulled wine recipe is easy and classic, starring a bold red, mulling spices, brandy and orange. The ideal hot alcoholic drink for a crowd!
Ingredients
- 10 allspice berries
- 10 whole cloves
- 3 star anise pods
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 750 ml bottle dry red wine*
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- ¼ cup brandy or Cognac
- 1 small orange, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the spices to the bottom of a pot. Toast over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
- Turn the heat to low. Add the water, then pour in the wine and maple syrup and stir. Warm for 30 minutes on low heat, just barely bubbling. Do not let the wine come to a full simmer (or the liquid will reduce too much).
Notes
*Double the recipe for a party: for the Slow Cooker and Instant Pot it’s nice to have the doubled quantities.
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Keywords: Hot alcoholic drinks, hot cocktails
More cocktail recipes
There are so many drinks to try outside of these blood orange-centered beverages! Here are 300+ cocktail recipes for every occasion:
- Classics: Try Classic Cocktails or Great Cocktail Recipes.
- Easy: These Easy Mixed Drinks and Cheap Drinks have just 2 to 3 ingredients.
- Fancy: Opt for the best in Craft Cocktails or Upscale Drinks to Impress.
- The Big 5: Try all our cocktails with Gin, Vodka, Whiskey, Tequila or Rum.
Let us know if you have any questions!
★★★★★
Hi!
Both Recipes for Mulled Ciders look delicious. Question about recipe with wine and brandy – Does the alcohol cook away during the 30 minutes on low? Knowing my guests, I certainly wouldn’t want it to. :-)
Thanks, Elaine
Hi! No, most of the alcohol will remain.
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